BOULDER — Technically, the Mel Tucker era at Colorado is now barely five months old.

But while the Buffaloes have yet to play a game, while the first session of spring ball is just now completed, this much we already know: the landscape of Colorado football has undergone a significant change.

It's not about Xs and Os. While the new offense and defense we saw on display in Saturday's spring finale at Folsom Field are no doubt different from past years, they are not shifts of epic proportion.

But strikingly different are the attitude and environment Tucker and his new staff have instilled.

The culture. It is something Tucker has talked about consistently since his arrival and something he has worked steadily to embed in the Buffaloes.

It has no doubt sunk in.

"I think guys are really starting to understand how he is as a person and what he expects of us," quarterback Steven Montez said after Saturday's spring game. "I think guys are really starting to find that out — some the easy way, some the hard way."

Indeed, Tucker has established a standard he expects his players to meet. The opportunity to play football at the Division I level is a privilege, not an entitlement, and he expects them to act accordingly.

The Buffs now know how they are supposed to practice under Tucker. They know a dedicated, disciplined work ethic is non-negotiable. They know time is a precious commodity and they know how to make the most of every minute they are working on their craft.

But more than that, they also know what is expected of them off the field, in the classroom, in the weight room and in their daily habits — from study to sleep to nutrition.

"There's no doubt in my mind they know what's expected," Tucker told the media Saturday afternoon, just outside the CU locker room. "The standard is high. We're not where we need to be yet, but we will get there."

It is the same message he delivered to his players inside the locker room. With fall camp now just a few months away, the Buffs are now entering another critical phase in Tucker's first year.

Already in the books is a nine-week strength and conditioning period, a far more-rigorous session than any of the current players had experienced previously. Then came the 15-practice spring ball session — again, more demanding than any that current Buffs had undertaken in previous years.

"I'm more tired after every practice than before," said linebacker Carson Wells . "We're working all the time."

Now comes an all-important summer session, one that will play a significant role in moving the Buffs one step closer to what will be a critical fall camp.

"I want to see them get better each and every day," Tucker said. "I want to see them compete in the weight room, I want to see them compete in the drill work we do this summer. Continue to watch film, continue to get better at their craft and understand that every day is a competition."

In the locker room, Tucker challenged his players to make the most of their summer session.

Much of it, such as strength and conditioning and meetings, will be conducted with coaches. That time is crucial. But also important will be the investment players make on their own time — player-led practices, 7-on-7 work, position drills.

Overall, summers are when the fourth quarters in the fall can be decided.

"Everybody in America right now is working to get better," Tucker said. "Everyone's in the same boat. We have to make the most of each and every opportunity we have when we work out and when we meet. You can make a lot of strides in the summer and we plan to make a huge move this summer."

What has been apparent since the day he arrived in Boulder is that Tucker didn't take the job at CU and begin formulating a plan. He arrived in Boulder with a plan ready to execute, a plan years in the making. No detail — no matter how small — has gone unaddressed. From hiring a staff to planning offseason conditioning to deciding how recruiting visits will be conducted, Tucker has made sure that organization and efficiency have been at the forefront.

Since then, he has used every opportunity possible to make it clear how he will operate and what the standards for Colorado football will be. The message has no doubt been received.

But now, as the Buffs prepare to enter their next phase of development, Tucker will need more. He will need leaders from within the team to step up, take charge and help push their teammates to the next level.

It is not something Tucker has stressed thus far.

That will change.

"Most of the leadership I see right now is by example from some of our older players," Tucker said recently. "At some point it will be by example and it will also be vocal leadership. I haven't asked for that so far. I want guys to learn the system, go out and play hard, play physical, execute, do what you're supposed to do. The leadership will come. The leaders will emerge. We need to have some more adversity before we really find out who our leaders are."

But now that time has come. Tucker told his players Saturday it is time for leadership to step up and play that vital role.

Of course, summers are not naturally times of hard work, particularly for students. Summers mean vacation. Summers mean relaxation.

The Buffs can afford neither.

"I expect that leadership to emerge more in the summer," Tucker said recently. "Then we'll see in fall camp who really wants to step up and be a true leader for us."

It is another link in the culture Tucker is building, another block in the foundation he is putting down for Colorado football.

It is not a process that will happen overnight. But it is one that is clearly already taking shape, one that is no doubt already having an effect. Players who buy in, players who are willing to make the change, will be those who make a difference next fall.

Here's a prediction: if the Buffs can continue to buy into the new system on a 100 percent basis, they will win a game or two next fall they aren't "supposed" to win. They will do so by owning the fourth quarter of a close game. They will physically wear down an opponent and mentally have the edge necessary to exert their will when exhaustion is knocking at the door.

But that, of course, is a big "if." To get to that point will require commitment, leadership and relentless dedication.

What is not a matter of debate is that Tucker knows what it takes to win. He has coached on national championship teams. His assistants have been part of highly successful programs.

Now, as the Buffs enter the next critical phase of their development, they have a chance to invest in Tucker's knowledge, a chance to reap the benefits of his championship experience.

We'll have a much better idea next fall just how many Buffs decided to make that investment.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu