While conference championships dominated most college football headlines this weekend, the biggest name on the coaching market made waves as well. Deion “Primetime” Sanders, former NFL legend and Jackson State head coach, officially accepted the same position at Colorado. Sanders, who had a 27-5 record in three seasons at Jackson State, became one of the hottest coaching prospects, and now he has a Power Five gig.
Now, Sanders is in charge of turning around a program that has fallen on hard times. The Buffaloes have had just one winning season since 2005, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season where they went 4-2. This season was rock-bottom for the Buffaloes as they went 1-11, and most of those losses were blowouts.
Given how much Colorado football desperately needs a turnaround, no one would have blamed them for hiring an experienced head coach. However, they decided to go in a different direction with Sanders, who doesn't have much experience but has excelled in his short time as a coach. This move comes with some considerable risk, but also massive rewards if Sanders works out.
While the Colorado job presents some serious challenges, Coach Prime is more than capable of overcoming them. Let's go over three reasons why Sanders will succeed with the Buffaloes.
3. The power in the Pac-12 is shifting
The power balance in college football is shifting dramatically soon, and that is especially true in the Pac-12. With USC and UCLA, arguably the league's two biggest brands, both leaving for the Big Ten after next season, there may be a significant power vacuum in the conference. Yes, any team looking to rise up the ranks will have to compete with the likes of Oregon, Washington and Utah, but the opportunity is certainly there.
By hiring Sanders, Colorado has instantly become one of the most fascinating teams in the country. The Buffaloes may not compete for a title next year, but they will surely improve with Sanders at the helm. If that improvement is significant enough, things can get very interesting once the Trojans and Bruins leave the conference.
Sanders has shown he can turn a program around quickly. Jackson State had not had a winning season since 2013 before Sanders' arrival, and he led the Tigers to three straight. If he can pull off a similar turnaround at Colorado, the Buffaloes could be a threat in the new-look Pac-12.
2. Colorado is a great place to recruit
Based on the Buffaloes' recent struggles, it may seem that Colorado can't recruit well, but that's far from the case. With their location, the Buffaloes can recruit well on the West Coast, the Southwest and even beyond. In just their 2023 class, the Buffaloes have several commits from California, Texas, and even a couple from Florida.
Even better, Colorado has done this without a superstar head coach. Now that the Buffaloes have such a coach, their recruiting will only grow stronger.
Colorado's recruiting pitch is simple: come play for an NFL legend and build the program back up. Will it appeal to every recruit? Probably not. But those it does appeal to will buy in and make Colorado a very dangerous team in the future.
1. Players want to play for Deion Sanders
If there's one thing Sanders has proven in his short coaching career, it's that he knows how to appeal to his players. Whether it be the complete turnaround at Jackson State or the outstanding recruiting class, which are unprecedented at an HBCU, the evidence is all over. However, the biggest piece of evidence is Travis Hunter, the top recruit in the 2022 class..
Hunter, a cornerback who originally committed to Florida State, flipped to play for Sanders' Tigers at the last moment. Of course, the allure of playing for possibly the best player to ever play his position was a big factor, but there's more to the decision. Sanders and Hunter have bonded off the field as well, which greatly helps the on-field product as well.
“Deion is exactly what he needs,” Hunter's mother Ferrante Edmonds told Andscape . “You want someone who will pour into your child — not just in football but in life. When you have someone guiding you off the field, that’s real.”
Now, that off-field bond is helping Sanders at Colorado, as Hunter could reportedly join his coach in Boulder. In fact, several Jackson State players could follow Sanders, especially his son and star quarterback Sheduer Sanders.
Hunter is just the most prominent example of the effect Sanders has on his players. There are plenty of others, and he will do the same for many more in the future. As long as he has the support of his players, Sanders will do very well at Colorado.
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