Alvin Kamara Reveals Why He Spent Summer In Boulder: Colorado Buffaloes Connection?

New Colorado Buffaloes strength and conditioning coach Andreu Swasey has built a lengthy list of endorsements throughout his career, and five-time Pro Bowl running back Alvin Kamara stands as one of his most impressive followers.

Ahead of his ninth season with the New Orleans Saints, the former third-round pick revealed that he spent the summer in Boulder to train with Swasey. Kamara added that he has worked with Swasey throughout his esteemed NFL career.

"I've been in Boulder the whole time, just out there training," Kamara said, per the Saints. "Like I said, working with Swasey, just getting it in. I'm feeling good."

Swasey spent 15 seasons as the Miami Hurricanes before joining Colorado coach Deion Sanders' staff in January.

"Deion hired Andreu Swasey, and I've been training with him my whole career," Kamara said. "I called him and told him, 'I'm going to Colorado. I don't care about Miami. I'm going where you at.' If he was in Alaska, I would've went."

Kamara was the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2017 and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2017 and 2020. Still going strong at nearly 30 years old, Kamara owns 6,779 rushing yards, 4,762 receiving yards and 85 offensive touchdowns. Still, Boulder's elevation of 5,430 feet above sea level was an entirely new challenge for the former Tennessee Volunteers star.

"I knew it was real, but I never thought I'd have to deal with it," Kamara said of Boulder's altitude. "I'm like eh, 'This probably isn't that real.' I got out there and I was walking up the steps in the house and I thought something was wrong with me. I thought I almost had to go to the hospital. But it's good. I feel like it has given me something new, something fresh, a different little wrinkle in my training because you can't run away from that elevation. It's been helping me feel like I'm in a different type of shape."

With Kamara also in Boulder, Swasey led Colorado's summer conditioning program and will continue to play a pivotal role in helping the Buffs prepare mentally and physically for the 2025 season. Colorado will open its preseason training camp on July 28, about one month before its season opener against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

“You know 'Coach Prime,' the one thing he knows we got to do is the discipline," Swasey told CU players last month, per Well Off Media. "That’s all he care about is the discipline. Ya’ll are working. You’re busting you (expletive). We got to turn up on the little (expletive). Make sure I don’t have no food in the locker room. Make sure I got my right gear on, I’m where I’m supposed to be at with the class and all that stuff.”