Have you guys seen that meme in which a soldier is covered in steel armor from head to toe but takes an arrow in the head from the eyehole? That was the Buffaloes’ offensive line these last two years, except for the steel armor, obviously (sorry, Coach Prime). The Buffs were the subject of ridicule for the past two years because of their O-line, but now, that’s going to change in the post-Shedeur Sanders era.

That talk is being led by Jordan Seaton. The five-star sophomore could’ve gone anywhere he wished to go but chose Boulder, knowing the ridicule this line was taking. And now, in his sophomore year, he’s helping forge a new identity. Seaton, already viewed as a foundational piece, didn’t tiptoe around the media this week. He came with a message for the rest of the Big 12: Colorado’s offensive line is done being bullied.

“Yeah, we are motivated by last season, but not only last season, more so internally,” Seaton said at Big 12 Media Days. “We always been called the worst offensive line. Everything that involved the O-Line ended with worse, less, not good enough. So it’s more so a pride thing—like we’re not worse, we’re not less.” The confidence was striking, especially coming from a sophomore. But for Seaton, the mindset is required. After all, the guy has 5 stars in front of his name.

Of course, words don’t win games; protection does. But saying, “We’re actually gonna be the best. Better than whoever you put in front of us, you know,” in front of the entire nation. That takes guts and a whole lot of preparation behind the curtains. Colorado still has a long road ahead, and the Big 12 is no joke when it comes to line play. From the Sun Devils to the Cougars’ trench warriors, the Buffs will be tested immediately. But with Seaton now anchoring a retooled line, the potential to flip the narrative is real. The 2023/2024 tape might show a battered group, but that doesn’t mean it’s the full story.

If this unit delivers the improvements Seaton claimed, it changes everything for the Buffs. The drives stay alive, quarterbacks stay upright, and suddenly, Colorado starts looking like a complete team. And if Jordan Seaton’s mindset spreads to the rest of the line, the days of being “the worst” might already be over. They got 9 wins with a bad offensive line; with a good offensive line, Deion might have to do his high steps throughout the season.

Setting the standard

Jordan Seaton’s mission to redeem Colorado’s offensive line starts with outworking everyone in the building. And under Andreu Swasey’s relentless offseason program, he’s doing just that. The buzz around Boulder hit another level when the 330-pound left tackle reportedly torched defensive ends in a set of 200-meter sprints. That’s not a typo. Seaton’s footwork and speed have stunned Buffs insiders, and it’s all part of the high-performance vision that Swasey, a longtime Miami strength coach, has brought to CU.

This development is the result of ruthless discipline and top-down accountability. “To be number one, you got to be able to do stuff that a person your size or somebody that’s smaller than you can’t do,” Seaton said. And he’s living that out daily, pushing himself and his teammates. 

Seaton’s leadership didn’t go unnoticed. “He’s such a good young man, not just the talent, but the character,” Deion Sanders said this spring. “Smart, tough, fast, disciplined—he epitomizes that.” And in a post-Shedeur Sanders era, Seaton has to be the anchor on the line. His performance goals, his vocal presence, and his buy-in to Swasey’s mission are fueling the transformation of CU’s offensive identity. If the Buffs do turn the corner in the trenches this year, no doubt they’ll be leading the charge.