As he recovered from a knee injury this spring, Colorado safety Ben Finneseth didn’t participate in practices.
He did, however, observe a lot and discovered he’s got some company in the leadership department. Included in that group is defensive end Balansama Kamara, a newcomer who isn’t afraid to speak his mind.
“Thatap my dawg,” said Finneseth, one of the Buffaloes’ top leaders this year. “When things aren’t going right, he’s going to be the first one to say something. He’s going to get in people’s ear about it.”
Kamara could also be one of the leaders on the field.
A 6-foot-3, 260-pound defensive end who played the previous two years at Albany, Kamara is part of a big list of transfers hoping to boost a CU pass rush that struggled in 2025.
“I feel like my effort is everything,” Kamara said during spring practices. “Itap about how hard I go, and I play with a lot of passion. I feel like thatap the biggest thing when it comes to my game, my effort.”
A year ago at Albany, Kamara’s effort led to him earning first-team All-Coastal Athletic Association honors after posting 67 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, seven hurries and three forced fumbles.
The Philadelphia native began his collegiate career with two seasons (2021-22) at Temple. He redshirted in 2021 and played seven games in 2022, posting 15 tackles and half a sack.
Kamara then spent one season at Hutchinson (Kansas) Community College before playing the past two years at Albany.
“Chasing opportunities kept me going,” he said. “Understanding that I’ve had my ups and downs and I’m grateful for all of it. I’m forever grateful for the ups and the downs because they molded me into the man I am today. Without those things, I don’t think I’d be here.
“Going to all those different levels gave me a different perspective on the football level. … You see different things, but then itap all the same at the same time and it allows me to just keep going.”
After his breakout season at Albany, Kamara put his name into the transfer portal and felt CU would give him his best chance at success during his senior year.
“Always, life is about opportunities and I feel like itap a great opportunity here to play on a big stage and play good competition in the Big 12,” he said. “So opportunity was the biggest thing for me.”
As he prepares for next season, Kamara is competing with several talented pass rushers, including Lamont Lester Jr., who was also first-team All-CAA last year while playing for Monmouth; Toby Anene, who was second-team All-Missouri Valley at North Dakota State; and Vili Taufatofua, who earned All-Mountain West honorable mention at San Jose State.
Transfers Immanuel Ezeogu (James Madison), Yamil Talib (Charlotte) and Domata Peko Jr. (Ventura Junior College) are also competing, along with returner Kylan Salter, who shifted from inside linebacker.
Together, that group is hoping to wreak havoc on the quarterback, which the 2025 Buffs didn’t do. CU led the Big 12 in sacks in 2024 with 39 (3.0 per game), but it tied for 14th last year with just 13 sacks (1.08 per game).
“Itap always exciting to have competition because iron sharpens iron, so we all go hard every day,” Kamara said. “We constantly hold each other accountable, and thatap the biggest thing. If I’m holding my brother accountable and he holds me accountable, we’re only going to get better. So I like the competition we have in our room.”
