Colorado Spring Practice Will Be Extremely Crucial For These Two Position Groups

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders will be aiming to improve the output of the team in 2026. However, there are still some areas that need growth on both sides of the ball. Spring ball can help with that.

Colorado Buffaloes Coach Prime Deion Sanders Brennan Marion Guard Yahya Attia Cornerback Justin Eaglin Continuity Big 12 — Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders looks on during the second quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Lack of Proven Players in The Secondary

The Buffaloes' passing defense was a solid unit in 2025, but after the transfer portal cycle, there are a lot of new faces that bring question marks in the secondary.

The new transfers include cornerback Paul Omodia, safety Boo Carter, defensive back Emory Floyd, cornerback Justin Eaglin, cornerback Cree Thomas, cornerback RJ Johnson, and cornerback Jason Stokes Jr. Colorado has also added cornerback Preston Ashley to the defensive back room through high school recruiting.

As far as players who have a significant amount of experience in the room, the list is very short, as that only includes Justin Eaglin. Eaglin played for James Madison in their run to the College Football Playoff. He also played in 2024, which prepared him to have the 2025 season that he did.

Carter (Tennessee) and Floyd (Appalachian State) both have a full year of experience getting significant reps, but they will both need to perform to give Colorado confidence in the room. Carter suffered an injury near the end of the 2025 season, which could put his health into question if he gets injured consistently.

Omodia also has one year of experience which came in 2024. After transferring to Lamar for the 2025 season, he didn’t play nearly as much but could be relied upon if his number is called.

Thomas (Notre Dame), Johnson who is returning to Colorado, and Stokes (Utah) all have limited experience getting reps on defense and have primarily been contributors on special teams.

The spring will definitely be a huge time for this cornerback group, as many need to get more experience competing and working on their technique. This corner room will be leaning on Eaglin, Carter, Floyd, and potentially Omodia as the more experienced players to lead the way.

If any of those four do not perform and the depth does not develop, this group could be in a whole lot of trouble during 2026.

Lack of Continuity on the Offensive Line

Colorado’s offense in 2025 was a group that struggled to be consistent or productive. With that in mind, Colorado coach Deion Sanders was able to add several pieces to address this issue.

However, when relying on the transfer portal as much as Colorado does, there can be an issue that arises. That issue is a lack of continuity as a collective.

The Buffaloes have added a variety of players all over the roster, but one group that received a significant overhaul was the offensive line. For now, guard Yahya Attia and tackle Larry Johnson III project to be the only returning starters along the line.

Sanders and the staff got help at tackle and on the interior through the transfer portal. Houston center Demetrius Hunter, guard Jayvon McFadden from Ohio State, and offensive lineman Jose Soto from San Jose State are the main additions on the interior.

Colorado also added tackles such as Georgia transfer Bo Hughley, Taj White from Rutgers, and Jayven Richardson from Missouri.

The good news is that everyone gets a fresh slate with first-year offensive coordinator Brennan Marion who has implemented the Go-Go offense for the Buffaloes. With Marion wanting to speed up the tempo and establish a physical run game, the linemen who earn the starting nods must be balanced and able to do both.

With this many new faces in the offensive line room, it will be very difficult to build chemistry and continuity on the field right away. For this offense to work, the line must work together as one. The blocking assignments must be done with consistent technique and attention to detail.

The spring should be able to help this group grow closer together. However, in a controlled environment, it is tough to know if they truly trust each other and are a complete unit.

The only way to know that is when the Buffaloes are on the road in a hostile environment with a whole stadium cheering for the offense to falter. In these situations, it becomes clear if a group will stick together to accomplish a common goal or if it will break apart and start pointing fingers.

The linemen starting up front will have a huge impact on whether the Buffaloes' offense can be productive or if it will struggle like 2025.

In the trenches, continuity, chemistry, and a desire to work as one will determine if this can be a strength of the team, or if it is viewed as a weakness and will once again need to be overhauled.

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