Many coaches speak about college football in life or death terms. For Colorado football head man Deion Sanders, those stakes are no mere exaggeration or rah-rah ploy. He sees coaching as his life's purpose, plain and simple.

Sanders was asked about the motivation behind his new gig, coaching Colorado football, despite his numerous health issues. Most prominent among those issues was a scare with blood clots that required multiple surgeries to his foot, and ultimately, amputation of two toes on his left foot.

“Because I know my calling,”was Sanders' response in a wide-ranging interview with USA Today's Jarrett Bell.

For Sanders, stepping away was never an option. “This ain’t going to stop me from doing what I’m supposed to be doing. Ain’t no way.”

Sanders feels an existential need to be there for his Colorado football players. “It was, ‘If this don’t get right, that’s your life or your leg.'

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” ‘Get me right. Because I’ve got to coach. I’ve got to lead these men.’ ” was Coach Prime's attitude.

Sanders comes to Colorado after three seasons leading the Jackson State Tigers as their head coach. There, he compiled a 27-6 record before heading west to try and return the Buffaloes to glory.

He'll have his work cut out for him, stepping into the more competitive Pac-12 after years coaching in the SWAC. Doubts about Sanders and Colorado football abound. But knowing the Pro and College Football Hall of Fame member, he'll keep doing things his way.

And this new undertaking won't intimidate Sanders. “To me, football is football. I’ve been at the highest level. It don’t mean nothing, going from there to here.”