Coach Prime eager to silence doubters in year three with Buffaloes

BOULDER, Colo. — Despite leading the Buffaloes to a nine-win campaign, and molding a Heisman winner  last season, Coach Prime believes the naysayers still don’t feel he’s accomplishing enough in Boulder.

And that speaks volumes, considering he has improved Colorado’s win total in each of his first two years on the job. With season three kicking off under the Friday night lights at Folsom Field against an elite ACC team, Coach Prime will have a perfect opportunity to make the critics put more respect on his name.

After all, he’s no stranger to overcoming obstacles, especially since he began his coaching career. Coach Prime understands what comes with the territory of having success, and every year expectations are always going to be something to live up to.

“First it was the challenge of coming to this level, could we change the game, and we did,” Coach Prime said. “Then can you consistently do it with the players you have, can you win, and we did, so now it’s can you do it without Travis and Shedeur.”

Coach Prime isn’t measuring success by wins, and never has. As long as the players are succeeding on the gridiron, and in the classroom, everything will take care of itself. Colorado has a ton of new faces on both sides of the ball, but that’s normal in this new era of College football, which includes NIL and the transfer portal.

Kaidon Salter will be starting behind center, but the fans are anxious to see the supporting cast around him. Everyone must remember that Colorado lost four players on offense to the 2025 NFL Draft. However, Coach Prime is confident Salter can lead the Buffaloes to the finish line this fall, and the rest of the team is rallying behind him.

“He (Salter) has done it before, this is not his first time running out of the tunnel and getting the start,” he said. “His experience is vital, we don’t tend to seem like a young team, so I like what he’s been doing in camp, what he did in the spring, and he’s growing.”

Matching up with the Yellow Jackets will be a great measuring stick for the Buffaloes. Coach Prime will play at least three running backs, because he’s putting an emphasis on running the ball more. That should slow down Georgia Tech’s high-powered offense if effective. There are a plethora of wideouts that Coach Prime plans on unleashing, and he’s high on their abilities.

The one aspect that Coach Prime feels is different about the 2025 squad is depth at several positions. Coach Prime believes it’s going to be vital down the stretch, and if adversity strikes early on.

“I think the tremendous amount of depth that we have at darn near every position, even special teams and the kickers, I’m so proud of that,” the 58-year old coach said. “I’m proud of the staff that we were able to go out and assemble that depth that we have, and that’s pretty much the difference, so if a guy goes down we ain’t breaking glass.”

All eyes will be on Coach Prime, but the Yellow Jackets are the road favorites. That’s more than enough motivation for him and his players to show the nation that last year was no fluke, and they’re not going anywhere.

“It’s always going to be a challenge, and I don’t mind that, I stand up to those because I’ve been challenged my whole darn life.”