Throughout his years at Cherry Creek High School, Jonathan Van Diest was a dominant force on defense.
It was Van Diestap talent and style of play that earned him a scholarship to Colorado.
Entering his third year with the Buffaloes, however, Van Diest is still trying to become an impactful player on defense. As he finished spring practices last month, however, he feels closer than he’s been in a while.
“I feel like the last two weeks (of spring) was just a change in my mindset, a change in my game,” said Van Diest, who closed the spring atop the depth chart at one of the two inside linebacker spots. “I still have a lot of growth to do, but I feel like I gained a lot of confidence back in the player I am, especially pre-surgery. That felt good.”
From 2015-17, Van Diest had three consecutive Novembers that included a serious injury and surgery, including a torn ACL in his left knee during his true freshman season at CU.
Van Diest went through last season healthy, but played sparingly (23 snaps on defense) in a backup role. This was Van Diestap first healthy spring with the Buffs, and he made the most of it by putting himself in position to win a starting job in the fall.
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