Deion Sanders Hires New Colorado Buffaloes Defensive Line Coach Ahead of Spring Camp

With spring practices set to begin next week, Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders has reportedly found his new defensive line coach.

BuffZone's Brian Howell reported Tuesday that "Coach Prime" has promoted graduate assistant Dante' Carter to coach Colorado's defensive line. Carter replaces Domata Peko, who spent one season in Boulder before leaving for the same role with the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers.

Deion Sanders Hires New Colorado Buffaloes Defensive Line Coach Spring Camp Dante' Carter Promotion Domata Peko Football Staf — Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes assistant defensive line coach Donato Peko before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Carter joined Sanders' staff last year following one season as the defensive line coach at NAIA Tyler College. There, the New Orleans, Louisiana, product helped Tyler College lead its conference with 39 sacks.

Before transitioning to coaching, Carter played one season at Southeastern Louisiana and three at Prairie View A&M as a defensive tackle. In his final two college seasons (2021-22), he recorded 32 total tackles and 1.5 sacks.

🦬🦬 pic.twitter.com/QUWK9nMJMQ
— Dante’ Carter (@coachpun99) March 17, 2025

Carter will continue to work closely with defensive ends coach George Helow and pass rush coordinator Warren Sapp, who oversaw a unit that failed to meet expectations last season. Colorado's defense allowed the most rushing yards per game (222.5) among Big 12 teams and ranked near the bottom of the conference with only 13 sacks.

Freshmen Alexander McPherson, London Merritt and Brandon Davis-Swain were each bright spots on the defensive front last year, but all three have since transferred. Fellow defensive linemen Samuel Okunlola, Tavian Coleman, Christian Hudson, Tawfiq Thomas, Gavriel Lightfoot and Jehiem Oatis also entered the portal last month.

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Colorado's Defensive Line Outlook

Quency Wiggins, who helped both on the interior and the edge last season, is Colorado's only returning defensive lineman entering spring camp. His role is currently unclear considering the number of transfers coming in, but Wiggins' versatility only stands to help Carter's defensive line.

Colorado added 12 defensive linemen/edge rushers via the portal:

Yamil Talib (Charlotte)
Lamont Lester Jr. (Monmouth)
Balansama Kamara (Albany)
Dylan Manuel (Appalachian State)
Toby Anene (North Dakota State)
Manny Ezeogu (James Madison)
Tyler Moore (Coastal Carolina)
Santana Hopper (Tulane)
Vili Taufatofua (San Jose State)
Ezra Christensen (New Mexico State)
Sedrick Smith (Maryland)
Samu Taumanupepe (Baylor)

Carter will also mentor junior college transfer Domata Peko Jr. and potentially his brother, Joseph Peko, a class of 2026 commit who has yet to sign with the Buffs.

As with every other position group, spring camp will help Carter get a better feel for his new defensive line talent. A few transfers stand out as potential starters, including former New Mexico State standout Ezra Christensen, but more will settle in the coming months.

"Competition usually brings out the best in people, and we've got competition really on every level of the defense," defensive coordinator Robert Livingston told CUBuffs.com.

Colorado will open its fourth spring camp under Sanders' direction on Monday. The Buffs' annual Black and Gold Day spring football game is set for April 11 at Folsom Field.