Safety Ben Finneseth Gets Real About Colorado Buffaloes Standard

As the spring comes to an end, the Colorado Buffaloes seem to be heading in a great direction to have great success in the fall. One of the Buffaloes' leaders in the secondary spoke on that direction and what the standard in Boulder has become.

Safety Ben Finneseth’s Comments on the Standard

New Standard In Boulder Colorado Buffaloes Safety Ben Finneseth Coach Chris Marve Coach Deion Sanders defensive coordinator — 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 | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“I love coach Marve, I love his scheme. Our standard is excellence. We’re gonna be a violent and aggressive team, we’re gonna be fast, we’re gonna be smart, and we’re gonna have relentless effort. That’s what I’ve seen on tape,” said safety Ben Finneseth in his spring presser on Thursday morning.

Colorado is entering a new era on the defensive side with new defensive coordinator Chris Marve, but the transition has been fairly smooth during spring practices. Finneseth has been out for the majority of the spring, but as one of the returners for Colorado, he has taken more of a leadership role in helping to set the standard.

Marve has emphasized the violence, physicality, and speed that Finneseth talked about, which shows how influential Marve has been with the players on defense.

Getting the players to buy in is a huge step for Colorado, and with Finneseth leading the way, the Buffaloes and Marve seem to be on the same page heading into the fall.

The Culture at Colorado

A New Standard In Boulder For The Colorado Buffaloes Safety Ben Finneseth Coach Chris Marve Coach Deion Sanders — Oct 4, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the sidelines during the first half against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

“I think there’s a lot to learn from how Indiana built their team last year. They had a player-led team and a culture that everyone wanted to buy into,” added Finneseth.

With Colorado trying to establish their culture as a winning program, learning from previous success is one of the best ways to do it, which is why Finneseth has taken notes from the Indiana Hoosiers' approach after they won the National Championship.

The biggest thing for the Hoosiers was the buy-in they got from the entire roster, with very few high-level recruits, and that they became very tight as a team. With the lack of top-tier talent, this was the best approach, and clearly it paid off in a big way.

The Buffaloes are in a similar situation with lots of new transfers coming to Boulder and many of them coming from smaller schools with the desire to be successful at the Division 1 level.

With next season looming, it is critical for players to step up into leadership roles like Finneseth to help set the standard and determine Colorado’s identity for the 2026 season.

Losing Is Not Acceptable

“We got guys that are hungry, and we've got guys that are not willing to leave the field with a loss, and that’s the most important thing. You’ve gotta hate losing. You have a mentality that we’re not leaving the field until we win. That’s the kind of team we’re gonna be,” stated Finneseth.

This is a huge distinction for the Buffaloes to make, especially with the pressure on coach Deion Sanders. A lot of the problems with teams that are unsuccessful seem to lie in the idea that their mentality is not good enough, and they are content with losing.

The additions of Marve and offensive coordinator Brennan Marion appear to have already significantly helped that mentality and are establishing a culture to change what the expectation is for the Buffaloes.

It also helps that the players who have recently transferred in and have that hunger to win, in addition to those who have been in Boulder the last few seasons. Coming from small schools, many of these players have a chip on their shoulders to show they not only belong on this level but can dominate. Having players who are hungry to win and a coaching staff that pushes these players every single day is a great step in the right direction.

Setting a consistent culture is not something that lasts just for next season. If done right, it could help lead to sustained success in the program, which is something Coach Prime has been looking to find.

Coach Sanders needs a solid season in 2026, and if the Buffaloes can play to their potential next season while setting their culture, that could not only lift the pressure off Sanders but also increase Colorado’s chances to land high-level recruits for the future of the program.

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