The Colorado football team is struggling with injuries in the secondary. Without star cornerback Travis Hunter, Oregon walloped the Buffaloes 42-6 on Saturday. Now, Deion Sanders’ son and star defensive back Shilo Sanders could be out, too, for the Colorado-USC football game after a potential kidney injury. So, you’d think CB Cormani McClain, one of the top recruits of 2023, would be just the player Coach Prime needs, but the former NFL star shared several damning reasons McClain can’t get on the field.

“Study and prepare. Be on time for meetings, show up to meetings. Understand the scheme,” Deion Sanders said in response to a question about what Cormani McClain needs to do better to earn playing time, per Colorado football beat reporter Jake Schwanitz. “I check film time from each player so I can see who’s preparing, so if I don’t see that you would be a fool to put somebody out there who’s not prepared. That goes for all our players.”

McClain, a defensive back from Lakeland, Florida, was the No. 1 CB and the No. 14 overall player in the 2023 college football recruiting class, according to 247 Sports. His lofty recruiting status notwithstanding, the young DB hasn’t played much at all for Coach Prime, even with the injury crisis in the secondary.

The freshman didn’t play in the opener against TCU or against Nebraska in the second game. McClain played but didn’t record a stat against Colorado State and made two tackles against Oregon.

If Deion Sanders is missing both Travis Hunter and Shilo Sanders for the Colorado-USC football game on Saturday, though, he may have no chance but to put Cormani McClain in the game more often.