Colorado Basketball Limits Game Rotation to Nine Players

Colorado head coach Tad Boyle has narrowed his active rotation to nine players for the upcoming 2026-27 season. The decision leaves four incoming freshmen with practice squad roles, a structural shift from the previous year when the Buffaloes relied on a deeper bench.

The team will begin its season on November 2 by hosting Abilene Christian. This marks the start of the program's 17th year under Boyle. The core group for game action consists of guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders, and Ian Inman. The forward unit includes Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual, and David Gomez.

Gomez may see limited minutes initially while he recovers from foot surgery performed a year ago. Last season, the team finished with a 17-16 record and went 7-11 in the Big 12. In that campaign, 11 players appeared in at least 20 games and seven made at least 10 starts. Boyle indicated that this level of constant shuffling is unlikely to repeat unless injuries occur.

The four freshmen assigned to the practice squad are forward Chase Hill, guards Amir Jones and Rider Portela, and forward Eric Jacobsen. Hill described his current goal as simple development. He noted that he could have started at a Division III program and transferred later, but chose to develop at Colorado over the next four or five years.

The players arrived in Boulder through different paths. Portela, a wing from Phoenix, signed with the team last November. The other three were added to the roster in the spring. Jacobsen, a 6-foot-1 post from the Midwest, played at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire. His recruiting timeline shifted after he tore his ACL during his junior season.

Hill comes from a coaching family. His father is the all-time winningest women's basketball coach at Division III Trinity University in San Antonio. His grandfather, Bob, was a longtime NBA coach who helped recruit Boyle to Kansas 45 years ago. Jones reopened his recruiting process after a coaching change at Georgia State, where he had previously signed.

Jacobsen said he is adjusting to the limited role. He stated that he can go as hard as possible every day without anything to lose, focusing on earning what he can. Boyle described the situation as fluid, noting that Jones had a strong practice on Friday and that Jacobsen and Hill have shown good work. He emphasized that their standing in December could differ from mid-October as the group gains consistency.