BOULDER — Any way you slice it, Colorado’s special teams units were some of the worst in the country in 2024.

Outside of Alejandro Mata’s perfect record on extra points and a lone punt return touchdown from LaJohntay Wester, the Buffaloes’ special teams units were the weakest link on the roster.

Despite playing over half of its games at elevation, CU was one of just 11 programs in the country with 15 or fewer touchbacks on kickoffs. The Buffs allowed the most kickoff return yards in the country and the most punt return yards among Power 4 programs. They had only three field goals of 40 yards or longer in 13 games.

For Deion Sanders, who once starred as a special teams player during his Hall of Fame NFL career, it wasn’t good enough. The coaching staff feels like it has the solution.

“Coach (Prime) has made a real conscientious effort this year to let all the coaches know that we’re gonna play more starters and second-teamers on special teams than some of the guys we’ve been playing in the past,” special teams coordinator Michael Pollock said. “We feel like we’ve just gotta put better players on the field for those game-breaking plays. Special teams tend to be plays that break the game open, change the momentum and we’re trying to put the best on the field.

“Our coaches have done a great job emphasizing (special teams) in their room. We give those grades everyday, the 1-to-5 grade, and all of our coaches have included the special teams practice as part of their grade. That helps me, that helps our team and we’re excited about where we’re at with that.”

Along with more starters on kickoff and punt coverage, the new players booting the ball downfield have made an instant impact, too.

Kansas transfer Damon Greaves has made the transition from fellow Aussie Mark Vassett, who is now in the Canadian Football League, feel seamless in the punting game.

“He’s got outstanding location. He kicks it right where I tell him to kick it. He’s got a great leg to get the distance on it, but his location is really good,” Pollock said. “He brings a lot of leadership to the team and the room. He’s got gameday experience in the Big 12, he understands what it’s all about. He’s just a great guy to be around. I like the way he goes about his business.”

And Louisiana Tech transfer Buck Buchanan is a potential solution to the (lack of) touchbacks problem — while also providing someone who can make the field goals that were out of Mata’s range.

“To be honest, I’ve seen him and I’m like, ‘Holy crap.’ He has an insanely strong leg and it kinda makes me jealous, but he’s a great guy,” Mata said. “That competition between me and him makes me want to be better.”

Even Mata has added some distance to his kicks this offseason after getting stronger during workouts with new strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey, and Pollock is preparing for which player is going to be best in different kicking situations.

“We are charting every kick they make and miss in camp. We’re gonna have actual data going into it that’s gonna tell Coach Prime which guy we’re gonna use from a certain yard line,” Pollock said.

The special teams emphasis has been helped by the TV screens in the facility, too. Last week, Wester, now a rookie with the Baltimore Ravens, returned a punt for a touchdown in a preseason game against the Colts.

“We were getting ready for our team meeting, so some of us were in there watching it in the team meeting room and we had just got it to pop up on the big screen when the ball was punted and he did that,” Pollock said. “It’s exciting to see our guys out there performing on special teams in the NFL because you tell these kids all the time, ‘Hey man, for you to make an NFL roster, you’re gonna have to contribute on special teams.’

“Some of these kids, they’ve played high school, they’ve played through college and they really have not had to play as much special teams at other places they’ve been and they really don’t realize how serious we are about it and how important it is. If you’re trying to make an NFL roster and you’ve never played special teams in college… you’re gonna struggle.”

The special teams buy-in is real in Boulder.

“We have a lot of fun. I don’t know what it is, to be honest with you. We just spend a lot of time with each other,” Greaves said. “We’re always sitting around with each other at the breakfast table, the dinner table, just chatting and having fun. It’s always been a unique thing to be a specialist and I think we embrace it. I think at the same time, as well, Coach Prime and the coaching staff embrace us and make us really feel a part of the team.”