Lamont Lester Jr. made quite the first impression for Colorado, but the new Buffaloes edge rusher isn’t letting a three-sack debut turn into a victory lap.
Lester was a difference-maker in Colorado’s 14-13 road win over Georgia Tech, flashing the speed and motor that helped him go from FCS standout to immediate breakout defender. By the time the dust settled in Atlanta, he looked every bit like the most disruptive player on the field for coach Deion Sanders and new defensive coordinator Chris Marve.
Still, when Lester spoke to reporters on Sept. 8 after Tuesday’s practice, he kept the focus squarely on the work ahead.
"It felt good to get my name out there and play in front of a big crowd of people."
"I got a lot of 'good game this, good game that,' from family and friends. It was great taking it all in. Also got a lot of DMs and follows [on social media]."
"But it was cool. It was a nice experience but we're on to the next one."
For Lester, the message from Colorado’s coaches has been simple: don’t get distracted by the outside noise.
"Our coaches always talk about 'It's not about them, it's about us.' We should just go, do our job, and be assignment sound. That way we can get the job done."
"Something that we go by is, we avoid 'rat poison.' Basically don't get on the internet and don't let stuff like that [praise] get to your head."
That approach fits the tone of the Buffaloes defense as Lester described it. He said the group is built around a hard-edged identity and a constant push to play with urgency.
"The mindset of the whole defense is 'violence and aggression.' Coach Marve preaches that everyday.
And also play fast, relentless, smart and play with relentless effort. That's what we're going to keep doing the whole year.
And we're going to do that game-to-game."
Lester also made it clear he feels at home in his new locker room, while still giving credit to the path that brought him here.
"I had a lot of great coaches at Monmouth and learned a lot there."
"I got better over there. But Colorado was God's plan. It fell into my hands and took the opportunity."
He pointed to Chauncey Gooden, known as "Box," as one of the teammates who helps keep the edge room sharp.
"But 'Box' [nickname for Chauncey Gooden], that's my guy right there. Shoot, me and him go at it sometimes but we keep the competition level up.
We always tell each other 'Yeah, let's do it. And do it together.'
"I feel like everyone in the room is elite at what they do."
"Not everyone has the same playing style. For some guys, you have speed. From another person, you might have power."
"I feel like the edge room is really elite and if we can keep getting better, than we can be a really elite group down the stretch."
Lester also explained a piece of his football background that helped shape the way he plays now.
"I actually wrestled so I can be better at football. That's how I took it as.
I also took it as a challenge because wrestling is different from a lot of other sports. A guy could be smaller than you and he can still whip your butt."
As for this week’s opponent, Lester said Colorado knows the challenge in front of it.
"They got some good players over there. Both of their tackles are solid and their offense is solid."
"They've also got solid receivers and running backs. So we should be up for the challenge this week."
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Eric Kjar said he had updates on Browns status and made clear he has confidence in Dahle to handle the assignment. For Colorado, the change only adds another layer to a home opener that was already drawing attention, since a young quarterback being asked to settle in on the road can alter the feel of a game before it even begins. [Read more 🡒]
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Deion Sanders Rumors Create A Colorado Problem Fans Know Too Well
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For Colorado, the problem is not just the speculation itself, but the way it can spill into recruiting and keep the program in a constant state of answering questions it would rather avoid. There is still no credible reporting that Florida State has reached out, and Mike Norvell is under his own pressure after recent results, but the ripple effect is familiar enough in Boulder to make this a storyline worth monitoring. [Read more 🡒]