Colorado Coach Josh Niblett Explains New Nickname for Buffaloes' Special Teams

Colorado Buffaloes tight end coach Josh Niblett revealed the meaning behind the team’s ‘We-fense’ nickname for special teams.

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado defensive back Ben Finneseth speaks with reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In his Tuesday press conference, Colorado Buffaloes tight ends coach Josh Niblett revealed the meaning behind the team’s new ‘We-fense’ nickname for special teams. It is a nickname backed by what that phase of the game means to the team, and one that its players take great pride in.

He also provided updates on the tight end room and the battle taking place within it in fall camp. 

What Josh Niblett said:

Defining the Colorado Buffaloes’ ‘We-fense’

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos safety Ben Finneseth (28) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

“One thing that I've always felt is, you have offense, and then you have defense. Well, a lot of your offensive players and your defensive players have to come together to form special teams,” Niblett said. “So it just makes for ‘We-fense,’ because at the end of the day, on ‘We-fense,’ we're looking for the best 11, not the 11 best. What we mean by that is the best 11 are those guys that are going to work together as one.”

“I mean that synergy, right? That clarity, that alignment of understanding their job,” Niblett said. “When you're just looking for 11 best. That's just 11 best guys individually out there doing their own thing. So our guys have taken a lot of ownership in that and a lot of pride in the ‘We-fense,’ and so I've been excited about that because all of our guys have been locked in on it.”

Zach Atkins’ development

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes tight end Zach Atkins (85) runs with the ball as Houston Cougars defensive lineman Carlos Allen Jr. (5) attempts to make a tackle during the second quarter at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Well, I think the whole tight end room…there's great competition in there,” Niblett said. “And I think what we've been able to do is we've been able to create depth from an 11 personnel, 12 personnel group. But yeah, I'm excited by [Atkins]. He probably had his best practice today. He had some touchdown catches, but he also did the dirty work he needed to do in the core to make sure he's doing a really good job of being a dominant blocker on the perimeter. But I'm proud of his progress as well as some other guys in our room.”

Fisher Clements’ development

“The big thing for [Clements] was, when he got here, just getting acclimated,” Niblett said. “Fisher's an unbelievable young man. We call him the computer, just because he can take so much intel, and then he just kind of distributes it by how he plays. I think the biggest thing for him when he first got here was just understanding a little bit about hip level, pad level, you know, about playing a little bit lower. That's what he continuously worked on during the summer.”

“He got bigger and stronger in the weight room, and he and I have an individual plan that we work on that we put together that is going to help him continue,” Niblett said. “But I think at the point of attack-he's done a really good job this camp of making plays and then also making sure he demands a point of attack, whether it's C-gap, D-gap, or on the perimeter.”

Brady Kopetz’s role

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes tight end Brady Kopetz (86) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Well, I think the neat thing about our offense is it calls for a lot of guys with different tool sets,” Niblett said. “We'll play with a fullback at times, and I think Brady's going to be one of those guys that'll be able to play that role. In college when I was in Alabama, that was kind of my role as well as playing tight end. And so I understand. So every day, but he'll get some endline tight end. He'll get some stuff on the perimeter.”

“But then once we start working and game-planning, he understands what he brings to the table,” Niblett said. “That's energy. That's effort. And you know, for ‘We-fense’, which is what we call our special teams here, he's a special guy as far as that goes also because, if you guys know Brady, you know what kind of guy he is. He's a team guy. He's all about everybody else. He's not about himself, and he brings that every day.”

What he’s seen out of the freshman tight ends

Colorado Buffaloes freshman tight end Zayne DeSouza | Zayne DeSouza

“I think any position you coach, the key is just trying to create competition,” Niblett said. “Everybody's got to show up every day and understand that. You're still trying to win a job, or if there are points at which if you don't perform, you can lose a job. But what I try to tell our young guys is this: they're still trying to develop, so they have to find teachable, learnable moments within practice, even if they're not getting a rep, being a student of the game.”

“Then when you get your opportunity, you got to make the most of it,” Niblett said. “Whether you get 10 reps in a practice or you get four or you get 20. It's not counting your reps; it’s about making your reps count. And so for our young guys, just trying to make sure those guys are showing up every day with great energy.” 

“I think Corbin [Laisure] has done that and continues to do that,” Niblett said. “I think Zayne [DeSouza]'s continuously developing, and then I think [Ben] Gula, who's a guy that was an offensive lineman when he got here, is now playing tight end and fullback for us. I mean, if you watch him, he's a physical player. I think he's going to help us also.”

What he’s had to adjust to since living in Colorado

“Yeah, dry air,” Niblett said. “When I was back home during July, I love humidity because I love to sweat. So, when I went back home, that's probably the biggest difference for me. People here are awesome. I work for an unbelievable man who's an unbelievable coach and mentor and leader who's given me this opportunity. So our staff is unbelievable. Our players want to be coached.”

“And so when you're in that kind of environment, and you're around people who love to win, and they love each other, you come to work every day, and you go, 'Man, this is a get-to moment, not a have-to moment,’” Niblett said. “So, I've enjoyed that part of it. I miss my family, no doubt. I mean, my wife and kids are still back in Georgia. But that's probably the hardest part. But I'm surrounded by some really good people that really care about people and have great hearts, and that's helped me.”

Adjusting to the college level

“I just think you have to find your moments of when you can make an impact,” Niblett said. “I think you have to do everything you can do to support everybody. I mean, my job is to support Coach Marion and make sure our tight ends are playing at a very high level. That's going to help our offense. That's my job, and I have to take that job personally every day, as well as the group that's in my room.”

“It's also my responsibility to make sure that I'm doing my job from a standpoint of being the person I'm supposed to be,” Niblett said. “Being the leader I'm supposed to be for Coach Prime within the program. So, I just try to wake up every day, figure out what God's got in store for me, and then be the best person I can be. I'm just trying to be me, but I'm trying to be my best me for what we're doing here. So, I'm just trying to continue to grow. 

Charlie Williams’ development

“The biggest thing for Charlie is just getting healthy,” Niblett said. “Right now he is healthy, and he's competing, and I think that's what's neat about it. Right now we have competitive depth. I've been at places where I've had depth where it was another guy, but we have competitive depth in our room, which allows for great practices, great reps, quality reps, intentional reps. But Charlie, I mean, Charlie can move. Charlie's got good hands.”

“But I tell you what Charlie does,” Niblett said. “Charlie does a really good job of blocking at the point of attack, and he's really good on the perimeter and understands route running and understands this offense.”

Keeping high energy at practice

Sep 12, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts after a play during the third quarter against the Houston Cougars at TDECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Yeah, it's always great energy,” Niblett said. “When these kids come in here, they're going to have days where they're a little tired. Thing is, as a coach, you can't be tired, no matter whether you got four hours sleep or you got eight hours sleep. You got to show up every day with the same energy or the same effort. Because if you don't, then how are we going to ask the kids to show up with great effort and great energy? So, I think everybody on our staff does that.”

“That's a standard we have here,” Niblett said. “It's not a rule; it's a standard. And I think that's where Coach Prime's done a great job of bringing men in that understand the importance of having great energy with great attitudes, trying to be positive with our players and grow them, mentor them, but also show them that, ‘hey, look, every day you show up and you get an opportunity to breathe, let's go make the most of it, and everybody make each other better.’”

Upperclassmen earning ‘We-fense’ roles

Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos safety Ben Finneseth (28) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

“Yeah, they're coming along,” Niblett said. “We're at a point right now where we're still trying to develop that. I mean, we're in the eighth day of practice, so there's still a lot of evaluations going on. There's a lot of development going on. There's a lot of kids understanding the tools that need to go in their toolbox to allow them a chance to be on the field on ‘We-fense.’” 

“The latter part of this week, we'll compete,” Niblett said. “And then we’ve got to start setting the depth charts, and then once we start setting the depth charts, then we’ve got to start game planning, getting ready for Georgia Tech, and then get our kids comfortable with that, understanding what's going to be expected of them, and what groups can expect it.”

Players seeing special teams as important as offense and defense

“Well, I think first of all, our staff has to set the tone,” Niblett said. “I think it's got to be expected in your unit rooms, within your position groups, and our staff does an excellent job of coaching that. And then our staff's highly involved. Like, we have guys that coach phases within our ‘We-fense,’ so I think the biggest thing there is just understanding, in a game, the magnitude of what it takes to have your best players on the field for that particular unit.”

“So, as a coach, you've got to do a really good job of evaluating that,” Niblett said. “I think our guys do a really good job. Our players, every day we've shown up, there has never been a lack of effort, lack of energy, a lack of attention. Nobody's been out there being like, ‘When's the next period?’ Everybody's out there with an intention to win a job, and so you're trying to make it competitive because you're trying to show them every day, ‘Hey, compete today, win a job.”

“In our first week, what we talked about was win a rep. This week, we talked about win a job. The next couple of weeks, I'm talking about win the game,” Niblett said.

Safety Ben Finneseth’s impact

Jul 7, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado defensive back Ben Finneseth speaks with reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Ben's just an unbelievable leader,” Niblett said. “He's the face of this program; he understands the expectations, he understands the standard, he speaks the language. He shows up every day, and it's not about him; it's about CU, and yeah, he'll be a huge leader. He and I talk about that every day.”

“He's one of those to say, ‘Coach, text me when you got time; we’ll watch tape.’ That's what it's all about. That's what you're looking for. He's highly respected in that locker room, and everybody knows what he's going to bring to the table. I'm proud of him, I'm a better man because I know him, you know him and I'm excited about seeing what he's going to be able to accomplish this year,” Niblett said.

Working with offensive coordinator Brennan Marion

Sacramento State Hornets head coach Brennan Marion listens to one of the assistant coaches yell at players on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“[It’s been] fantastic, man,” Niblett said. “I've really gotten to know [Marion], and the neat thing about it is, is we try to keep it real too. Things aren’t just about football, man. We start every day with scripture; we have prayer, we talk, guys are giving their whys. You have a connection in the room, and he's a huge part of that because he's the leader of it.”

“He cares about these kids. He cares about these coaches, and he wants to give everybody as great of opportunities as they could have by adding value to them,” Niblett said. “I just think he does an awesome job of that. He's an unbelievable offensive mind, but he's even a great guy to be around. I enjoy being around him and talking with him. He's been awesome.”

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