What’s expected to be another wild offseason in college football is well underway.

In what’s turning out to be the norm, hundreds of players across the country entered the transfer portal in just the first few days since the new period has opened.

Expect Deion Sanders and Colorado to be active as the Buffaloes look to shore up several key spots — offensive and defensive line plus linebacker — as they gear up for a run at a conference title in the new-look Big 12 in 2024.

Sanders’ team hasn’t been immune to the now-typical attrition that every team goes through at this time of the year. Here’s a breakdown of the recent departures from CU:

Trio of starters leave the team

It’s not surprising given Sanders’ rhetoric since the loss to UCLA about his struggling offensive line, but the Buffs are now going to have to replace at least three, likely four starters upfront.

Starting center Van Wells and left tackle Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan announced they were entering the portal this week. They were two of the few scholarship holdovers from the 2022 team. That list now includes just three players — safety Trevor Woods, tight end Louis Pasarello and offensive lineman Carter Edwards — after those two and running back Anthony Hankerson, who had 319 rushing yards and a touchdown in 2023, all entered the portal.

Another holdover from the pre-Sanders era was walk-on Michael Harrison, the converted wide receiver who was CU’s top tight end this season and a big part of the offense with his 31 catches for 285 yards and five touchdowns. It isn’t overly surprising to see Harrison depart the program after he spent four years in Boulder and took part in Senior Day festivities before the Arizona game. He’ll probably look for a school that can offer him a scholarship for his final year of eligibility.

Aside from Christian-Lichtenhan, Hankerson and Wells, there were three other scholarship players to enter the portal: tight end Caleb Fauria, the longest-tenured CU player in linebacker Marvin Ham II, and freshman quarterback Kasen Weisman.

Three vacant assistant spots While Sanders and company are searching for players to build up the 2024 roster, the Buffs have some coaching positions to fill, as well, as there are now holes on both the offensive and defensive line, at tight end, and potentially offensive coordinator.

Sanders told USA Today that Pat Shurmur, the former Broncos offensive coordinator who was elevated from analyst to co-offensive coordinator and play caller in late October, “likely” will be be CU’s sole offensive coordinator next season with Sean Lewis already off to San Diego State as the new Aztecs’ head coach. Lewis took Buffs offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle with him to Southern California.

The Buffs also are in need of a tight ends coach after Tim Brewster announced his resignation in the days after the season finale. He seems to have quickly found his feet on the staff at Charlotte. That room probably will see a personnel overhaul, with two tight ends already out the door and plenty of talented options in the portal.

The biggest loss of the offseason so far probably is defensive ends coach Nick Williams. The up-and-coming assistant is regarded as one of the nation’s top recruiters, and always spoke about his gratitude to be working for Sanders and appeared to have security in his role. But he took the same position at Syracuse, where he will be working for new defensive coordinator Elijah Robinson, who Williams worked with at Texas A&M in 2022.

Hall of Famer Warren Sapp has said repeatedly that he wants to get into coaching and be a part of Sanders’ staff in Boulder, already spending time around the team this past season. It’s unlikely he would be anything more than an analyst next season, as he doesn’t have any previous coaching experience.