The role certainly is unique in college football, but it’s one that suits Camden Dempsey.
A junior long snapper for the Colorado Buffaloes, Dempsey has been labeled as “The Governor” of the program. He even has a YouTube channel to post “state of the program” updates and he’s somewhat of a spokesperson for the program.
“It’s awesome,” senior linebacker Trevor Woods said of Dempsey’s role with the team. “You see him talking with everybody. If I’m walking through (CU’s Leeds School of Business), you know, I’ll see Camden walking with like a group of five people following him around. He’s the coolest guy on campus. So, I mean, we love it for him.”
A walk-on from Lakewood High School, Dempsey was an all-conference player in high school – in addition to competing as a swimmer and in track and field. He joined the Buffs in 2021 and has appeared in one game, on special teams in Week 10 of last season.
This year, Dempsey is battling for the starting job as the long snapper, but has perhaps an even bigger role as the Governor.
“If anything it just means that I’m trying to keep an eye on our guys a little closer,” he said. “So I’m trying to keep an eye on what guys are doing, whether it comes to NIL, whether it comes to the stuff that they’re doing in the community, I want to be able to highlight that.
“Nothing’s changed on the field, but when it comes to the locker room, I’m chatting with guys more, trying to bring the two sides of the locker room closer together.”
Dempsey earned his role by simply being himself.
One of the few and proud “OBs” – a group of 10 original Buffs who were on the team before head coach Deion Sanders arrived in December of 2022 – Dempsey grew up as a Buffs fan and has embraced the changes instilled by Sanders. And from the start, Coach Prime and Dempsey hit it off.
“It was building a relationship, I think, was the biggest thing,” Dempsey said. “Being from the older team, I had to be able to establish myself who I was, because I wasn’t recruited by him. I had to be picked to be left over on the team.
“The biggest thing was just getting to know him, who he is, his brand. He’s such a family man, and it’s been great to be able to work with him and get to see how much he cares about, not only the players’ side, but also developing us as young men. Whether it comes down to our business stuff, NIL, it’s been really cool to develop that relationship and it’s something I’m hoping take with me later on in life.”
Coach Prime doesn’t name captains, but instead labels team leaders as “leaders” and “dawgs.” When Dempsey got his Governor nickname, he was surprised and honored.
“I was kind of like, ‘Wow, that’s a big nickname to have,’” he said. “There’s no role like it in college football, which is something that’s really unique. That’s the thing I love. I mean, we’ve got our dawgs, we’ve got our leaders; you don’t hear a lot about that. You typically just hear about captains and that’s about it.
“So I thought it was super innovative and to be able to come out and talk with (the media) and be able to represent our guys, I mean, that’s something that (coaches) typically won’t have players doing. So it’s unique, and it’s very much him. I love it.”
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