Ben Finneseth may still be lining up for Colorado in 2026, but he’s already starting to sound like a coach.
The Buffaloes defensive back, who is headed into his sixth season with the program, said on The Honour Podcast that his father saw this coming long before he did. Finneseth admitted he only started to believe it himself over the past year, when he got a closer look at the recruiting side of the job.
“I was pretty heavily involved with the recruiting cycle, during the transfer portal time in January,” Finneseth said. “After talking with all the recruits and doing the recruiting piece, I was like ‘I think this is what I want to do.’
And that’s the most important of coaching almost. Obviously, you got to get them in the door before you can coach them.”
Finneseth has spent five seasons in Boulder, from 2021 through 2025, and has put together 45 total tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery while contributing on defense and playing a key role on special teams. The Durango, Colorado, native is listed at 6-2 and 205 pounds.
His work on the recruiting front has already shown up in Colorado’s 2027 class. The Buffs currently have 20 commitments, including four players rated as four- or five-star recruits. Rivals has that group at No. 39 nationally and No. 3 in the Big 12, behind only Texas Tech and Kansas State.
That’s a noticeable jump from Colorado’s 2026 class, which Rivals ranked No. 67 in the country. That group was also No. 15 in the Big 12, ahead of only Oklahoma State.
The 2027 class is led by four-star quarterback Andre Adams, who Rivals lists as the No. 15 quarterback in the class. Adams has been committed to Colorado since April of 2026.
With Finneseth already getting involved in recruiting while still playing, a future on the sideline doesn’t sound far-fetched. It’s possible he could end up on Deion Sanders’ staff as soon as 2027, after his playing career ends.
Sanders has led Colorado since 2023 after arriving from Jackson State, making Boulder his first FBS job. The results have been uneven, even as the program has drawn national attention under Coach Prime.
Sanders is 16-21 overall at Colorado, and the Buffs have missed a bowl game in two of his three seasons. He’ll try to make it two bowl appearances in four seasons in 2026.
In Other News...
Why Colorado Fans Are Starting To Doubt The Doubters
National expectations for Colorados 2026 season have cooled fast, with some national voices now projecting a losing record and no path to the playoff conversation. But around Boulder, the response has been less panic than pushback, because Deion Sanders has kept adding pieces through recruiting and the transfer portal while reshaping the staff around him for another run at relevance.
The optimism starts with the new faces, from multiple four-star recruits to offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, whose track record has fans believing the offense can be more dynamic. Colorado also has a schedule that will demand real proof early, and Sanders has already adjusted his recruiting operation with additions like Darrius Darden-Box and Rashad Rich, leaving the bigger question hanging: whether all of that talent and staffing can be enough to change the national story before the season starts. [Read more 🡒]
Why Ben Finneseth Suddenly Matters So Much To Colorado's Bounce Back
At Big 12 football media days, Ben Finneseth made it clear Colorados reset is going to start in the locker room, not on a billboard. The veteran safety talked about player accountability and leadership as the foundation for a team trying to move past a difficult season, and Deion Sanders has pointed to Finneseth as one of the voices helping drive that message. For a program that has spent plenty of time under the microscope, the emphasis now is on a player-led mentality and finding a way to finish the kind of games that slipped away last fall.
Colorado also has a little extra edge heading into camp after being left off the preseason All-Big 12 team entirely. That kind of snub can become background noise quickly if a team starts winning, but the Buffs are still carrying the burden of proving they can handle pressure and close out tight games. Finneseths role matters because this is no longer just about talent or attention, it is about whether the group inside the building can set a standard that changes the way everyone else sees them. [Read more 🡒]