Defensive end Toby Anene discusses his decision to transfer to Colorado for his final college football season, highlighting the opportunity to play on a larger stage and pursue his NFL aspirations. Coach Prime is hoping Anene can improve the defense and has a lot to live up to.
struggled in many areas during the 2025 season on the defensive side of the ball, especially up front. That is why Colorado coachDefensive end Toby Anene has a great opportunity to help the Buffaloes top opponents on the ground as well as put pressure on quarterbacks to create more sack opportunities on defense.
In the Monday morning presser, Anene gave his thoughts on why he transferred to Colorado for his last season of college football. Oct 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders coaches before the game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images“I just wanted to play on a bigger stage. As this is my final year to try to get to the NFL. I just felt like Colorado is the best place for me to do that. I got in the portal, they showed me love, they treated me as a priority, and I’m glad I made my decision,” said Anene. For Coach Prime, Anene’s statement that Colorado was the best place for him to chase his dream of making the NFL that has to mean a lot after all the negativity from transfers, who left the program. Anene, comes over after three years at North Dakota State, where he was quite productive. In his career at North Dakota State, Anene totaled 59 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, 10 pass deflections, five forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery. Every season Anene has improved, which has resulted in increased production on a year to your basis. His 2025 campaign was definitely his best yet as in that one season he totaled 8.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks which demonstrates his ability to create negative plays and help the defense get off the field. Anene’s production, especially in 2025, seems to fit right in line with what Sanders wanted as she changed his approach in recruiting. Sander’s approach included prioritizing players who have the blend of experience and production. Anene is a player who has both of those prerequisites and has an opportunity to contribute to what the Buffaloes hope to be a successful season in 2026. As the spring game approaches, Anene has a tremendous opportunity to show why he deserves to be a starter or at the minimum be in the rotation on the defensive line. Sep 20, 2025; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Mississippi Rebels offensive lineman Patrick Kutas and offensive lineman Brycen Sanders block Tulane Green Wave defensive linemen Santana Hopper during the second quarter at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Imageswas one of the worst rushing defenses in the nation, allowing 222.5 rush yards per game, which was 135th nationally. The Buffaloes also struggled to get after the quarterback as they recorded only 13 sacks the entire season, which ranked them 129th in the nation. That is why Coach Sanders and the rest of the coaching staff made recruitment along the defensive line such a priority. In addition to Anene, Colorado added a lot to the defensive line.recruited Ezra Christensen, Tyler Moore, Santana Hopper, Sedrick Smith, Josiah Manu, Samu Taumanupepe, and Dylan Manuel. On the edge, Colorado brought in Domata Peko Jr., Vili Taufatofua, Immanuel Ezeogu, Yamil Talib, Lamont Lester Jr., and Balansama Kamara. Quency Wiggins and Kylan Salter also return to Colorado after the 2025 season. FSU linebackers coach Chris Marve at the FSU National Signing Day Party on Feb. 5, 2020. Img 4547 | Wayne McGahee III/Democrat, Tallahassee Democrat via Imagn Content Services, LLC, the Colorado defense is heading into a new direction with defensive coordinator Chris Marve. Marve emphasizes versatility with the defensive fronts as well as speed and violence at every level of the defense. The players upfront all have an opportunity to fit that mold, especially with Anene, who talked about being coached to consistently run to the ball and already has that habit built into his playing style. The more reps the defensive line can get, the better idea Marve has of who he should start upfront and who he should put in the rotation. With lots of turnover at this position, Colorado has an opportunity to have a much-improved run defense as well as pressuring the quarterback at a much higher rate than they did in 2025. With his production that he put on display in 2025, Anene could be able to carve out a starting role and lead the charge for the Buffaloes defense in 2026.Aiden James Checketts is a writer for Colorado Buffaloes on SI, apart of the Sports Illustrated network. He graduated from California Lutheran University with a Bachelor of Science in Sports Management and a Master's in Business Administration. During his time at CLU, he also competed in collegiate football for all four years. He also has contributed for The Sporting Tribune, where he wrote on NFL Draft analysis and weekly previews for the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Chargers, and Las Vegas Raiders. Outside of work, he enjoys rooting for the New England Patriots and Golden State Warriors, watching movies, and trying new food whenever he can.
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