Latest news with #DeionSanders
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2 days ago
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Has Colorado Football Lost Its Hype? Can Coach Prime Reignite in 2025?
Has Colorado Football Lost Its Hype? Can Coach Prime Reignite in 2025? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Colorado football off‑season hype reached a fever pitch in April 2023 when the Buffaloes' spring game drew 47,277 fans. Sports Business Journal reported that the crowd was the largest in school history, eclipsing every previous Colorado scrimmage. Roughly twenty-four months later, the vibe feels noticeably different, and the reasons run deeper than a couple of high‑profile departures. Advertisement LAST YEAR: EVERYTHING WAS PRIME‑TIME Even cold rain could not douse the excitement even a year ago. NBC Sports noted that 28,424 fans braved the weather to watch the 2024 scrimmage, the second‑largest spring turnout college football saw that weekend. Colorado announced a full season‑ticket sell‑out before June, something the program had accomplished only twice since 2000, according to a CU Buffs press release. Two‑way sensation Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders landed on every major preseason Heisman watch list, a point ESPN emphasized in its July preview. Social feeds buzzed with 'We Comin' ' and recruits hurried to schedule visits. Jason Jones/Athlon Sports THIS YEAR: REALITY BITES Hunter's No. 2 overall selection by Jacksonville removed Colorado's most electric player from the roster. Five rounds later, the Cleveland Browns scooped up Sanders at No. 144. Meanwhile, head coach Deion Sanders spent parts of spring handling an undisclosed health issue; ESPN says he expects to be back in time for camp but has not detailed a timetable. Attendance followed the star power out the door. Sports Illustrated counted 20,430 fans at the 2025 spring game, a respectable crowd yet less than half of the 2023 figure. Advertisement THE RECRUITING DIP Colorado's 2025 high‑school class currently sits outside the national top 35 and squarely in Big 12 middle ground, according to the composite rankings at 247Sports. The staff is still active in the transfer portal, though none of the newest additions has generated Hunter‑level buzz. After two winters of roster churn, prospects and donors seem ready for concrete proof of line‑of‑scrimmage improvement before they buy in again. WHO TAKES THE SNAP? Replacing a multi‑year starter is never simple, and replacing the coach's son adds extra scrutiny. The quarterback derby features Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, who totaled 66 touchdowns in Conference USA. Five‑star freshman Julian 'JuJu' Lewis reclassified from 2026; Sports Illustrated calls him the most celebrated high‑school signal‑caller ever to sign with Colorado. Sophomore Ryan Staub owns the advantage of system knowledge. None has taken a Saturday snap in Boulder, and Yahoo Sports reports that Deion Sanders will not name a leader until deep into August. Advertisement WHY BUZZ MATTERS Off‑season excitement drives television slots, NIL cash, and portal momentum. Last year's frenzy helped Colorado land a prime Friday opener on ESPN and sent team merchandise sales surging. With the volume turned down, those revenue streams risk leveling off. Ticket demand remains healthy — Colorado logged a third straight sell‑out, according to the same CU Buffs release but renewal surveys indicate that many buyers want visible progress in the trenches before committing for 2026. BIG OPENING TEST Georgia Tech visits Folsom Field on Friday, Aug. 29, in national prime time. FBSchedules lists the Yellow Jackets as returning nine defensive starters from a bowl squad that rarely beats itself. A sluggish Buffaloes start will validate every off‑season worry; a crisp performance could rekindle part of the 2024 buzz and keep Colorado in the Big 12 conversation. Advertisement BOTTOM LINE The Colorado football off‑season hype has shifted from roaring bass to a measured hum. Ticket sales still look good, but the automatic spotlight is gone. Year Three of the Prime experiment must generate new excitement on the field. If the rebuilt roster gels and Coach Prime stays healthy, September could feel like a fresh beginning. If key questions linger, last summer may stand as the program's peak hype moment and the retooled Big 12 will show no mercy. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
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Deion Sanders Wants Two NFL Coaches in Colorado to Break 200 Years of Experience
Deion Sanders Wants Two NFL Coaches in Colorado to Break 200 Years of Experience originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Since Deion Sanders took over as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes in 2023, he has focused on building a coaching staff with deep NFL roots. His vision is clear by surround his players with coaches who not only understand the next level, but who have lived it. Advertisement Sanders wants his players to pursue NFL dreams in an environment where they're coached by men who have been there either as players, coaches, or both. This philosophy has paid off in a massive way in Boulder. Not only are recruits starting to buy in, but transfer players who've experience other programs see the cultural movement. From the beginning, Sanders assembled a staff filled with impressive NFL experience, including Hall of Famers like Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp. That trend may not be over just yet. During his appearance at Big 12 Media Days last week, Sanders made headlines when he shared his desire to add two more prominent names in Mike Zimmer and Byron Leftwich. 'Our coaching staff, this is without Byron Leftwich, which I'm praying that he does the right thing, and Mike Zimmer, we have 160 years of NFL experience,' Sanders said during his opening speech. 'With those two added, that's 204 years of NFL experience. And I want those years.' Zimmer, the former head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, already worked with Sanders during his time at Jackson State. His defensive mind and NFL resume would be a natural fit in Boulder. Leftwich, meanwhile, made his mark in the NFL both as a player and coach. A former first-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Leftwich rose to prominence as an offensive coordinator under Bruce Arians in Tampa Bay. His tenure from 2019 to 2022 included helping land free agent quarterback Tom Brady and leading the Buccaneers to a Super Bowl LV title. Advertisement Related: Has Colorado Football Lost Its Hype? Can Coach Prime Reignite in 2025? Adding both coaches would further cement Colorado's coaching staff as one of the most NFL-ready in the nation. With a potential total of over 200 combined years of league experience, Sanders is building an NFL pipeline. For recruits dreaming of Sundays, Colorado might soon be the closest thing to a professional environment in college football. Related: Will Deion Sanders Pass The Nike Torch to Shedeur Before NFL Season? This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
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Colorado Reacts to Travis Hunter's $46 Million Move on Monday
Colorado Reacts to Travis Hunter's $46 Million Move on Monday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. With OTAs and minicamps across the NFL now over, fans have begun the slow countdown to the start of Week 1 of the 2025 season, which is still over two months away. Advertisement But on Sunday, there was some significant activity for the Jacksonville Jaguars. They reportedly signed Travis Hunter, the brilliant hybrid wide receiver/cornerback from Colorado, to a fully guaranteed $46.65 million contract that will last four seasons. Hunter was the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL draft back in April. The Cleveland Browns originally held that pick, but the Jaguars sent four picks, including the No. 5 selection this year, to Cleveland so they could take Hunter. Colorado's official X account reacted to Hunter's big signing. "1️⃣2️⃣ is just different. 🤷♂️ Part 2," the caption read. Advertisement As someone who plays on both sides of the football, Hunter is as rare a player as you can find at this level. Nearly all football players become specialists by the time they reach college, but he continued to play both WR and CB as a member of the Colorado Buffaloes. His head coach there was Deion Sanders, the Pro Football Hall of Famer who mostly played cornerback in the NFL but occasionally moonlighted as a wideout and return specialist. Jacksonville Jaguars WR/CB Travis Hunter (12).Travis Register-Imagn Images Last season, as a sophomore, Hunter had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns, along with 11 passes defended and four interceptions. He was named the winner of the Heisman Trophy this past fall, and he was the first college football player ever to claim both the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the nation's top defensive player, and the Fred Biletnikoff Award, as the NCAA's best wide receiver. Advertisement Jacksonville, which went 4-13 last season, reportedly plans to play him on both sides of the ball. Related: Chiefs React to New Post From Kansas City Player on Friday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
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Deion Sanders' Quarterback Dilemma: Who Will Start at Colorado?
Deion Sanders' Quarterback Dilemma: Who Will Start at Colorado? originally appeared on Athlon Sports. During Big 12 Media Days, most of the national analysts discussed who would be the next quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes. Deion Sanders decided to bring both Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis to the event, which signaled he's not sold on either as the starter. Both present different arguments and could actually split time under center, according to Sanders. Advertisement However, CBS Sports' Brad Crawford believes Salter will move forward as the starter before facing Georgia Tech to open the season on August 29th. Here's his thoughts on the situation ahead of fall camp in Boulder. "Assuming the former Liberty superstar beats out freshman Julian Lewis, Colorado's offense will look substantially different this fall," Crawford said. "Both players can move, but Salter's experience edge is substantial -- as are his 56 career touchdown passes and nearly 8,000 yards of total offense. Sanders offered no details this week on how the competition will play out." Crawford also ranked Colorado as having the 12th-best QB situation in the Big 12. Lewis could be one of the youngest starting passers in the nation after reclassifying up a year to the 2025 class. The true freshman five-star was a two-time national Gatorade Player of the Year finalist at Carrollton (Georgia) with over 10,000 career passing yards and 144 touchdowns. Advertisement Related: Deion Sanders Sends Blunt Message About Replacing "His Sons" On the other hand, Salter came to Colorado as an experienced three-year starter at Liberty. He has accounted for 7,900 yards, 77 total touchdowns, and 17 interceptions during his time with the Flames. One of the most experienced transfer players from the last cycle with the capability to throw 70-yard bombs. Related: Will Deion Sanders Pass The Nike Torch to Shedeur Before NFL Season? Sanders and Colorado are on the verge of opening up fall camp with a few clear objectives before the season, but none bigger than naming the heir apparent to Shedeur Sanders. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 14, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
3 days ago
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Colorado Buffaloes Land ESPN 300 Four-Star Linebacker Over Power Four Schools
Colorado Buffaloes Land ESPN 300 Four-Star Linebacker Over Power Four Schools originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Deion Sanders has landed a few good recruits in the month of July. The surge continued on Saturday as four-star linebacker Rodney Colton Jr. committed to the Colorado Buffaloes over the Florida State Seminoles and Ole Miss Rebels. Advertisement The Newnan, Georgia product became the Buffaloes seventh defensive recruit during this cycle and the second four-star, along with Brandon, Mississippi safety Preston Ashley. They're now the two cornerstones of the 2026 recruiting class for Coach Prime and the Buffs with no five-star talents. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, Colton Jr. is the No. 15 linebacker in his class and the No. 23 prospect in Georgia. He was previously committed to the South Carolina Gamecocks and ultimately decided to be in Boulder. He's currently 298th overall on the ESPN 300 list. "Everything was great on my visit," Colton told BuffStampede. "Coach Hart is a great man, I am not going to lie. He is down to earth, he is cool, cordial, all of it. He is always checking in, making sure I am good, making sure my family is straight." Colton is the biggest pick up for Sanders and Colorado after the 2026 class was slow rolling into July with three players on the books. What makes his commitment even bigger for CU is the fact Colton turned down offers from teams in the College Football Playoff like Penn State and SMU. While Sanders and his staff aren't blowing other teams out of the water with recruits, this is all by design and follows the pattern of previous years. They find players who are ready to play and fill in the gaps through the transfer portal. Colton closed his junior season at Newnan High School last fall with 51 total tackles (12 for loss), six sacks and an interception. Advertisement Following Colton's commitment, Colorado's 2026 recruiting class got a boost to No. 79, according to 247Sports. They sat at No. 100 to open the month and are expected to pick up a few more players. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
