When the Colorado Buffaloes get closer to the Sept. 3 season opener at Georgia Tech, assistant coach George Helow will be more concerned with how his players are learning the new defensive scheme.
For now, however, he just wants to find out what they can do on the field.
On Monday, the Buffs completed their 10th practice of spring and for Helow itap been a valuable time to figure out the skills possessed by the new players in his room.
“You’re trying to see who can do what, because we haven’t known these guys but for two months,” said Helow, who coaches the Buffs’ defensive ends. “(New defensive coordinator Chris Marve) has a past history of a scheme, things that he’s done and he’s had success with. I’m sure we’ll continue to do some of those things, but itap not about the scheme right now. Itap about how we play the game.”
Like several other areas of the team, the defensive ends room went through an overhaul in the offseason.
CU finished tied for 14th in the Big 12 with just 13 sacks last year, and was tied for 13th with 60 tackles for loss. The only player from the ends group in 2025 that has returned is Quency Wiggins, but the senior has bulked up to 295 pounds and is now playing defensive tackle.
Kylan Salter, a junior, is also back, but he was an inside linebacker last year.
So, itap a room thatap been built through the transfer portal, with seniors Toby Anene (North Dakota State), Balansama Kamara (Albany) and Vili Taufatofua (San Jose State); and sophomores Immanuel Ezeogu (James Madison), Lamont Lester Jr. (Monmouth) and Yamil Talib (Charlotte).
“I’m really pleased with the things that I’m seeing right now,” Helow said. “I think our whole recruiting office did a really good job in the recruiting season of getting guys in here that are good, character guys that love football, that want to be great, that want to be coached.”
Helow said the seniors are “leading the charge right now,” but he’s been pleased with the youth, as well.
“Hoping some of the younger guys are going to continue to come along,” he said. “The older guys right now are the ones that are leading, but we don’t have a depth chart, we have a rep chart. We’re changing up the groups practice to practice. You get what you earn.
“We have very high standards and expectations. If you don’t practice a certain way, we go on to the next guy. So, we’re mixing it up, we’re changing up the rotation. We’re seeing what everybody’s talent and ability is right now, what their superpower is and we’re putting guys in good positions to be able to make plays.”
Several players in the group were proven playmakers at other schools.
Anene, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior, was second-team all-conference at North Dakota State after posting 8.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks last season.
Kamara (6-3, 260) and Lester (6-2, 230) were both first team All-CAA. Kamara had 67 tackles, 13.5 TFLs and 7.5 sacks for Albany, while Lester had 37 tackles, 11.5 TFLs and 9.5 sacks for Monmouth.
Taufatofua (6-3, 260) was honorable mention All-Mountain West last year at San Jose State (34 tackles, seven TFLs, three sacks), while Ezeogu (6-1, 240) helped James Madison reach the College Football Playoff.
“A lot of these guys that transferred in, they were high production guys; thatap what we’re looking for,” Helow said. “High performers, high achievers at the former schools that they were at.”
No one in the group has proven themselves at the Power Four conference level, but they are making a good impression in spring practice.
“We’re trying to see who can do what, who can play hard, who can play fast, who can play tough, who can hold up, and who does it the way that we’re asking them to do it,” Helow said. “We’ve got a great room. I mean high character guys, high effort, high energy. There’s not, like, one specific guy that is doing everything the right way and the others aren’t. So, really pleased with everybody in the room.”
