Colorado Buffaloes Linebacker Gideon Lampron Pulls Back the Curtain on Fall Camp Experience

Things kicked off a little differently this season for the Colorado Buffaloes. Instead of spending the entire fall camp in Boulder, Deion Sanders and the Buffs hit the road for Colorado Springs to open up fall camp, practicing mostly at Fountain-Fort Carson High School and the Air Force Academy while staying together in the dorms at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

For a team that experienced another offseason of big-time roster turnover, the change of scenery gave Colorado’s new roster a chance to spend time together away from the distractions of everyday life in Boulder. And based on what one CU linebacker had to say about the experience, it appears the Buffs may have found exactly what they were looking for.

Building Bonds Away From Boulder

In a video shared by the Buffs’ social media team, linebacker Gideon “ESPN” Lampron, the heavy-hitting transfer from Bowling Green, offered a behind-the-scenes look at the team’s dorm life during fall camp.

“It’s a dorm,” Lampron said. “You know, no one really wants to be in here, but you get to do it together, and you get to approach every day with your brothers and get another opportunity to get better every single day,” he added.

For a team that’s still adjusting to new staff and players, those opportunities to spend time together away from the practice field could be just as important as the work being done on it.

Fellow transfer linebacker Liona Lefau from Texas echoed Lampron’s sentiments, making it clear that the players have embraced the opportunity to spend nearly every waking moment together.

“I love this,” Lefau said. “I love just being around the guys, building a bond, getting to know each other better, just hanging out with the guys 24/7.”

For Colorado, spending the opening days of camp under the same roof, immersed in the process, allows players to develop the kind of chemistry that can’t be built inside a two-hour practice. The Buffs weren’t just installing new schemes and competing for starting jobs. They were getting to know each other, building relationships and learning how to work as a team, something Colorado’s new athletic director believes will pay dividends come season’s end.

Fernando Lovo’s Familiarity With The Change

Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo is a firsthand believer in the value a change of scenery can provide during fall camp.

While appearing on the TMR Live YouTube show with Uncle Neely and BiggDogg Chico, Lovo explained that taking a team away from its normal surroundings during camp is something he’s familiar with.

“This is what I’m used to. In my past career in football, we’ve taken the show on the road for a couple of weeks during training camp,” Lovo explained. “So, it’s really great. I’m really happy and pleased that Coach Prime wanted to do this, and I think it’s going to pay big-time dividends for us this year.”

For Colorado’s first-year athletic director, there’s little time to waste getting the Buffaloes headed back in the right direction. However, Lovo’s involvement in making the Colorado Springs trip happen should be a sign of his commitment to the program and the level of alignment between him and “Coach Prime” as they work to build Colorado into one of the premier brands in college football, a pursuit that sometimes requires a willingness to do things differently.

Eliminating Distractions for Colorado Buffaloes

While Boulder is a beautiful college town with plenty to offer, Lampron believes leaving it behind for a week allows the Buffs to recenter themselves and focus on what matters most.

“Boulder is a fun town, so there’s a lot of distractions there,” Lampron said. “Leaving allows you to recenter yourself and focus on what the main thing is, which is doing everything you can to help this football team win games.”

For Colorado, keeping its focus on the main thing will be critical if they hope to compete for a Big 12 title this season. Although, adding players like Lampron and Lifau, who combined for 188 tackles last season, should give Colorado’s defense a pair of experienced leaders in the front seven to lean on as the new-look roster comes together.

Still, even with two foundational pieces at linebacker, Lampron and Lifau won’t be able to do it alone. Building a successful team will require everyone in the locker room to buy into the same standard, something Lampron believes starts with a daily choice.

“Everyone’s here to be great; we just need to choose it and live every day by that, and I think we’ll accomplish our goals if we all do.”

Colorado fans won’t have to wait long to find out if “Coach Prime’s” choice to leave Boulder pays off as the Buffs open the season on Thursday, Sept. 3, taking on Georgia Tech in Atlanta. Thankfully for Buff Nation, early signs suggest the change of scenery is already paying off.

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