Colorado Coach Andre' Hart Explains Benefits of Buffaloes' Unique Practice Strategy

Colorado Buffaloes assistant linebackers coach Andre' Hart is one of the few coaches that has been in Boulder with coach Deion Sanders since he was hired in 2022, and as a result, Hart has a unique perspective to examine the changes that have taken place in the Buffs' program.

In addition to revealing how "Coach Prime" has grown since arriving at Colorado, his first impressions of defensive coordinator Chris Marve, and the difficulty of facing offensive coordinator Brennan Marion in practice, Hart revealed one of the Buffaloes' unique practice strategies and how it may help the defense make an impact during the regular season.

While college teams are now allowed to have coach-to-player communication with one player on the field on both sides of the ball, designated with a green dot on their helmet, the Buffaloes are choosing to practice without it during fall camp.

colorado buffaloes andre' hart deion sanders chris marve brennan marion fall camp georgia tech yellow jackets big 12 — Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns linebacker Liona Lefau (18) against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

"I love that we're not practicing with the green dot yet because now it makes everybody accountable. Now, you know, on the field with the hand signals and then also just the boisterous, demonstrative communication. What's the word I'm looking for? We exaggerate it a lot, and I think you need that when you get into some of these bigger games where the corner on the far side is way over there," said Hart.

"We got to make sure that the org chart as far as we communicate, everyone is talking to who they need to talk to. And I think that's the biggest thing we got out of it. Don't just rely on the green dot. Make sure you communicating with the people on your side, and you communicate with them."

Communication will be key for Colorado throughout the season, but especially when the Buffaloes open the season on the road against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. See everything else that Hart had to say about Colorado's fall camp as well as preparing for Georgia Tech:

Everything Andre' Hart Said

How Deion Sanders Has Grown

"I've been around prime about 20 years. So, you know, how have I seen him grow? You know, we're never through learning, and he's always bringing new things to the table. Like I meet with him sometimes in the morning, we sit and we talk. And his his overall commitment to this university and winning is unmatched. And I don't think that's ever dwindled at all, but you just see it as far because listen, I don't know if you all notice or not, but every single kid that we picked, he watched that tape. Like he watched every single film to make sure that that that was the guy that we needed, that fed our our pillars. So, his just commitment just energizes everybody else."

Chess Matches With Brennan Marion

"Oh, it's awesome, man. It's awesome, because you look at film and you seeing, I mean, you know, I don't wanna give anything away, but you seeing some really funky looks and how they're getting people in positions for mixed matches. And you get the taste of that. So we're learning. And it's going to be kind of similar to where Georgia Tech does in a sense of how they move around. So to be able to see that, you know, through the summer and through the spring and now in the fall, I think it just makes us that much better. So no, it's been great. It's been really good stuff to communicate and talk about and teach off of."

What He's Seen from Linebacker Room

"Well, I think what I've seen is what we've asked for. So, when Coach Prime first came out with reestablishing his team, it was based on our principles: smart, tough, fast, discipline, character. Along with that, what you see is a passion for the game, and a violence and aggression that they play with that we haven't seen to this point. So, we're really excited about that. We excited about the experience and how they take control of defense."

Having Linebackers Like Liona Lefau, Gideon Lampron

"It's been really fun because, you know, when you have three guys like that that have that type of experience, it's easier to coach to the whole room because they can help you coach to the younger guys. Because they've been there before, they've lived it, they've done it. On top of that, you have really good discussions about, you know, what the snakes are in certain defenses, or how you can incorporate a new type of scheme or technique to make everybody better. So it just raises the level of play and then also the execution. So it's been great, man, I sleep good at night."

Benefits of a Player-Led Team

"It starts with us. It starts with the coaches. It starts with the leadership. It starts with really emphasizing what matters to us. So remember, I mentioned those five pillars, but then on top of that, violence, aggression. and a love for the game and the passion for the game. So what does that mean? It means doing that plus one, so more than what you're asked to do, and then making sure you also bring somebody up who wants to learn. And then those who don't, we have really leaders in the locker room. So now they patrol the locker room for us, and they hope people accountable."

"So when you have that in your organization, and it starts from the players up, it makes it that much easier to get ahead of the game and get ready for it the season."

Why This Year is Different

"Well, you gotta think about this way. Coach Prime was out for a while when he was sick and then he came back, and then on top of that with the portal, okay? You learn from the portal. You can get guys who are on the same level, speaking P4, that there could be some trauma. There could be some things there that you got to work through. And then you're trying to band those guys together in one year."

"Well, what usually happens is you got another guy, and I'm not saying anything's wrong with it, but you got another guy on the P4. He may say, 'Oh, we did it this way. Oh, we did it that way.' Now you getting guys from the FCS who have production, but also have a chip on the shoulder and they want to prove they should be here. And we want to prove that we should stay here. So when you get that two together, it makes for a really good mix of guys who want to be just detail-oriented to winning."

"And that's what the kind of conversations you're having now. It's not about money. It's not about any branding. It's about football. It's about how we can make this team better and how we can grow as men. And that's what's exciting for us every day."

Keys to Slowing Down Georgia Tech

"Elite communication and smooth operations. That has to be declared, because just like you said, they have a great running game, they do a lot with their formations and their systems there. So elite communication and smooth operations."

Benefit of Experience in Linebacker Room

"I think the ability to learn just because if you got three different guys with the different skills, there's three different ways you get the attack something. So now, not only are you getting better in that game, but as games go by, your younger guys are getting better."

"They're learning what fits them, and now you don't just have a one season, you have a program. And that's what we really got from those three guys. guys that can teach different skills, the way they get to the ball and execute. And you can form that down to the younger kids, and now you have a program. Not one hit wonder, but two, three years down the line."

On Incoming Freshman Talent

"They have talent. They have the talent that we thought they had and and it shows now it's just the experience and understanding, you know, what football is on this level and how it's different because I mean you got 24, 25-year-old guys out there now still playing ball. So, you know, it's understanding where you are in the depth chart."

How Colorado May Surprise People vs. Georgia Tech

"Our play style. I think that's the biggest thing. It's not the call. It's the play style, and I think people are gonna be really excited about how we play ball."

Impressions of Chris Marve

"'Cause I know he doesn't like a lot of compliments, but he's a leader of men. He really is. Like he came in with a plan, he understood exactly what he wanted to get done. And then he involved us in it. Like we all have skin in the game, we have input. He's very detailed. He knows what he wants, and then he gets a lot of us in practice, too. . . . We run to the ball, like, I'm getting in shape, it's helping me out, know what I'm saying I'm gonna look like one of these players in a minute. I'm getting it down."

"So just the whole thing, tempo's up practice, the energy is different, the coaches are involved. Like it feels like I'm actually playing the game. Like I'm actually practicing. I'm chasing down linemen trying to beat them to the ball. So to do that, it just puts another inch on that level of how you want to play. When I talked about play style, it just puts another level to it. 'Hey man, coach you doing it too. I can't be the last one.' So it's really good. I love it."

"Well, I think as a coach, you always wanna give your players the hardest thing first, and it's just a blessing to have Brennan Marion, the Go Go offense, cause that's one of the more unusual offenses we're gonna face. So now when you do that, and you break it down to, I'm not going to say any offense is simple. It's not that it's simple, but there's not so many variations. I think it makes it easier to get the information across to the players. So, yeah, I love that we did the hardest things first. I think that was that was a plus for us."

Competing With Offensive Coaching Staff

"We don't let them know that, but then we kind of get on them and me, Marve and them, we'll go back to the coaching room: 'That was good. We need to run that more. We gotta figure that out.' Same thing on defense, though, sometimes we'll mess up execution of a blitz or a pressure, and it hits home, like, 'We're gonna put that in. That may work pretty good.' So you have fun with that, man. That's just the creativity of learning and being with these coaches, man. It's a great group of coaches."

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