Colorado is heading into its Sept. 5 opener with Georgia Tech trying to fix one of the biggest problems from a year ago: stopping the run. The Buffaloes gave up 320 rushing yards in a 27-20 loss to the Yellow Jackets last season, and this time the challenge comes with a new face in the middle of the defense.
Liona Lefau, who transferred in from Texas, wasn’t part of that previous meeting. Now he’s part of the group tasked with changing the outcome in Atlanta, and he pointed to something Colorado has been dealing with every day in practice that should help.
“Anytime you practice fitting in a plus-one run game, which is when you account for the quarterback as well, it really helps,” Lefau said to reporters. “It really challenges your rules at times.”
That matters because Georgia Tech’s offense is built on the same kind of downhill, physical run game Colorado will see in Week 1. But Lefau sees a familiar setup in Boulder already: Brennan Marion’s “Go-Go” offense. Colorado’s own offense forces the defense to account for a quarterback in the run game, which gives the Buffaloes repeated work against the kind of structure Georgia Tech likes to use.
“Having the quarterback accounted for in each of our run fits, it helps when we prepare for a team like Georgia Tech, who also runs their quarterback - or we're expecting them to run their quarterback," Lefau added.
Colorado’s problems against the run last season helped drive the hire of defensive coordinator Chris Marve and the push to bring in transfer talent. Lefau fits that plan. He arrives after posting a career-high 68 total tackles, 26 solo stops and a fumble return for a touchdown at Texas, and he brings a reputation for finding the football.
He also brings traits Colorado needs against a team like this: a strong base against the run, the ability to strike and shed blocks, and a knack for getting downhill into gaps. Lefau has also been a vocal communicator before the snap, which could put him in position to help get the defense lined up against Georgia Tech.
The assignment won’t be simple. Lefau will need sharp eye discipline, especially after having some issues reacting too slowly against RPO offenses.
His pad level will matter too against a Georgia Tech offensive line that weighs between 300 to 315 pounds and leans on size and power. Brent Key’s offense could make Lefau the defender it tests most when he’s on the field.
Deion Sanders has already singled out Lefau and the 2026 linebackers as the best unit on the roster. That label gets its first real test in Week 1.
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