University of Colorado Athletics
Colorado Opens Fall Camp With Historic Off-Campus Experience
August 04, 2026 | Football
BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes football team launched its first two days of fall camp in an unexpected scene, but nonetheless one that had a definitive purpose.
For the first time in CU program history, the Buffs have traveled outside their home of Boulder for fall camp. The team is based together at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) while practicing at Fountain-Fort Carson High School.
The decision to travel has provided the opportunity for the 104-man roster to eliminate outside distractions, focusing on football and strengthening bonds amongst the entirety of the program.
"The first few days have been incredible," linebacker Gideon ESPN Lampron said. "Not a lot of teams are fortunate enough to do this, and it's been great for team building."
Colorado's players are spending nearly every passing moment together, from meetings and practices to meals and time in the dorms.
Defensive back Cree Thomas believes that the constant interactions are helping build off-field trust.
"It builds community amongst the team. It builds trust," Thomas said. "We're with each other 24/7. We're sleeping right across from one another, so it really builds that team bond. It also gives us a chance to lock in and focus. We're away from all the distractions back home, and we've just been grinding on the field."
Both sides of the ball have exchanged momentum throughout the opening practices, with each unit responding whenever the other makes a play. The "tug-of-war" competition has fueled the fire at the camp while helping the Buffs make noteworthy progress throughout the first few days.
"It's been shot for shot," stated Lampron. "Offense versus defense, back and forth, and that's what camp is supposed to be. Just looking from day one to day two, the amount we've grown as a team and in the different units has been pretty impeccable."
The competition on the turf has been matched by the growing unity off it. With many on the team arriving in January as strangers, the Buffs have strengthened relationships through spring and summer training and their shared experiences in Colorado Springs.
"We feel really close," Thomas said. "Everyone's hanging out outside of the building, and different position groups are meshing with each other. We're super close now."
Lampron described camp as a "shared struggle" that has brought players closer as they live, practice, and prepare together.
The Hunt For The 11 Best
Defensive coordinator Chris Marve believes the off-campus setting has helped the Buffs narrow their focus and connect beyond the practice field.
"We're living with each other for a week, and we're having conversations that we may not have necessarily had after practice or between practice and a walk-through," Marve said. " I had this experience when I played, and it was transformative for me, so I hope it's the same for our players."
On the field, the CU coaches have emphasized discipline, communication, and attention to detail. The defense is building an identity around aggression, physicality, and relentless effort, with players expected to compete with relentless intensity while mastering the defense's fine details.
Marve and his staff have built the defense around their personnel's strengths rather than committing to a rigid system.
"It's not about what I've done in the past," Marve said. "It's about what our players can do and what we can get taught and go do at a high level consistently."
The staff tracks production, execution, and effort to identify the best 11 players who can operate as one unit.
When asked about wanting his 11 best, not his best 11, Marve said, "You can have 11 elite athletes, but if they don't function in tandem or in unison, you don't have an effective unit."
Through two practices, Marve has seen progress in the defense's communication and cohesion. The historic trip has created an environment centered on football, discipline, and togetherness.
"This team loves football, so what more can we ask for?" Thomas said. "We're isolated, and we get to play football all day."
