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Rippy has the look

Posted August 4, 2008

One of the fun parts about the first 10 days of every training camp is watching new members of the team to see who has a chance to play right away and who is likely to redshirt.

It's also a time when a reporter begins to get to know the players he or she will be covering for the next four or five years.

I met CU freshman linebacker Doug Rippy for the first time on the stairs inside the Dal Ward Center on Monday. At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, the product of Trotwood, Ohio, (northwest of Dayton) passes the eyeball test, as former CU basketball coach Ricardo Patton used to say.

Rippy is just as big on his first day as a Buff as some juniors and seniors have been in recent years. Guess that's as good a sign as any about how recruiting has improved in the program under coach Dan Hawkins.

However, Rippy might not be in line for much playing time this season because of the position he plays. He will start camp at outside linebacker behind senior Brad Jones and sophomore B.J. Beatty. Rippy said Jones has already been tutoring him on the defense and providing suggestions in his first two weeks on campus.

"I'm big and I can run," Rippy said explaining why he believes he can earn playing time right away amid a deep pool of linebackers. "Also, I'm physical and being physical has a lot to do with it, especially in football."

While I doubt Rippy will have any trouble adapting to the college game from a physical standpoint, he already acknowledges it's going to take him awhile to completely master the mental side. That is totally normal. In fact, it's a pretty unusual situation when a true freshman reaches a point in training camp where coaches are able to trust him with significant playing time right off the bat.

Jordon Dizon was the exception to that rule four years ago.

"I know some of the formations really well, but trying to cover the whole playbook is going to be tough because we have so many plays and formations we have to check in to," Rippy said.

CU fans are likely to see a lot of true freshman play this year. Hawkins said said as much last spring. I think most of those that do play will be slowly worked in the way coaches did with freshmen linemen Ryan Miller and Kai Maiava last fall. They didn't play until the fourth game of the season.

One factor Rippy has on his side is his experience in high school playing three different linebacker positions along with some defensive end. In the CU defense, that will come in handy because the outside linebacker is often asked to rush the passer.

Rippy made 80 tackles during his senior season at Trotwood-Madison High School in Trotwood, Ohio. Twelve of those tackles went for losses and five were sacks. He also forced three fumbles.

Rippy said he is looking forward to the opportunity to tackle new teammate Darrell Scott with whom he already has become good friends.

"That's my buddy," he said. "You know you've got to give him one good hit, and then everything else will be cool."