BOULDER — Over a year in and the shine hasn’t worn off for Warren Sapp.

The first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee remains “addicted” to coaching as he prepares for year two on Deion Sanders’ Colorado staff. That drive into campus from U.S. route 36 doesn’t hurt, either.

“I can’t wait to drive over Table Mesa and see that panoramic view and see the school at the bottom,” Sapp said Tuesday with a smile. “I’m rolling into this place.”

As he enters his second season with the Buffs, not much has changed for the iconic defensive tackle as he tries to impart some of his wisdom onto the next generation at his same position.

He’s no longer Warren Sapp, graduate assistant. He’s Warren Sapp, pass rush coordinator.

“I just have a (new) title and a little more money,” Sapp said in the spring.

It’s a worthy bump considering the instant impact he had on the CU defense. Along with a player-led scheme put together by defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, Sapp helped coach a defensive line that led the Big 12 in sacks in 2024.

Eight key contributors are back, mainly on the edge, while the Buffs added to the room with a trio of experienced interior players and a couple of intriguing freshmen.

“I really didn’t know what I had in the room until (Coach) Prime said, ‘Who’s a senior?’ and they all raised their hands. I said, ‘My god, I gotta start recruiting,’” Sapp said with a laugh. “When it’s a senior-led group, I’m gonna put it on (them). I’m not gonna demand a lot of myself, yelling and screaming at y’all. Y’all gonna police yourself. When you’re a pack of wild dogs, the pack takes care of itself. The lone wolf dies. That’s what I try to teach them every day.”

One, it’s a philosophy that worked for this group last year. Two, Sapp knows his group must lead the way again this season with more production and experience than the linebackers or the secondary.

Sapp collaborated last year with another former NFL standout in Damione Lewis. But Lewis left CU to take the same position at his alma mater, Miami. As Coach Prime likes to do, he found someone else with NFL pedigree to fill that role in 15-year veteran Domata Peko, who played two seasons with the Broncos in 2017-18.

“Good cop, bad cop,” Sapp described the working relationship with Peko. “And I poke him all the time. He’s Samoan. He’s a big lovable guy, but we go at it and we make sure we’re detailed in what we’re doing because it’s (about) the little things. It’s not the mountain in front of you, you’ll find a way around the mountain. It’s the rock in your shoe that’ll drive you crazy because every other step is affecting you and that’s what we’re trying to teach them.

“It’s the little things that will make us great. It’s the tedious repetition of the little things. That’s what I believe in.”

The message from Sapp, Peko and defensive ends coach George Helow is getting through to the entire group.

“We have a good energy in our room with (George) Helow, with Sapp as well,” Peko said. “You try to get the best out of the guys, so I’m trying to push ’em. Sapp’s trying to push ‘em. And I feel like getting it from all of us is good for us.”

While he never pictured himself coaching, there’s no going back now for Sapp. He’s found his calling.

“You can’t be the source of information and not give it to ‘em,” Sapp said. “I’m gonna give ‘em everything I got.”