How Colorado Turned One Former Weakness Into a New Identity

The Colorado Buffaloes are suddenly building an identity around something that has been a weakness in the Coach Prime era.

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The main pitfall for the Colorado Buffaloes during the Coach Prime era has been the defense’s inability to stop the run. Even in the best season of Deion Sanders’ tenure, 2024, Colorado still finished in the bottom half of the Big 12 in rushing yards allowed. 

However, under new defensive coordinator Chris Marve, the Buffaloes may have changed that narrative. In their 2026 season opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, they seemingly established a new identity around their former weakness.

How the Colorado Buffaloes stopped the run

FSU linebackers coach Chris Marve at the FSU National Signing Day Party on Feb. 5, 2020. Img 4547 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Buffaloes fully flipped the Yellow Jackets’ offensive storyline from last season’s meeting to this year’s. Georgia Tech totaled just 51 combined rushing yards on Thursday. That’s a major hit to its rushing stats from 2025, as it racked up 320 yards and three touchdowns on the ground in last season’s meeting. 

156 yards and all three touchdowns of that production came from quarterback Haynes King. Sanders expressed his relief for not having to face King prior to the Week 1 contest.

“Thank God that quarterback [Haynes King] is gone,” said Sanders in his Aug. 31 presser. “That kid, that kid refused to lose a year ago, and he was definitely a difference-maker.”

Quite simply, Colorado applied pressure on the quarterback that it didn’t last season and had enough talent at the linebacker position to fill gaps effectively. According to Parker Fleming of Dropback, Colorado pressured Yellow Jackets quarterback on 29.6 percent of snaps to the 17.2 percent clip at which Georgia Tech pressured Julian Lewis.

That pressure prevented him from becoming a factor in the run game, making up for the wounds Colorado suffered at the hands of King to start 2025. 

The Colorado Buffaloes’ run-stopping goal

FSU linebackers coach Chris Marve at the FSU National Signing Day Party on Feb. 5, 2020. Img 4540 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Buffaloes had been using that performance, and the several other dominant rushing performances that opposing teams mounted against them, as fuel for this game. The Buffaloes had been clear during the offseason that they wanted to stop the run and wouldn’t settle for less. Appalachian State Mountaineers transfer defensive lineman Dylan Manuel was among those leading the charge for that mission at CU.

“Stopping the run,” said Manuel regarding his role on April 3. “...Really just stopping the run, creating knockback, and letting the linebackers come down to make the play, or I just make the play. I'm not just gonna be the one making the play. I’m just helping the linebackers out and creating free gaps for them.”  

After Colorado achieved its goal in its Week 1 contest, Manuel fired back at those who had doubted its ability to do so.

“They said 22 [Justice Haynes] was gon run all over us,” Manuel said on X. “They also said they gon run the ball 50 times on us. Well Well what happened?” 

They said 22 was gon run all over us. They also said they gon run the ball 50 times on us. Well Well what happened? https://t.co/AYuZReisbs

— Dylan Manuel (@DylanManuel99_) September 4, 2026

The importance of a new identity for the Colorado Buffaloes

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado can safely build an identity around its ability to stop the run, as its performance on that front against Georgia Tech was nothing short of dominant.

This identity shift was desperately needed, as Colorado had begun to become known as a team with a good offense, but a bottom-tier defense year. This performance will force people to look at Colorado as a more well-rounded team, and being well-rounded will help the Buffs compete against some of the top teams in the Big 12 during their gauntlet of a conference schedule.

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