Colorado defensive coordinator Chris Marve has made his confidence in Santana Hopper and Dylan Manuel clear as the Buffaloes prepare for Saturday’s game at Oklahoma State.
The interior defensive linemen will be counted on to disrupt Cowboys quarterback Drew Mestemaker, who has completed 136 of 203 passes for 1,940 yards and 16 touchdowns, with six interceptions. Creating pressure inside could help Colorado’s secondary by reducing the time Mestemaker has to find receivers.
Chris Marve praises the work behind their production
Marve credited Hopper and Manuel’s daily preparation for their effectiveness, describing a pair whose effort carries from the practice field into games.
“When you cut on the tape, they play with their hair on fire,” Marve said.
Manuel is listed at 300 pounds, while Hopper weighs
265. Their ability to move quickly and penetrate the backfield has made them key pieces of Colorado’s defensive front.
Hopper delivered a particularly productive performance against Texas Tech, recording 10 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss.
“That’s what we need, and I’d take 20 of them,” Marve said of the duo.
Dylan Manuel outlines the assignment in Stillwater
Manuel said Colorado’s approach centers on preventing Mestemaker from settling into the pocket.
“[Our mentality is to] just really pressure the quarterback and make him uncomfortable,” Manuel said. “Because when he has pressure in his face, he’s not really good. He gets out of character.”
That assessment sets a clear objective for Colorado’s interior rush. Hopper and Manuel will need to turn their aggressiveness into consistent disruption, helping force Mestemaker to release the ball before Oklahoma State’s passing routes fully develop.
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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Chris Marve praises Colorado's DT duo of Santana Hopper, Dylan Manuel
