**Your Colorado Buffaloes Morning Briefing** - **COL Staff:** Sanders reportedly hired ex-NFL staffers at lower salaries than predecessors, raising eyebrows - **COL Leadership:** Rider Portela gives honest take on Justin Neely's impact in the locker room - **COL AD:** Rick George navigating real budget uncertainty while keeping student-athletes front and center - **COL Offense:** TE Zach Atkins pushing for a bigger role in Colorado's passing game this season - **COL Coach:** Sanders' Big 12 Media Days appearance highlights a striking one-year health turnaround - **COL Rankings:** ESPN's FPI releases 2026 Big 12 power rankings — see where the Buffs land **Watch for:** How the staff salary story develops and whether it affects Sanders' recruiting pitch heading into fall camp. The lineup's set. Drop in.