Colorado University Athletics
A Deep Rotation Forms as Colorado Builds in the Backfield
February 23, 2026 | Football
Inside the Running Back Room
BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes enter spring practice with one of the deepest running back rooms in the Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders era at CU, blending experience, youth, power and speed. With the implementation of offensive coordinator Brennan Marion's go-go offense, the running backs will be a vital component of the system's tempo and balance.
Colorado's room features proven production, explosive transfers and developmental depth, giving the offense multiple skill sets to deploy.
Group: Running Backs
Returners: Titus Bautista, DeKalon Taylor, Leonardo Valle, Micah Welch
Newcomers: Damion Henderson, Bryce Hicks, Jaquail Smith, Richard Young
Position Group Preview
The running back room enters spring with returning production at the top and significant competition behind it.
Micah Welch leads the group after appearing in 21 career games with 11 starts. He has rushed for 570 career yards and eight touchdowns, earning Doak Walker Award Watch List recognition last season. In 2025, Welch started the first eight games and finished with a team leading 384 rushing yards and four touchdowns. His physical style and experience provide stability.
DeKalon Taylor adds versatility and experience. After transitioning from slot receiver to running back at Incarnate Word, he totaled 909 rushing yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 before transferring to Colorado. In 2025, he played in four games before injury shortened his season, finishing with 83 rushing yards and 10 receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns. His ability to contribute in the passing and return game adds flexibility.
Damion Henderson reunites with Coach Marion after a breakout season at Sacramento State, where he rushed for 565 yards and showed home run ability, including an 85-yard touchdown run. Jaquail Smith adds speed and production after rushing for 511 yards and five touchdowns in eight games at Sacramento St. Richard Young arrives from Alabama as one of the most decorated recruits in the nation, a former five star with elite size and track speed. Bryce Hicks add developmental depth and physicality after spending two seasons, transferring from West Georgia.
The room blends power between the tackles, runners with perimeter speed threats, fitting the tempo and spacing principles of the go-go offense. Competition will define spring.
Here's a Closer Look at the Running Backs
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Chicago, Ill.
High School: DePaul College Prep
Bautista saw limited action in 2025, appearing in two games. He remains a developmental piece after earning All-Conference honors in high school and competing in track and field. He also can find a spot on special teams and make an impact.
Damion Henderson
Year: Junior
Hometown: Compton, Calif.
High School: Los Alamitos
Previous Schools: Sacramento State / Colorado State
Henderson reunites with offensive coordinator Brennan Marion after a breakout season at Sacramento State. He rushed for 565 yards while averaging nearly five yards per carry, with his most productive stretch coming across three games where he totaled 328 yards and four touchdowns. His 85 yard touchdown against Central Arkansas was the second-longest rushing touchdown in the school's Division I era.
A former four-star recruit out of Los Alamitos, Henderson rushed for 1,744 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 145 yards per game. He combines power through contact with breakaway ability, making him a strong fit in a scheme that values explosive plays and downhill momentum.
Bryce Hicks
Year: Junior
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
High School: Carrollton
Previous School: West Georgia
Hicks brings efficiency and physicality to the room. In limited action at West Georgia last season, he averaged 6.7 yards per carry and was the only running back on the roster without negative rushing yardage. His 33-yard run against EKU highlighted his ability to hit a crease decisively.
At Carrollton High School, Hicks was one of the most productive backs in Georgia, totaling more than 4,000 all-purpose yards and 40 rushing touchdowns in his career. A Region Player-of-the-Year and MaxPreps Junior All-American selection, he blends size, vision and balance. His development this spring could position him for a larger role.
Jaquail Smith
Year: Junior
Hometown: Orlando, Fla.
High School: Jones
Previous School: Sacramento State
Smith enters the spring as one of the most explosive runners in the room. Last season, he rushed for 511 yards and five touchdowns in just eight games, averaging 6.7 yards per carry at Sacramento State. He recorded four 100-yard performances, including a 135-yard, two touchdowns outing at Weber State.
Smith is a speed back who pairs patience with acceleration. His 45-yard run at Eastern Washington showcased his open field burst. In high school, he rushed for 1,805 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior, guiding Jones High to a 14-1 record and a Florida state semifinal appearance. In a system designed to stretch defenses horizontally and vertically, Smith's speed will be a factor.
Year: Senior
Hometown: Longview, Texas
High School: Longview
Previous School: Incarnate Word
Taylor brings experience and versatility. Over 32 career games, he has accumulated more than 1,000 rushing yards while contributing as a receiver and return specialist. At Incarnate Word, he transitioned from slot receiver to running back and broke out in 2024 with 909 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, earning First Team All-Conference honors.
In his shortened 2025 season at Colorado, he recorded 83 rushing yards and added 10 receptions for 106 yards and two touchdowns before injury sidelined him. His ability to operate in space, catch the ball out of the backfield and contribute on special teams gives the offense flexibility in personnel groupings.
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ga.
High School: Richmond Hill
Valle redshirted last season as he transitioned to the collegiate level. A two-year varsity player in high school, he brings physicality and defensive experience after playing linebacker. His background provides toughness and contact balance, and his continued development adds depth to a crowded room.
Year: Junior
Hometown: Milledgeville, Ga.
High School: Baldwin
Welch enters spring as one of the most experienced players in the room. In 21 career games with 11 starts, he rushed for 570 yards and eight touchdowns. Last season, he led the team with 384 rushing yards and four touchdowns while earning recognition on the Doak Walker Award Watch List.
Welch runs with balance and physicality, finishing runs and consistently gaining positive yardage. His performance as a true freshman included four rushing touchdowns, the most by a freshman in the Big 12 that season. His reliability and production make him a central figure in the competition.
Richard Young
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: Lehigh Acres, Fla.
High School: Lehigh Senior
Previous School: Alabama
Young arrives with one of the most decorated recruiting profiles in the room. Rated the No. 1 running back in his class by ESPN and a consensus top national prospect, he brings a combination of size, power and track speed. At Alabama, he saw action in multiple games across two seasons, gaining experience in a championship caliber environment.
In high school, Young rushed for 1,755 yards in a single season while averaging nine yards per carry. A one-cut runner with elite contact balance and acceleration, he has the physical tools to impact games immediately. His presence adds another high ceiling option to an already deep rotation.
Colorado's running backroom features returning production, scheme familiarity, explosive transfers and national recruiting pedigree. With multiple styles and skill sets available, competition this spring will shape one of the most dynamic position groups on the roster.
Up Next: The inside look of the defensive line room.
Change defines Colorado's defensive line entering spring practice.
The Buffaloes defensive line will feature one of the most overhauled position groups on the roster, with nearly the entire room consisting of newcomers. Only two players return with prior experience in the program: Quency Wiggins and Kylan Salter, who transitioned from linebacker to defensive end.
The numbers tell the story. Five defensive ends and nine interior linemen will take the field for the first time as Buffaloes this spring, reshaping the front entirely.
The infusion of size, length and depth signals a clear emphasis on rebuilding the line of scrimmage. With new faces across both edge and interior positions, competition will define the room early. Establishing chemistry, understanding assignments and building cohesion up front will be critical as the defense installs its spring framework.
