Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders has a grand vision for the program. Off the heels of unprecedented roster turnover, he is hoping to ignite a historic one-year turnaround in Boulder while also laying out a sturdy foundation. Unfortunately, such a lofty goal entails difficult, big-picture decisions to be made.
Houston transfer Alton McCaskill IV, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, is begrudgingly still wearing a yellow, non-contact jersey in practice. He is desperate to be free of the precautionary limitations, but Sanders is not willing to deviate from his plan. The insightful exchange between the star running back and new head coach is conveyed below, courtesy of BuffZone's Brian Howell.
“When can I get out of this?” he asked Sanders during practice on Monday.
“Do I need you for practice or do I need you for a game?” Sanders responded. “You’re trying to shoot a commercial; I want to see a movie.” The legendary cornerback and personality added: “I know you feel good right now, but after you feel good, you’ve got to give it more time. … I want you to feel good like that for a week straight, how you feel right now. I believe in you.”
A healthy McCaskill could be a major game-changer for the Buffaloes. He instantly introduced fans to his elite explosiveness in what was a tremendous freshman campaign for the Cougars. He ran for 961 yards (5.1 yards per carry) and scored a mind-boggling 18 total touchdowns. Sanders is right. That type of production is built for the silver screen.
If this gradual transition into full-contact means that Alton McCaskill is ready to shred the TCU defense by the time the highly-anticipated Sept. 2 season opener rolls around, then all of his anxiousness would have been well worth it. Deion Sanders is intent on making sure that Colorado football is among the most must-see teams in the country, and this approach is reflective of that mindset.
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