Tag: colorado buffaloes football

Former Colorado defensive end Dayon Hayes commits to SEC school

A Colorado defender who entered the transfer portal has found a new home

On Friday, the Texas A&M Aggies landed a transfer portal commitment from Dayon Hayes, a defensive end who spent the 2024 season with the Colorado Buffaloes. Hayes appeared in the Buffs’ first four games this season before suffering a season-ending injury.

On3 was the first to report the news.

Hayes’ collegiate journey began with the Pittsburgh Panthers, who housed the 6-foot-3, 265-pound defender from 2020-23. The Pittsburgh native registered 13 sacks and 80 total tackles over those four seasons.

After transferring to CU as a highly-touted pickup last winter and leading the Buffaloes through their first three games with two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, Hayes suffered an injury that cost him the remainder of the season. Assumedly, he received a medical redshirt, extending his college career another year.

Hayes has ultimately elected to spend that final year in the SEC at Texas A&M. The Aggies won eight games during the regular season and will meet the USC Trojans in the Las Vegas Bowl on Friday.

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Texas A&M lands a commitment from Colorado transfer EDGE

Texas A&M has landed its first defensive line commitment from the transfer portal

Texas A&M’s transfer portal success continued on Friday night. The Aggies landed a commitment from former Pitt/Colorado Edge Dayon Hayes, who has produced a lot, including 15 sacks since the 2020 season.

Over the past two weeks, Coach Mike Elko has received some criticism from the Aggie fan base regarding the program’s lack of movement in the transfer portal to replace the losses of defensive linemen Nic Scourton, Shemar Turner, and Shemar Stewart. Meanwhile, most of the reserve Edge/defensive end depth entered the transfer portal.

Hayes’ 2024 season was cut short after four games due to injury following surgery. If he had stayed healthy, we’re potentially taking about a double-digit sack season after recording 16 tackles and four sacks in four games.

Bring a solid mix of size and versatility, Hayes’ 6-3, 265-pound frame fits Texas A&M DC Jay Bateman’s scheme, as the senior pass rusher will likely line up outside while also shading inside at the 4i.

Elko and his staff still need to add a handful of defensive linemen to feel safe heading into the spring football season, but this is an excellent start.

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Colorado lands potential successor to punter Mark Vassett

The Buffs may have found their successor to “Mate”

Head coach Deion Sanders has found himself a new “Mate” to succeed current Colorado football punter Mark Vassett.

With Vassett out of college eligibility after this season, the Buffs landed a commitment from Kansas transfer and fellow Australian Damon Greaves on Friday evening. The 6-foot-1 sophomore spent the past two years with the Jayhawks, averaging 40.7 yards per punt on 65 career boots.

This past season, Greaves averaged 42.3 yards per punt with six traveling at least 50 yards. Six of his 33 punts also landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Greaves, the ninth transfer to commit to Colorado this month, played in the Australian Football League before coming to the United States.

Geaves’ family made headlines last month when it flew from Australia to watch Kansas’ Week 12 game against the Buffs at Arrowhead Stadium. But thanks partly to Colorado’s worst defensive effort of the season, Kansas didn’t punt once in the Jayhawks’ 37-21 win.

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BYU to be without key player in first half of Alamo Bowl

One of BYU’s top players will miss the first half of the Alamo Bowl

BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff will be without one of his best pass catchers for the first half of the Cougars’ Alamo Bowl matchup against Colorado on Dec. 28.

According to KSL Sports, BYU head coach Kalani Sitake confirmed that wide receiver Darius Lassiter will sit the first half of the Alamo Bowl due to being ejected from the Cougars’ Nov 30 game against Houston. After Retzlaff scored on a designed QB run in the fourth quarter, tensions spilled over as Lassiter and Houston cornerback A.J. Haulcy threw punches and were ejected from the game.

A 6-foot-2, 210-pound senior from Chandler, Arizona, Lassiter is in his second year at BYU after transferring from Eastern Michigan. This year has been a breakout season for Lassiter, who has set career-highs in catches (43), receiving yards (679) and yards per catch (15.8).

Chase Roberts is BYU’s No. 1 receiver, but the Cougars will likely rely more on Keelan Marion and Jojo Phillips during the first half of the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28.

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Julian Lewis to join Colorado’s scout team for pre-Alamo Bowl practices

Coach Prime is throwing his young QB into the fire

The Colorado Buffaloes are preparing for their first bowl game in four years and are using every available body to prepare themselves for the BYU Cougars.

During this week’s episode of “Coach Prime’s Playbook,” Romi Bean of CBS Colorado asked Buffs head coach Deion Sanders about recent class of 2025 signee Julian “JuJu” Lewis, and Coach Prime said he wants to see what his young quarterback can do on Colorado’s scout team. Lewis wrapped up his Carrollton High School career earlier this week and will now join the Buffs as they prepare for the Alamo Bowl, according to Coach Prime.

Coach Prime spoke on the importance of Lewis joining Colorado’s scout team ahead of next week’s matchup with BYU:

“Tremendous. Not only that, we are going to put his butt on that scout team and let him run against the 1s (starters),” Sanders told Bean. “We’re going to see if you flinch. We’re gonna see what you got. That young man (Lewis) is phenomenal, what he’s done in high school football. The thing people forget — yeah, he’s a really good quarterback, he has all the intangibles — the kid is a winner. He’s won all his life. That’s what we love about him.”

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Travis Hunter becomes sixth unanimous first-team All-American in Colorado history

Travis Hunter has made more Colorado history

Only days after becoming the second Heisman Trophy winner in Colorado football history, Travis Hunter has entered the program’s record books again.

On Thursday, the NCAA recognized Hunter as a unanimous first-team All-American, meaning the cornerback/wide receiver was a first-team selection on all five of the necessary outlets (Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of American, The Sporting News and the Walter Camp All-American teams).

Because Hunter wasn’t listed on all five exclusively at one of his two primary positions, he’s considered an All-Purpose unanimous first-team All-American.

According to BuffZone’s Brian Howell, Colorado has had five previous unanimous first-team All-Americans: running back Eric Bieniemy (1990), offensive guard Joe Garten (1990), center Jay Leeuwenburg (1991), running back Rashaan Salaam (1994) and tight end Daniel Graham (2001).

Hunter, a projected top-five NFL draft pick, is expected to play in the Buffs’ Alamo Bowl matchup against BYU on Dec. 28.

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Colorado WR Omarion Miller may return from injury in Alamo Bowl

One of Colorado’s top young wide receivers may make his return from injury in the Alamo Bowl

The Colorado Buffaloes may see the return of a talented wide receiver in the Alamo Bowl next week.

Omarion Miller, who has missed the last two months of action with a leg injury, claimed he would be back healthy for the Buffs’ Dec. 28 matchup against BYU, as revealed in Deion Sanders Jr.’s latest Well Off Media YouTube video.

“I’ll be back practicing tomorrow,” Miller said Wednesday. “Taking it slow, but y’all will see me in that bowl game, for sure.”

Miller suffered the injury on a hip-drop tackle early in the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats on Oct. 12. The sophomore had shined up to that point in the game, hauling in eight catches for 145 yards.

For the season, however, Miller logged a catch in just one other game. He finished with two receptions, including a 58-yard touchdown, against Baylor on Sept. 21. In his two seasons at Colorado, Miller has 21 catches for 450 yards and two touchdowns.

With Miller seen as a key piece of the Buffs’ future, CU’s coaching staff will have a decision to make on whether the newly-recovered young wideout will be allowed to play in San Antonio next weekend.

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Former Liberty standout quarterback Kaidon Salter transfers to Colorado

Let the competition begin!

Let the competition begin!

Only weeks after signing highly-ranked class of 2025 quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis, the Colorado Buffaloes earned a commitment from Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter on Wednesday, according to On3.

Salter was one of college football’s top quarterbacks in 2023, throwing for 2,876 yards and 32 touchdowns while leading Liberty to a Conference USA championship. As a junior this past season, the former four-star prospect recorded 1,886 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Salter took visits to Boulder and Syracuse before committing to the Buffs

Colorado now has two solid options to replace current quarterback and projected top-five NFL draft pick Shedeur Sanders. If Salter does earn the starting job next season, Lewis will have the opportunity to learn behind an accomplished veteran quarterback.

Head coach Deion Sanders has landed six transfers since the portal opened last week, including former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jeheim Oatis.

Take a photographic look at Colorado’s newest quarterback:

Robert Livingston looking to send Colorado’s seniors off right in Alamo Bowl

Robert Livingston wants to send CU’s seniors off right

Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston has done a remarkable job since he was hired by head coach Deion Sanders last winter. CU’s defense improved in most statistical categories, translating to overall team success. However, Livingston has another challenge to close his first year in Boulder.

On Tuesday, the former Cincinnati Bengals secondary coach spoke to the media to discuss the BYU Cougars, who will challenge Colorado in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28.

“They do a great job,” Livingston noted of BYU. “The quarterback’s (Jake Retzlaff) a great player. It’s a phenomenal challenge.”

With the Big 12 heavyweight showdown around the corner, Livingston shared high praise for the Cougars and encouragement for the Buffs’ graduating class.

“I’m excited for these guys,” Livingston said. “It’s just all about the seniors. I’ll do everything in my power to send them off the right way.”

Livingston also mentioned that players who redshirted during the 2024 season, such as linebacker Jeremiah Brown, may be used situationally in the Alamo Bowl.

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Coach Prime compares recent Colorado signee Julian Lewis to Shedeur Sanders

Deion Sanders sees a lot of similarities between Julian Lewis and Shedeur Sanders

College football head coaches are often creatures of habit. When they see something that works for them, they want to replicate it. That helps explain why Colorado head coach Deion Sanders targeted recent signee Julian “JuJu” Lewis to replace Shedeur Sanders at quarterback.

Shedeur has propelled CU’s rebuild forward, rewriting the record books in two seasons with the Buffs. Now, Coach Prime has landed his next quarterback in Lewis, whose pinpoint accuracy has shades of Shedeur’s.

While meeting with the media on Tuesday, Coach Prime gave his thoughts on Lewis and the talent he brings to Boulder:

“Smart coaches at this level understand what has worked for them and they try their best to replicate that. I saw a lot of similarities between the way Julian’s life has been structured and Shedeur’s,” Coach Prime said. “Some of the similarities are unbelievable. That kid right there is everything that we desire in a quarterback. He’s smart, he can make every throw but most of all, he’s a winner.”

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