Colorado Transfer Damian Henderson II Takes Shots At Former School

The Colorado Buffaloes landed running back Damian Henderson II in the transfer portal this offseason. The three-star transfer previously played for the Sacramento State Hornets.

Before that, he was on the other side of an in-state rivalry with the Buffaloes as a member of the Colorado State Rams.

Damian Henderson On Different Side of Colorado-Colorado State Rivalry

Colorado Buffaloes Damian Henderson II Running Back Transfer Portal Colorado State Rams Boulder Fort Collins Brennan Marion — Dec 28, 2024; Tucson, AZ, USA; Colorado State Rams running back Damian Henderson II (34) against the Miami (OH) RedHawks during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Damian Henderson II signed with Colorado State out of high school as a member of their 2023 recruting class. He was rated as a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 30 running back in his class according to 247Sports.

Henderson played two seasons for the Rams in 2023 and 2024. In five games played, he had 21 carries for 91 rushing yards and two receptions for 13 receiving yards. His Rams played Colorado twice during this time, losing to the Buffaloes both times. This included Colorado’s epic 43-35 double-overtime victory during Henderson’s freshman season in 2023.

Now, Henderson is on the other side of this rivalry. He was asked by reporters on if he still has his winter clothes he wore while playing for Colorado State and what it’s like to be in Boulder playing for the Buffs. His response may not sit well with Colorado State fans.

“No. Not at all. Everything from Fort Collins is thrown away. I don’t even know why we speaking on Fort Collins. We ain’t going to talk about that right now," Henderson said with a smile. “I always wanted to be on this side (with the Buffaloes), so it’s nothing to me.”

Damian Henderson (who began his career at Colorado State) on what it’s like playing in Boulder now:

“I always wanted to be on this side, so it’s nothing to me.” 😂😭 pic.twitter.com/4Ia3B3fuVo
— DNVR Buffs (@DNVR_Buffs) March 10, 2026

After his two seasons at Colorado State, Henderson transferred to Sac State. He put his talent on display with the Hornets in 2025. He has 91 carries for 565 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He also had seven receptions for 65 receiving yards.

Henderson now follows his head coach at Sac State, current Buffaloes offensive coordinator Brennan Marion to Boulder. Marion coached the Hornets for one season, leading them to a 7-5 record in 2025 before being hired by Colorado to be their offensive coordinator.

Marion runs a “Go-Go” offense, which is an uptempo offense that typically has multiple running backs in the backfield along with the quarterback in the shotgun. Henderson’s comfort in this set and being with Marion was clearly a factor of why he wanted to come to Colorado.

“The go-go did a lot for me. The go-go helped me get here today. I feel like the go-go offense is a very good offense for running backs, receivers, it’s a well rounded offense. Everybody’s going to eat,” Henderson said. “Coach Marion is a very great guy. He knows how to get the best out of a player.”

Colorado coach Deion Sanders made some massive coaches changes this offseason and Marion is right at the top of that list. The Buffaloes offense struggled for much of their 3-9 2025 season and they hope Marion can be the one to change that.

SIGN UP FOR THE COLORADO BUFFALOES ON SI NEWSLETTER HERE!