DeAndre Moore Jr. has wasted little time sounding at home in Boulder.
The Texas transfer has emerged as one of the more noticeable voices through Colorado’s first three days of fall camp, and that fits the role he is expected to play in Brennan Marion’s offense. After practice at Fountain-Fort Carson High School, Moore talked about the move from Texas, his recovery from injury and why the setup around him has made the transition easier than it might look from the outside.
For Moore, the jump from one major program to another has felt familiar because of the environment he already knew. He said Texas prepared him for the spotlight, and Colorado has given him another stage without asking him to become someone different.
“I went from one brand (Texas) to a really big brand. Every single day there's going to be cameras on you, there's going to be lights on you. So that's just another great way for me and my teammates to showcase what we can do.
What has stood out to Moore most, though, is the way the staff has handled the move and the culture he has walked into.
“Not too many places can you go into a building and be yourself … it’s a real family, a real brotherhood, a real bond. The coaches are men building men.”
That kind of comfort has mattered as Colorado leans into the pull of Deion Sanders’ program. Moore said the “Prime Effect” was part of what brought him to Boulder, and he said the fit has matched what he was looking for.
His connection to Brennan Marion also made the landing smoother. Moore said that relationship goes back to when he was 16 and Marion was recruiting him to Texas, and he described the coach in familiar terms.
“B’s like an uncle man,” Moore said. “I've been knowing the guy since I was 16 years old, and he was recruiting me to Texas. . .
My role is however I can help the team win, that's what I’m here for. If I gotta go down on punt that’s what I’m gonna do."
Marion was just as direct about what Moore brings.
“He’s just family. I’m excited for him to be here, people can say what they want but when he was on certain teams he helped them win.”
Marion also said Moore does things the right way and brings a voice to the room.
On the field, the fit is pretty clear. Moore called the Go-Go offense “backyard football… just get open.” It’s a system that gives receivers space to work and keeps the ball moving, which suits a player who already knows the rhythm of similar concepts.
That familiarity helped soften the learning curve. Moore said the transition from Texas was not as difficult as some transfers face because the offensive ideas were already close to what he had run before.
“Wasn’t as big a learning gap as a transfer due to running similar things at Texas,” Moore said, adding that the injury was the bigger obstacle.
That injury kept him out of the spring game, and he said he is feeling better now than he was when he first got to Boulder.
“Right now I’m a lot better than I was in January.”
Moore said the lower-body leg injury limited what he could show teammates early, so he leaned more on his voice during walkthroughs and film sessions. Even so, he said the group around him has kept improving.
“The team has grown in discipline and maturity,” he said. “The little things cost you games.”
Colorado’s setup in Colorado Springs has also helped, according to Moore. The Buffaloes are practicing at Fountain-Fort Carson High School and staying in the dorms at UCCS, and he said the routine has kept everyone locked in on football.
“This is my favorite time of year,” he said. “Being in Colorado Springs has been nice to focus on football and bond.”
“I miss my king-size bed, but different circumstances have been humbling.”
Moore also spoke about quarterback Julian Lewis, saying Lewis has “similar characteristics” to former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers as a passer. That is part of why Moore’s background around high-level quarterbacks has translated smoothly into Colorado’s offense.
He also said he loved receivers coach Jason Phillips who retired this week, though the program has already moved forward and the offense keeps rolling.
As Day 3 of camp closes, Colorado is still building chemistry and sharpening its discipline in its off-campus setup. The team reported Sunday, held its first meeting and then settled into its closed practices in Colorado Springs.
In Other News...
Colorado Roster Debate Puts Deions Team-Building Approach Under The Microscope
A viral social media post has pushed Colorados roster construction back into the spotlight, after fans noticed the Buffaloes list 11 players at 5-foot-9 or shorter. Defensive back Kole Mathis, listed at 5-8 and 140 pounds, quickly became part of the conversation as supporters and skeptics debated whether the teams emphasis on quickness can hold up over the long haul.
The reaction has been split in familiar ways for a Deion Sanders program. Some fans see size concerns and worry about matchups, while others point to the potential value of speed and skill, especially when smaller players have produced in the past. Colorado has continued to recruit and build with that profile in mind, pulling in plenty of players from strong high school programs in Texas and Georgia, and the latest online dustup has only added another layer to the scrutiny around that approach. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Ezra Christensen Could Benefit From A New NCAA Eligibility Fight
The latest NCAA eligibility fight is already rippling beyond Villanova, and Colorado has a clear reason to pay attention. Pat McQuaides lawsuit challenging the Five-Year Rule centers on whether a junior college season should count against a players eligibility, and the case has quickly become another test of how the NCAA handles transfers and time limits across college football. A federal judge has already allowed McQuaide to keep competing while the case moves forward, giving the dispute an immediate practical impact as well as a legal one.
For Colorado, the relevance comes through defensive lineman Ezra Christensen, whose own eligibility situation could be affected if this challenge gains traction. The ruling also has potential implications for UCFs Dean Miller, adding another name to a growing list of players watching the case closely. For now, the fight is still unfolding, but it has the kind of legal shape that can reach into roster planning, depth charts and the near-term futures of players waiting on a decision. [Read more 🡒]
DeKalon Taylor Sees Something Different In Colorado This Fall
Fall camp has given Colorado a different feel this month, and DeKalon Taylor has noticed it up close. The Buffaloes back pointed to the culture shift around Deion Sanders, along with the arrival of new coordinators Brennan Marion and Chris Marve, as part of what has made this preseason stand out from the last one. He also singled out the new offensive scheme and a reshaped offensive line as reasons the group looks and sounds more settled heading into the season.
For a program trying to move on from a 3-9 finish in 2025, those details matter because the Buffaloes know they need more than talent to climb back. Colorado has added key transfers and has started to build around a roster that wants better results, even if outside expectations remain modest with preseason odds around 4.5 wins. The real question now is whether the cleaner habits Taylor has seen in camp can turn into something more meaningful once the games start. [Read more 🡒]