Few expected Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Jeremiah Brown to remain with the program after a limited 2024 season and a brief stint in the NCAA transfer portal last December. However, as the 2025 college football season approaches, Brown says he is pleased with his decision to stay and is aiming for an increased role on defense.
“I’m very confident in my abilities,” Brown said. “I put the work in, and that’s where the confidence comes from – preparation and the work that you put in, trusting my coaches and trusting myself to do my job.”
Brown began his college career at Jackson State University under head coach Deion Sanders and linebackers coach Andre Hart. During his sophomore year at Jackson State, he played as an edge rusher, totaling 47 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and six sacks.
When Sanders became head coach at Colorado in December 2022—bringing Hart along—Brown was among several players who transferred from Jackson State to join them in Boulder. But over two years with Colorado, Brown saw limited action with only 118 defensive snaps.
Last season, after playing both edge and inside linebacker positions but struggling for playing time, Brown redshirted to preserve eligibility. Although he entered the transfer portal seeking opportunities elsewhere for his final year of eligibility, conversations with Sanders and Hart led him back to Colorado.
“Sometimes these young men are just confused, and they’re hearing all the outside noise,” Sanders said in December when Brown withdrew from the portal. “Jeremiah is like my kid. … I’m so proud that he’s back. I’m glad we got that straight.”
Reflecting on his situation, Brown acknowledged personal responsibility for his previous challenges earning playing time. “It was more so me manning up, taking ownership for what I did, and owning my mistakes, and understanding that all the coaches got a job, too,” he said. “They want to win at the end of the day. They’re not putting a player out there just because, ‘Oh, he’s the favorite guy,’ or something like that. (…) If he trusts (that player) to go out there and do his job, that’s who he’s putting out there. I’ve got to do my job and trust myself to do my job. And that’s all that was.”
After discussions with Sanders and Hart last December, Brown said he realized: “I needed to be better.”
This offseason has seen Brown focusing on improvement as both inside linebacker spots are open due to departures of last year’s starters LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green.
During preseason camp practices this August, Brown has competed alongside new transfers Martavius French (UTSA), Reggie Hughes (Jacksonville State), Shaun Myers (North Alabama), and Kylan Salter (TCU). In videos shared by Well Off Media outlets covering team activities, French and Hughes appear favored for starting roles while Brown works mostly with backup units but continues vying for first-team reps.
Brown credits ongoing competition as motivation: “When you got guys like (French and Hughes) flying around, I’m telling you, them boys are firing to the football,” he said. “So you got guys like that to give you little tips and they’re all older guys. They’ve been around, been through a lot of defenses (…) so they got a lot to show you, and we all learn from each other. They’ve taught me a lot.”
With renewed focus entering his fifth season of eligibility at Colorado under Sanders’ leadership—and surrounded by new faces at linebacker—Brown looks ahead hoping preparation will lead to more significant contributions on defense this fall.
