At Pittsburgh, Dayon Hayes took Samuel Okunlola under his wing.
It was Okunlola who blazed the trail to Colorado, however.
Together, the former Pitt edge rushers are looking forward to make a significant impact on the Buffaloes this season.
“Those guys, I have nothing but positive things for them,” CU defensive line coach Damione Lewis said, “and I see them possibly having a chance to go play on Sunday (in the NFL).”
Before a shot at the NFL comes along, Hayes and Okunlola are hoping to dominate for the Buffs and continue their growth as individuals.
Hayes spent four seasons at Pitt, playing in 39 games and posting 81 tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss and 12 sacks. He was an 11-game starter in 2023, with 45 tackles, 10.5 TFLs and four sacks.
Okunlola was at Pitt for two years, playing in 15 games. He started two games last year and finished with 18 tackles, TFLs and five sacks, making his mark as a pass-rush specialist.
“That’s one of my reasons I came here; I wanted to play with him,” Hayes said. “At Pitt we played together, so we got that combination, one-two punch. He’s speed, I’m a little power. That’s my dawg.”
The two met on Okunlola’s official visit when he was in high school and they wound up becoming roommates. They also helped each other on the field.
“I taught him what I taught him, but he taught me a lot of stuff, too, so we learn from each other,” Hayes said.
This past offseason, Okunlola jumped into the transfer portal during the winter and came to CU in January. Hayes joined the Buffs as a transfer in May.
“The opportunity, the coaches, the fit, the system,” Okunlola said of what he liked about CU. “A combination of all of that.”
Having Hayes as a teammate again, Okunlola said, “Everything’s been good so far. He’s a great friend, great resource. You can always ask him questions. Definitely a great teammate to have.”
Hayes said he appreciated his time at Pitt, particularly what he learned from defensive line coach Charlie Partridge, who left the Panthers for a job with the Indianapolis Colts in February.
“He was the best, so I learned a lot,” Hayes said. “He got me savvy on the little stuff, like formations, pre-snap stuff. I really got all my smartness from Coach P and I respect him a lot.”
For both, however, a change of scenery is welcomed and they are enjoying being Buffs.
“I love it out here,” said Hayes, who grew up in Pittsburgh. “It’s quiet, good area, good teammates, great coaches. And a lot of exposure here. You can’t beat that.”
Okunlola, who is from Brockton, Mass., said he’s enjoying learning from a coaching staff that includes Pro Football Hall of Famers Deion Sanders and Warren Sapp, as well as Lewis, who is a 10-year NFL veteran, and Vincent Dancy, who has several years of coaching experience.
“It’s improved a lot,” Okunlola said of his game. “It’s a lot of former pros in the building, so definitely a lot that I can learn from the coaches and learn from all my teammates. (The players) come from different programs, so I’m definitely a sponge to it all. I can learn a little from everybody.”
While Hayes and Okunlola form a duo that will be integral to the Buffs’ pass rush, CU is loaded with veterans, including 11 transfers among the defensive line and edge groups. Hayes and Okunlola are excited to compete with that group every day.
“I think we’re coming together good, honestly,” Hayes said. “I mean, us coming from different places, we’ve got to build that bond, and we’re doing a lot of stuff off the field. … We’re definitely locked in. We still got stuff to work on, but we’re getting better every day.
“We’ve got every style of rusher here, man, so it’s gonna be very scary for the offenses. Like, you can’t beat it. Everybody got something different to bring so I love it.”
