After a long winter break and a frustrating end to the 2025 season, Colorado football is back in the building - and things are heating up in Boulder. The Buffaloes kicked off their spring semester with meetings, physical testing, and early conditioning work, all part of a five-week ramp-up before spring practices begin in early March.
And make no mistake: this isn’t just a casual return to campus. It’s a tone-setting stretch for a program looking to rewrite its story in 2026.
While the media’s access to the team has been limited since the season ended, Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders’ in-house media outlets - including Well Off Media, Thee Pregame Show, and Reach The People - have been documenting the early stages of this new chapter. And if the first few days are any indication, there's no shortage of storylines.
Roster Reset
Lauren Askevold, one of the team’s assistant athletic trainers, shared that the Buffs conducted 75 exit physicals after the season. As of now, there are 83 players on campus for spring workouts, including 40 returners. That number includes walk-ons, with Colorado currently sitting at 80 scholarship commitments for the 2026 season.
“We don’t have everybody here now,” Askevold said. “We’re rockin’ and rollin’.”
That energy is starting to show. Day 1 of testing brought a feel-good moment for tight end Brady Kopetz, who was awarded a scholarship after briefly entering the transfer portal. His return to Boulder is one of many examples of how this roster continues to evolve under Sanders.
Surprise Speed, Serious Strength
The testing period has already produced some eye-opening performances. Tight end Zach Atkins, a former Division II standout at Northwest Missouri State, turned heads with a 4.5-second 40-yard dash - an impressive time for a 6-foot-4, 240-pound athlete.
Coach Prime was so fired up, he gave Atkins a hug on the spot. Atkins earned the starting tight end role last season, logging 486 offensive snaps and catching 12 passes for 87 yards.
Now, he’s clearly looking to build on that momentum.
Senior safety Ben Finneseth - affectionately known around the program as an “Original Buff” - made his return to Boulder after participating in a WWE tryout camp. And it sounds like it was no walk in the park.
“There were people quitting left and right,” Finneseth said. “I think that was the goal, to see if people were cut out for it. My body hurt more than fall camp.”
Finneseth’s toughness was on display again during testing, where he was selected to speak to the team on the theme of “SMART.”
Running back DeKalon Taylor also made a statement. After clocking a 4.5 in the 40, the 5-foot-9, 165-pound back squatted 455 pounds - a number that raised eyebrows in the weight room. And for what it’s worth, Taylor looks a bit more solid than his listed weight would suggest.
Another back making noise is walk-on transfer Bryce Hicks, who came to Colorado from West Georgia. Hicks, who played high school ball with quarterback Julian Lewis at Carrollton High in Georgia, also impressed with his squat numbers. He’s already showing signs of being more than just a depth piece.
Then there’s Ernest Campbell, the Sacramento State transfer who lit up Day 2 with a blazing 4.33 40-yard dash. Campbell, a former dual-sport athlete at Texas A&M, once ran a 10.02 in the 100 meters at the NCAA West prelims. That kind of track speed is rare - and it’s now in Colorado’s receiver room.
Accountability, Coach Prime Style
Coach Prime isn’t just focused on physical performance - he’s tightening up the culture, too. On Day 3, players were introduced to a new fine system designed to enforce accountability. It’s a serious list, with steep financial penalties for being late or missing team responsibilities:
- Late to practice: $500
- No show to practice: $2,500
- Late to meetings or film: $400
- No show to meetings or film: $2,000
- Late to strength and conditioning: $1,000
- No show to strength and conditioning: $1,500
- Late to treatment: $1,000
- No show to treatment: $1,500
- Team rule violations: $1,000-$2,500
- Public/social media misconduct: $2,500-$5,000
Coach Prime also laid down a firm stance on respect and professionalism outside the locker room. He emphasized the need to curb profanity in public areas like the dining hall and made it clear that disrespect toward women - including calling them by their first names - won’t be tolerated.
“I don’t mind in here,” Sanders told the team, referring to the locker room. “But outside of this room, up the elevators, escalators, whatever, the profanity needs to stop.
We’re not the only ones in the cafeteria. You need to be respectful.”
Coaching Shifts and Leadership Voices
There are some new faces on the coaching staff, too. Aaron Fletcher is now coaching Colorado’s cornerbacks, while Kevin Mathis has transitioned to coaching the nickelbacks. Fletcher brings experience from Abilene Christian, Missouri, Tulsa, and several Texas high schools.
As part of a leadership-building initiative, several players were chosen to speak to the team on core values:
- SMART: S Ben Finneseth
- TOUGH: TE Zach Atkins
- FAST: CB RJ Johnson
- DISCIPLINE: P Damon Greaves
- CHARACTER: OL Yahya Attia
These aren’t just ceremonial titles - they’re part of a larger effort to build a team identity rooted in accountability, resilience, and character.
And speaking of identity, new tight ends coach Josh Niblett - who brings a decorated high school coaching background with seven state titles - delivered a powerful message to his players:
“Don’t forget about this every day you work out: They thought they buried us. But they didn’t know we were seeds. So think about that every day.”
Looking Ahead
With strength coach Ed Swasey leading the charge - backed by Cory Neims, Jeremy Cole, Morgen Cote, and Tessa Grossman - the Buffs are entering a critical stretch of preparation. The energy is high, the expectations are clear, and the foundation for spring ball is being laid right now.
Colorado’s 2026 season won’t be defined in January. But this is where the tone gets set. And judging by the early returns, Coach Prime and his squad are making sure no detail goes unnoticed.