Colorado Buffaloes Players Reveal Personal Goals For Upcoming Season: Major Awards Coming?

BOULDER — Individually and on the team level, the Colorado Buffaloes have high expectations for the upcoming college football season.

Colorado enjoyed its winningest season since 2016 last year and subsequently sent eight players to the NFL, including cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter (Jacksonville Jaguars) and quarterback Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns). Coach Deion Sanders may not have the same level of upper-echelon talent entering 2025, but he does believe the Buffs are a better overall team, particularly in the trenches.

Colorado Buffaloes Players Personal Goals Season Major Awards Deion Sanders Joseph Williams Arden Walker Samuel Okunlola — Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders leaves the stage after speaking with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Colorado's 2025 season opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets is now less than three weeks away. "Coach Prime" is set to enter his third year leading the Buffs with a new-look roster, which includes a starting quarterback competition between Kaidon Salter, Julian Lewis and Ryan Staub.

At CU's annual Fall Sports Media Day on Friday, several players opened up on their personal goals for the upcoming season with Colorado Buffaloes on SI:

Defensive End Samuel Okunlola

"This season, I have very big expectations for myself," Okunlola said. "Be disruptive and dominate every opportunity I can get."

Tight End Sav'ell Smalls

"Just play my role," Smalls said. "Whatever opportunities I get, just take advantage of them. I feel like I did a good job of that last year. I'm trying to build on that to earn more opportunities in the offense, more of a role in the offense, wherever that's at."

Tight End Zach Atkins

"My only personal goals are to help this team win this year — however I can do that," Atkins said. "If they need me to go out and catch 10 balls a game, I will more than gladly do that. If I don't get any targets a game, we're going to pound that rock, and I'm happy to do that, too. I just think that we're going to surprise a lot of people this year, and it's going to be a lot of fun."

Wide Receiver Joseph Williams

"I have big goals for myself," Williams said. "I want to win the Biletnikoff (Award) this year, but I can't do that alone. The offensive line has to play well, the quarterback must play well, I have to do my job. I have to have my trust in my teammates as well as they have to do with me to be able to accomplish that."

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Defensive End Arden Walker

"I'm looking just to step up and be the player I'm supposed to be on this team, and then help my teammates to elevate their game too," Walker said.

Running Back Dallan Hayden

"Just be the best player I could be, help the team win, and do my job every single play and make plays when my number's called," Hayden told reporters earlier in fall camp.