Four Colorado Rookies Train for Limited Roles as Season Opens

Colorado men’s basketball enters the 2026-27 season with a markedly thinner active roster than in previous years. Head coach Tad Boyle has indicated that the starting lineup and primary rotation will consist of just nine players. This leaves four freshmen, including forward Chase Hill and guards Amir Jones and Rider Portela, in roles focused primarily on practice and development rather than regular game action.

The shift follows a 2025-26 campaign that ended with a 17-16 record and a 7-11 mark in Big 12 play. Last season, 11 players appeared in at least 20 games, and seven started at least 10. That depth is not expected to return immediately. Boyle’s projected nine-man rotation includes guards Barrington Hargress, Alex Dickeson, Jalin Holland, Josiah Sanders, and Ian Inman, along with forwards Justin Neely, Noah Feddersen, Goc Malual, and David Gomez.

Gomez, recovering from foot surgery performed a year ago, may see limited early minutes. The four freshmen who will spend most of their time on the practice squad arrived in Boulder through different paths. Portela, a wing from Phoenix, signed with the program in November 2025. Hill, Jones, and forward Eric Jacobsen were late additions to the roster in the spring of 2026.

Jacobsen, a 6-foot-1 post from the Midwest who played at Brewster Academy in New Hampshire, said accepting a limited role was initially difficult. "I'm realizing I can go as hard as I can every single day and I don't really have anything to lose," Jacobsen said. "Just trying to earn what I can." Hill, whose father is the all-time winningest coach at Division III Trinity University, chose Colorado to develop over a four or five year span.

The team hosts Abilene Christian on Nov. 2 to begin its 17th season under Boyle. The coach described the current depth chart as fluid, noting that the freshmen have the capability to play but lack the consistency expected of veteran players. "It's a fluid situation," Boyle said. He highlighted that Jones had a strong practice on Friday and that both Jacobsen and Hill have contributed well in training. Boyle expects the group's standing in December to look very different from late October.

The four freshmen are not expected to play regularly barring injuries or other setbacks. Their daily work in practice is intended to prepare the team for a competitive Big 12 schedule. Boyle asked the players to remain mentally ready in case their roles expand as the season progresses.