Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders made a quiet, classy move this week that has since gained traction on social media: he staged a full scrimmage for players who haven’t seen much game action, many of whom are considering the transfer portal, giving them live reps and fresh film to shop around. The gesture aimed to treat those players with dignity and help them market themselves, not to pressure anyone to stay.
NEW: Deion Sanders held a scrimmage for bench players to get film for the Transfer Portal👀
"I'm not crazy enough to think that all of you gonna be in this room next year."
(via @WellOffForever, h/t @GrantSpeaks1)https://t.co/7iRcUOknAZ pic.twitter.com/0FR3Y1vbkQ
— On3 (@On3sports) October 16, 2025
“A lot of you guys that don't get to play, you gonna get your chance today,” Sanders said, via On3 on X, formerly Twitter. “Some of you gonna jump in the portal, this is the opportunity for you to get some portal fame.”
The move landed for a few reasons. Colorado has seen significant roster churn since Sanders arrived, and the transfer portal now serves as a lifeline for players seeking playing time and new opportunities. Sanders acknowledged reality when he told players, “I’m not crazy enough to think that all of you gonna be in this room next year,” while still offering support.
For players on the fringe, the scrimmage does two practical things, it creates usable game tape and it signals to other programs that Colorado will assist transfers rather than block them with animus. Sanders also said that he's the kind of coach who will hype these players up and give them the tape however they want it; the main goal is to make them look as good as they possibly can.
Critics will say a lot of this is PR, and they’re not entirely wrong. Sanders has always married big personalities with headline-making moves. But this gesture shows exactly why Sanders is such a beloved figure not just in Colorado, but in college football as a whole. As a former player himself, he knows exactly what they are going through and does everything in his power to assist them.
At its core, the scrimmage reinforced something Sanders often says: treat people right, and good things follow. Following Coach Prime's cancer diagnosis, this news hits home for Colorado fans who love to see their coach still sticking to his principles.
