During his press conference two weeks ago revealing his cancer diagnosis, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders expounded on how he has always attempted to appreciate the journey more than the destination.
Coach Prime might have a kindred spirit in safety Ben Finneseth.
Finneseth has been a journey guy too, and few players on CU’s roster have weathered the same trials and, eventually, the payoff that has marked Finneseth’s career.
A former walk-on awarded a scholarship by Sanders ahead of CU’s spring game in April, Finneseth has evolved from an overlooked recruit out of Durango into a dependable leader who will be counted on within the Buffs’ new-look secondary in 2025.
That journey became emotional for Finneseth last winter. One of the ‘original Buffs’ who were on the roster prior to Sanders’ arrival — a fraternity that was whittled to six when running back Charlie Offerdahl retired prior to the preseason due to repeated concussions — Finneseth was with the program for the bottoming out at the end of the Karl Dorrell era. (Technically there are again seven ‘OBs’ with the return of receiver Jack Hestera, but he played at two different stops the past two seasons.)
Finneseth remained a Buff through the extensive Prime roster overhaul, and he appeared in all 13 games last year in a return-to-glory campaign that culminated in an Alamo Bowl berth. Once the dust settled, Finneseth became reflective about his journey, and how it led to being able to play with talents like Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and former CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“When the season was done last year, I just had to sit in my room and cry. Because I had to reflect on everything I had been through the last few years, and how rewarding it was to go through last season,” Finneseth said. “Obviously we don’t want to lose three games. We don’t want to win just nine games. 12-0 is our goal. We’ve got to continue to build up.
“But I got to play with a Heisman Trophy winner. Played right next to him. I got to tell him what to do on the field as a safety. Stuff like that. Getting to pick off Shedeur, and getting to cover LaJohntay (Wester) and Jimmy (Horn). It was a super-cool thing to go through last season.”
Most of Finneseth’s action last season occurred on special teams. That figures to again be his most prominent role this season, with the Buffs adding transfers Terrance Love (Auburn), John Slaughter (Tennessee), and possible starter Tawfiq Byard (South Florida) to a safety mix that already includes Carter Stoutmire, who started seven games last year.
Regardless, Finneseth is likely to be grateful for his role. He fondly recounts how out of high school he received zero Division I scholarship offers, but took a recruiting visit to check out a premier Division II program at Colorado Mines in Golden. During that trip, Finneseth insisted on a detour to Boulder, where he gazed across Folsom Field while looking down from section 205 in the southwest corner.
Finneseth has bled black and gold ever since. And he plans to reward coach Sanders’ faith in him with his most productive season yet.
“Since I stepped foot on campus, one of my visions for this team was to take this team to a Big 12 championship. That’s our goal,” Finneseth said. “That’s my vision, that’s everyone’s vision around here. The way we have steadily increased year after year has been a super-cool process. The way we’ve progressed, and the way that I’ve progressed as a player, as a leader, it’s super-cool to see all my dreams fall into place slowly and patiently.”
Originally Published: August 13, 2025 at 4:33 PM MDT