Buffs Beat

Key Colorado Buffaloes Defender Suffers Apparent Pre-Spring Injury

In a recent social media video, Colorado Buffaloes safety Ben Finneseth was seen in crutches and a knee brace. The exact nature of his injury is currently unknown.
Jack Carlough|
Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field.
Nov 29, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Folsom Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Colorado Buffaloes

A key member of the Colorado Buffaloes' secondary and special teams units has suffered an apparent leg injury during winter workouts.

In an Instagram live video documenting wide receiver Ernest Campbell's 60-meter dash at a CU-hosted track and field meet, safety Ben Finneseth was seen in crutches and a right knee brace. The exact nature of Finneseth's injury hasn't been disclosed, but he'll need a quick recovery to return in time for the expected start of Colorado's spring camp next month.

Colorado Buffaloes Defender Pre-Spring Injury Football Safety Deion Sanders Winter Practices Andreu Swasey Big 12 Leadership
Sep 28, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights wide receiver Xavier Townsend (3) runs the ball against Colorado Buffaloes safety Ben Finneseth (28) during the second quarter at FBC Mortgage Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Finneseth missed the last two games of last season due to injury, but had been seen as healthy in recent videos documenting Colorado's winter workouts. Fortunately for Finneseth, seven months still separate Colorado from its first game of the 2026 season.

A former walk-on who was placed on scholarship last April, Finneseth closed his fifth season at Colorado with 27 total tackles and a forced fumble.

Finneseth, a Durango, Colorado native, announced late last season that he had been rewarded an extra year of eligibility, which he'll use this fall.

"It's definitely exciting because this season hasn't exactly gone the way I had hoped," Finneseth said. "There's a lot of things I wish I could do over that I didn't quite do correctly. But the good thing is I got one more shot at it. I'm gonna leave it all out there and a lot of things are going to change. That's what I'm looking forward to.

Ben Finneseth's Greatest Asset

Colorado Buffaloes Defender Pre-Spring Injury Football Safety Deion Sanders Winter Practices Andreu Swasey Big 12 Leadership
Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes safety Ben Finneseth (28) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

While his spring status is currently unknown, Finneseth should continue to be a prominent voice within Colorado's locker room. He played a key role in Colorado's transfer portal efforts and is now helping set the team's slew of new players adjust to coach Deion Sanders' standards.

“He works hard. He don’t take days off,” Sanders said. “Smart as a whip. He don’t blow coverages, don’t miss assignments. Always in a good mood. I’ve never seen Ben frown. I’ve never seen Ben angry. I’ve never seen Ben hate on anybody. “He’s our guy, so rewarding him for what he’s brought to us and being consistent. He’s an 'OB,' he’s one of the original Buffs. He didn’t quit, he didn’t walk away, he didn’t shy away from competition."

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Colorado Buffaloes Defender Pre-Spring Injury Football Safety Deion Sanders Winter Practices Andreu Swasey Big 12 Leadership
Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on during the first quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Last month, Finneseth spoke on the importance of playing "smart" during a Colorado team meeting.

"Understand something: the smartest players have the longest careers in this game," Finneseth said, per Well Off Media. "It's a mental game; it's not a physical game. If it was a physical game, I wouldn't be here. What does that mean? Defensively, we got to understand situations. We got to understand situational defense. How's the offense trying to attack us?"

Colorado began its second offseason training program under new strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey in mid-January.

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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.

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