In rebuilding the defense for 2025, Colorado is looking for some new leaders to emerge.

Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston already has his eye on one in particular.

“We’ve got Arden Walker,” he said of the senior defensive end. “Arden and I have had this conversation, so I can have it publicly. This place means a lot to him. Obviously, he’s a generational player here. So if he can step up and truly take that leadership role, that would be really cool.”

Walker, whose father Art played at CU from 1986-89, is among the leaders of a talented group of edge rushers coming back in 2025.

It’s a group that’s got an experienced yet new coach in George Helow. After Vincent Dancy left CU for Mississippi State this winter, Helow was promoted to coach the Buffs’ defense ends.

“I’m just happy and very blessed to be here and have the opportunity,” said Helow, who spent last season as a defensive analyst for the Buffs.

Helow’s career has included stops at Colorado State, Florida State, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan and Alabama. This year at CU, he’s taking over a group of edge rushers that might be the best in the Big 12.CU led the Big 12 in sacks last season, with 39, and returns several key players from that group, including Walker. The Cherry Creek High School graduate had 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss last season.

Taje McCoy (four sacks), Keaten Wade (four sacks) and Samuel Okunlola (three sacks) also return.

“We want to be fast, we want to be physical,” Helow said. “We want to be a dominant front. We want to stop the run. We want to be able to lead the Big 12, like we did last year, in sacks again, and build upon that. We want to play with toughness. We want to have great passion, energy, effort.

“Something that we’re really focusing on right now, and this starts with our head leader, Coach Prime (head coach Deion Sanders), is making sure that we’re turning and burning, sprinting to the ball, playing with good pad level, creating good separation and lockout, knocking guys back.”

Helow agreed with Livingston that Walker could be one of the leaders of the group, while also mentioning McCoy, entering his third year with the Buffs, as a possible leader.

Okunlola and Wade are out with injuries this spring, but the group has been bolstered by the youthful energy of Alex McPherson and London Merritt, a pair of freshmen who arrived in January.

“We’re just looking to grow as a unit and just getting better each and every day and developing these guys to be the best version of themselves as men and football players,” Helow said. “Those are the guys right now, and we’ve definitely got to get healthy as a group and for the guys that are out there practicing just getting better, taking a one day at a time approach.”

Although the Buffs lost sack leader BJ Green (7.5 sacks last year) to graduation, Helow said he’s excited to build on what the group did in 2024.

“There was a lot of positive things last year that the front did, a lot of good coaches in that room, and we just want to build on it,” he said. “It’s taken one day at a time and having that mentality and just getting better on the little things.

“We’ve got a great group, and I’m really happy and look forward to working with them throughout spring.”

Last year, CU’s front seven — edge rushers and linemen — were coached by a dynamic trio of Dancy, Damione Lewis and Hall of Famer Warren Sapp. Dancy and Lewis (Miami) are now gone, but Helow said he’s eager to work with Sapp and newly hired defensive line coach Domata Peko.

“Those two (Peko and Sapp), a combined 28 years in the league,” Helow said. “I mean, we’re going to do stuff together, work together as a group, as a unit, as a defense, and just be the best version that we can be, day in and day out.

“But it’s an honor and a huge blessing to work with those guys. What an opportunity.”