Deion Sanders has done the colorado buffalo relevant again, and has yet to train a game.
Since arriving in Boulder in December, «Prime Time» has made Colorado a destination, drawing a top-25 recruiting class and a top-5 transfer portal.
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks during a news conference at the Arrow Touchdown Club in Boulder on December 4, 2022. (Ron Chenoy-USA Today Sports)
And while Sanders’ presence has certainly been a boon to the show, CU set an attendance record for your spring game in April, it doesn’t come without challenges.
Sanders will grab the headlines, as he quickly did upon taking over as the Buffaloes’ leader.
COLORADO’S DEION SANDERS SETS RULES FOR JERSEY NUMBERS: ‘EVERYTHING YOU DO AROUND HERE WILL BE WON’
Sanders’ message to returning players went viral in his first meeting with CU, imploring players to «go ahead and jump in that [transfer] portal» while bringing players with him to Colorado.
His message may have caused a stir, but he garnered support within the Colorado program.
«I kind of thought, ‘Dang, that could be construed as rude, disrespectful,’ but at the same time, he wouldn’t be here if we didn’t need him,» Darian Hagan, former CU player and a member of the soccer staff told ESPN. “The truth is the truth, and he told the truth. The guys who walked into the portal, they didn’t deserve to be here, because if you let words talk you into moving on and not fighting for what you believe in and what you signed up for, you shouldn’t be here.»
Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders speaks to the media about National Signing Day at the Dal Ward Athletic Center in Boulder on February 1, 2023. (Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images)
The Buffs look to return to prominence and Sanders is seen as the man who will lead the way back.
In the past 21 seasons, Colorado has won double-digit games just once (2016), going 1-11 in 2022 and the only overtime win against a Cal team that finished the year 4-8.
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«It put everybody on notice, and I don’t know if that’s a bad thing,» Colorado athletic director Rick George said. “We all saw that message. In our department, people saw it and said, ‘It’s time to step up.’ It was hard to listen to and some people may say, ‘That’s not the way to approach it,’ but it set the pace for how he’s going to run his show.»
It’s not the only time Sanders’ comments have created controversy, with Prime Trainer Comments about what he looks for in headline recruits.
The Buffs look to return to prominence and Sanders is seen as the man who will lead the way back. (Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images)
Sanders joined «The Rich Eisen Show» on Radio Row at the Super Bowl, saying he looks for attributes that are different in quarterbacks than defensive linemen.
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«Well, we have different attributes. Smart, tough, fast, disciplined with character. Quarterbacks are different now,» Sanders told Eisen. «We want mother, father. Double father. We want that child to be 3.5 [GPA] and up. Because it has to be smart. Not bad decisions off the field at all. Because he has to be a leader of men”.
«Defensive linemen are the complete opposite. Single mom, trying to get it, she’s on free lunch,» Sanders continued. «I’m talking about just trying to make it. He’s trying to rescue Mom. Like Mom just made the flight. And I want him to go find him.»
«It’s a whole different attribute that you’re looking for at different positions. And we’ve got those things just on record. We know what we want and we got it.»
COLORADO’S DEION SANDERS WAS ‘FLAMING THE FACTS’ ON RECRUITING STRATEGY, SHAQ SAYS
Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders rides a bicycle at a press conference on National Signing Day on February 1, 2023. (Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images)
Colorado declined to comment to ESPN about Sanders’ comments.
But for Colorado, the losing years meant taking risks with Sanders, giving Coach Prime his first opportunity as an FBS coach.
«Where was our football program? It was at an all time low,» Colorado’s associate athletic director for administration and chief of staff Alec Roussos told ESPN. «There’s no arguing that last year, the product we put out on the field wasn’t at the level we always wanted to be…Again, what’s the downside to hiring Coach Prime? Because even if it ‘fails,’ 1 -11 keeps failing.»