Colorado's Jordan Domineck says he "doesn't walk away with any regrets" at Utah
When Jordan Domineck announced he was headed to Boulder, he didn't know the opportunity would come with a transformation. The Buffaloes senior defensive end pushed off NFL dreams to learn the game from Deion Sanders, Charles Kelly and Nick Williams. A move that has paid off tremendously in many ways.
The "Smiling Warrior" showed up when Colorado needed a spark the most this season. Sanders even said he wishes Domineck was with him one more year. As he approaches his final collegiate game, the Lakeland, Fla. native hopes to leave a lasting impression in Salt Lake City on Saturday.
"When I step off the field in Utah, I don't want to walk away with any regrets," Domineck told Nick Ferguson on BuffsBeat Weekly. "I'm going to give it my all, like I have been all season. It's going to be great."
Colorado's season might feel like a let down, but that's because it's been a while since the program has been stable. The rebuilding process has been underway since Gary Barnett was fired nearly two decades ago and it's going to take time for Sanders and his staff to establish a winning culture in Boulder. It's not all about fast results and overnight success. Those two qualities eventually fade over the course of time.
Domineck will be remembered as part of Sanders' original roster he built through the transfer portal. It will be a part of CU's history regardless of how the rest of Coach Prime's tenure goes with the Buffs. The defensive bully has a message for future players joining the "Prime Effect" at Colorado.
"If you want to be able to be "that guy," then show it on the field," Domineck said. "Don't talk about it, be about it. Come in here ready to listen. Not everybody is trying to attack you. Don't have such an ego that you can't hear sound advice from other people."
Domineck will turn a page in his career on Saturday afternoon. He's currently sitting at 182 total tackles (38.5 for loss), 21.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns in 52 games. In fact, if he started his career in Boulder, Domineck would be ranked in the top ten on CU's all-time list for sacks and tackles for loss.
Colorado hits the road for the final time on Saturday to face Utah. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET from Rice-Eccles Stadium on the Pac-12 Network.
