Lampron Lands at Colorado After Plane Pitch to Sanders — SkimNews
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- Gideon Lampron boarded a Dallas-to-Cleveland flight in December, introduced himself to Deion Sanders, and within days was at Colorado after Sanders told him to send tape and made calls.
- Lampron joins a revamped Colorado linebacker corps under new defensive coordinator Chris Marve alongside transfers Liona Lefau (Texas) and Tyler Martinez (New Mexico State), with both Lampron and Lefau on the preseason Butkus Award watch list.
- Lampron previously played three seasons at FCS Dayton, recording 27½ tackles for loss and earning first-team FCS All-America honors in 2024, then had 119 tackles at Bowling Green last season under coach Eddie George.
- Colorado went 3-9 last season and gave up 30.5 points and 425.7 yards per game, giving the 6-foot, 220-pound Lampron a clear role in Marve's defensive overhaul.
- Sanders called Lampron 'not just a dawg; he's a bona fide leader,' and invited him to a leadership retreat at Sanders' Dallas mansion last month.
- Lampron called Sanders' advice — 'Everyone in your life is there for a season or a reason' — the most memorable lesson from a coach he described as one of the greatest football players ever.
Why it matters: Colorado's defensive turnaround hinges on Marve's rebuilt linebacker unit, and Lampron — a fifth-year senior with 119 tackles and FCS All-America credentials — is positioned as its on-field leader. The serendipitous plane encounter underscores how Sanders' celebrity continues to draw talent to a program coming off a 3-9 season ahead of a Sept. 3 opener at Georgia Tech.
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