Sanders’ new OL coach: Colorado should ‘build a fence’ to keep top state recruits

By Sean Keeler/ The Denver Post/TNS

(Source Daytona Times):

BOULDER, COLO. — Godzilla wouldn’t throw down with Phil Loadholt. Unless the King of the Monsters wants a place of honor among Deion Sanders’ luggage, best swing that mighty tail ’round the other direction and run, son.

If the new Colorado offensive line coach is ever cornered in a dark alley by a bear, Yogi’s as good as a rug. At 6-foot-8, 340-ish pounds, when Loadholt rises and stretches at the dawn of a new day, the man blots out the sun.

“It’s like (an) eclipse walked outta here,” CU’s wide receivers coach Jason Phillips cracked Monday as he replaced Loadholt on a makeshift podium across the hall from The Buff Team Store.

Like tugging on Superman’s cape, spitting into the wind and pulling the mask off that old Lone Ranger, you mess around with Phil at your peril.

“We want to recruit the top talent, as you’ve seen with Jordan (Seaton) coming in,” Loadholt said when I asked him Monday about his philosophy and lodestar. “And then hopefully keep the guys that are in-state (in Colorado), keep them here.”

(Sound of a record scratching, then silence.)

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

Go on.

“I know we’ve got some good linemen (from Colorado) that are at other places right now,” Loadholt continued. “And we hopefully can build a fence around that and keep those guys here so that we don’t have look at other places, you know what I mean? So hopefully, we can start building that relationship around the state.”

As Loadholt spoke, off in the distance, I could almost hear ex-CU big man Matt McChesney scream out a “hallelujah” from halfway across town.

Addressing a problem

The first step toward addressing a problem? Admitting you have one in the first place. Since 2017, per 247Sports.com’s database, Colorado high schools have produced seven offensive line prospects who rated as four stars or higher, or an average of one per recruiting cycle. The Buffs wound up signing … one of them.

And while Coach Prime is more of a “let’s portal them in as free agents when they’re juniors or seniors” sort than a developmental, Kirk Ferentz, Barry Alvarez, Bill Snyder kind of guy, talent is talent. And baby steps forward are still steps, especially when they’re trending in the right direction.

“Being a good player doesn’t make you a good coach,” the first-time offensive line boss noted. “I understand that as well. But I definitely lean on my experience.”

At 38, Loadholt is a blocker who’s been around the block a bit. A star in football, basketball and track for Fountain-Fort Carson, his frame and pedigree blossomed at Garden City (Kan.) Community College, then at the University of Oklahoma.

The Minnesota Vikings plucked him in the second round of the 2009 NFL draft, and he proved to be a mainstay up front in the Great White North until injuries hastened his retirement in the summer of 2016. The coaching bug bit, and stops on the staffs at UCF, Mississippi and Oklahoma led Coach Prime to make Loadholt an offensive line guru this past offseason.

“(The hiring process) was surreal, man,” Loadholt recalled. “It was full circle for me, obviously, being (from) about an hour and 45 minutes down the road. So being able to come back to my hometown, spend time with my parents and my sister, who still live here … it’s great.”

Protect the QB

We learned a lot about Sanders last year, for better or worse. The only quicker way into Coach Prime’s doghouse than becoming a sports columnist is being CU’s offensive line coach after Shedeur Sanders just spent three hours running for his life on national television.

“No, he made that clear,” Loadholt said with a grin. “He made that very clear. But the interview process was real. I went and (saw) him, went down to his house and (saw) him and spent some time with him down there and let him know my philosophy and how I want to take care of things.

“And that point (about Shedeur) was definitely made, that it’s important to keep the quarterback up. So I’m excited to have that chance to do that.”

According to 247, the top in-state prep prospect for the Class of ’25 is another top-shelf lineman, Cherry Creek tackle Soren Shinofield. The Buffs haven’t offered yet, reportedly. But if Loadholt is serious about building a fence, he can start with the garden out back.