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NBC Sports
5 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Deion Sanders and his coaching staff at Colorado boast a combined 160 years of NFL experience
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Warren Sapp strictly enforces Colorado players being in straight lines while stretching at practice. Marshall Faulk harps over and over on proper footwork. These two Hall of Fame players turned coaches are sticklers for the little things. That's on orders from the third member of their gold-coat club: Deion Sanders. Sapp and Faulk are part of a Buffaloes coaching staff that boasts 160 years of total NFL experience (playing, coaching or covering). The crew runs a no-nonsense, tight-knit operation, which came in handy when Sanders was away and fighting bladder cancer. The coaching staff keeps reaffirming what Sanders always stresses — paying attention to the details. 'It's the little things that will make us great,' explained Sapp, who is the defensive pass-rush specialist for the Buffaloes this season. 'It's the tedious repetition of the little things, over and over and over again. That's what we do. 'He (Sanders) has so much other things on his plate. I figured I'd handle the little things. ... We really don't ask much of them, except, let's go to work and that's what we're going to do.' In addition to Sapp and Faulk, the list of coaches that Sanders has assembled with NFL experience includes offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, receivers coach Jason Phillips, defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Kevin Mathis, defensive line coach Domata Peko, and offensive line coaches George Hegamin and Andre Gurode. Combined — and, of course, counting Sanders — that's 27 Pro Bowls, five Super Bowl titles, an NFL MVP (Faulk), three Pro Football Hall of Famers (Sanders, Faulk, Sapp), two NFL defensive player of the year honors (Sapp, Sanders) and an NFL offensive player of the year recipient (Faulk, three times). 'When you have a whole bunch of guys that's been there and done that, and played in the league, it's definitely a blessing for us,' Peko said. 'Everyone kind of checks their egos at the door, and we all just try to collaborate together.' The Buffaloes may be adding more experience, too. Sanders said at Big 12 media day last month he's trying to bring in ex-NFL QB Byron Leftwich and former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer to the staff. 'With those two added, that's 204 years of NFL experience,' Sanders said, 'and I want those years.' Faulk and Sapp were both in Canton, Ohio, last weekend for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. There, they hung out with the greats of the game, with Sapp recording personal video messages from past players to show his impressionable Buffaloes. 'I just soak it up from them, and I bring it back to the babies, because just hearing it from me, they hear me all the time,' said Sapp, who had 96 1/2 sacks over his 13-year-career. 'But when John Randle was on (the video), and I can see their eyes pop up I got a whole new message. ... I'm going to give them everything I got.' For Faulk, being in Canton just reaffirmed his passion for football — and coaching. 'I literally sold popcorn in the Superdome because I couldn't afford a ticket to watch the sorriest team in the '80s — the Saints,' cracked Faulk, whose Buffaloes open the season Aug. 29 by hosting Georgia Tech. 'I just love football and to be around the guys (in Canton) who gave me the opportunity to play this game and left the game in my hands, there's nothing like it. 'But it was the first time I'd been there and wanted to be somewhere else.' Namely, working with his fleet of running backs. Sophomore Micah Welch was in the lunch room when he heard about the hiring of Faulk in February. Welch went home that night and pulled up some highlight footage. 'It was amazing,' Welch said. Faulk was dazzling on the field, a dual threat out of the backfield who spent his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams. He rushed for 12,279 yards and 100 TDs, while also catching 767 passes for 6,875 yards and 36 scores. He's teaching his tailbacks the little things like footwork — 'I'm a stickler for footwork,' Faulk said — along with how they receive a handoff from their QB. 'After that, go be creative,' Faulk said. 'But we all start with the canvas and the paint brush the same way before we go make art.' For Faulk, it was an easy decision to join Sanders in Boulder. They've been longtime friends. 'Coming here not just to win games on the field, but to win the game off the field, which is to make sure that these young men in life become what they want to become,' the 52-year-old Faulk said. 'That's the important part.'
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Deion Sanders and his coaching staff at Colorado boast a combined 160 years of NFL experience
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Warren Sapp strictly enforces Colorado players being in straight lines while stretching at practice. Marshall Faulk harps over and over on proper footwork. These two Hall of Fame players turned coaches are sticklers for the little things. That's on orders from the third member of their gold-coat club: Deion Sanders. Sapp and Faulk are part of a Buffaloes coaching staff that boasts 160 years of total NFL experience (playing, coaching or covering). The crew runs a no-nonsense, tight-knit operation, which came in handy when Sanders was away and fighting bladder cancer. The coaching staff keeps reaffirming what Sanders always stresses — paying attention to the details. 'It's the little things that will make us great,' explained Sapp, who is the defensive pass-rush specialist for the Buffaloes this season. 'It's the tedious repetition of the little things, over and over and over again. That's what we do. "He (Sanders) has so much other things on his plate. I figured I'd handle the little things. ... We really don't ask much of them, except, let's go to work and that's what we're going to do.' In addition to Sapp and Faulk, the list of coaches that Sanders has assembled with NFL experience includes offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, receivers coach Jason Phillips, defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Kevin Mathis, defensive line coach Domata Peko, and offensive line coaches George Hegamin and Andre Gurode. Combined — and, of course, counting Sanders — that's 27 Pro Bowls, five Super Bowl titles, an NFL MVP (Faulk), three Pro Football Hall of Famers (Sanders, Faulk, Sapp), two NFL defensive player of the year honors (Sapp, Sanders) and an NFL offensive player of the year recipient (Faulk, three times). 'When you have a whole bunch of guys that's been there and done that, and played in the league, it's definitely a blessing for us,' Peko said. 'Everyone kind of checks their egos at the door, and we all just try to collaborate together.' The Buffaloes may be adding more experience, too. Sanders said at Big 12 media day last month he's trying to bring in ex-NFL QB Byron Leftwich and former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer to the staff. 'With those two added, that's 204 years of NFL experience,' Sanders said, 'and I want those years.' Faulk and Sapp were both in Canton, Ohio, last weekend for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. There, they hung out with the greats of the game, with Sapp recording personal video messages from past players to show his impressionable Buffaloes. 'I just soak it up from them, and I bring it back to the babies, because just hearing it from me, they hear me all the time,' said Sapp, who had 96 1/2 sacks over his 13-year-career. 'But when John Randle was on (the video), and I can see their eyes pop up I got a whole new message. ... I'm going to give them everything I got." For Faulk, being in Canton just reaffirmed his passion for football — and coaching. 'I literally sold popcorn in the Superdome because I couldn't afford a ticket to watch the sorriest team in the '80s — the Saints," cracked Faulk, whose Buffaloes open the season Aug. 29 by hosting Georgia Tech. 'I just love football and to be around the guys (in Canton) who gave me the opportunity to play this game and left the game in my hands, there's nothing like it. 'But it was the first time I'd been there and wanted to be somewhere else.' Namely, working with his fleet of running backs. Sophomore Micah Welch was in the lunch room when he heard about the hiring of Faulk in February. Welch went home that night and pulled up some highlight footage. 'It was amazing,' Welch said. Faulk was dazzling on the field, a dual threat out of the backfield who spent his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams. He rushed for 12,279 yards and 100 TDs, while also catching 767 passes for 6,875 yards and 36 scores. He's teaching his tailbacks the little things like footwork — 'I'm a stickler for footwork,' Faulk said — along with how they receive a handoff from their QB. 'After that, go be creative,' Faulk said. 'But we all start with the canvas and the paint brush the same way before we go make art.' For Faulk, it was an easy decision to join Sanders in Boulder. They've been longtime friends. 'Coming here not just to win games on the field, but to win the game off the field, which is to make sure that these young men in life become what they want to become,' the 52-year-old Faulk said. 'That's the important part.'
Winnipeg Free Press
5 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Deion Sanders and his coaching staff at Colorado boast a combined 160 years of NFL experience
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Warren Sapp strictly enforces Colorado players being in straight lines while stretching at practice. Marshall Faulk harps over and over on proper footwork. These two Hall of Fame players turned coaches are sticklers for the little things. That's on orders from the third member of their gold-coat club: Deion Sanders. Sapp and Faulk are part of a Buffaloes coaching staff that boasts 160 years of total NFL experience (playing, coaching or covering). The crew runs a no-nonsense, tight-knit operation, which came in handy when Sanders was away and fighting bladder cancer. The coaching staff keeps reaffirming what Sanders always stresses — paying attention to the details. 'It's the little things that will make us great,' explained Sapp, who is the defensive pass-rush specialist for the Buffaloes this season. 'It's the tedious repetition of the little things, over and over and over again. That's what we do. 'He (Sanders) has so much other things on his plate. I figured I'd handle the little things. … We really don't ask much of them, except, let's go to work and that's what we're going to do.' In addition to Sapp and Faulk, the list of coaches that Sanders has assembled with NFL experience includes offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, receivers coach Jason Phillips, defensive passing game coordinator/cornerbacks coach Kevin Mathis, defensive line coach Domata Peko, and offensive line coaches George Hegamin and Andre Gurode. Combined — and, of course, counting Sanders — that's 27 Pro Bowls, five Super Bowl titles, an NFL MVP (Faulk), three Pro Football Hall of Famers (Sanders, Faulk, Sapp), two NFL defensive player of the year honors (Sapp, Sanders) and an NFL offensive player of the year recipient (Faulk, three times). 'When you have a whole bunch of guys that's been there and done that, and played in the league, it's definitely a blessing for us,' Peko said. 'Everyone kind of checks their egos at the door, and we all just try to collaborate together.' The Buffaloes may be adding more experience, too. Sanders said at Big 12 media day last month he's trying to bring in ex-NFL QB Byron Leftwich and former Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer to the staff. 'With those two added, that's 204 years of NFL experience,' Sanders said, 'and I want those years.' Faulk and Sapp were both in Canton, Ohio, last weekend for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. There, they hung out with the greats of the game, with Sapp recording personal video messages from past players to show his impressionable Buffaloes. 'I just soak it up from them, and I bring it back to the babies, because just hearing it from me, they hear me all the time,' said Sapp, who had 96 1/2 sacks over his 13-year-career. 'But when John Randle was on (the video), and I can see their eyes pop up I got a whole new message. … I'm going to give them everything I got.' For Faulk, being in Canton just reaffirmed his passion for football — and coaching. 'I literally sold popcorn in the Superdome because I couldn't afford a ticket to watch the sorriest team in the '80s — the Saints,' cracked Faulk, whose Buffaloes open the season Aug. 29 by hosting Georgia Tech. 'I just love football and to be around the guys (in Canton) who gave me the opportunity to play this game and left the game in my hands, there's nothing like it. 'But it was the first time I'd been there and wanted to be somewhere else.' Namely, working with his fleet of running backs. Sophomore Micah Welch was in the lunch room when he heard about the hiring of Faulk in February. Welch went home that night and pulled up some highlight footage. 'It was amazing,' Welch said. Faulk was dazzling on the field, a dual threat out of the backfield who spent his 12 seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and the St. Louis Rams. He rushed for 12,279 yards and 100 TDs, while also catching 767 passes for 6,875 yards and 36 scores. He's teaching his tailbacks the little things like footwork — 'I'm a stickler for footwork,' Faulk said — along with how they receive a handoff from their QB. 'After that, go be creative,' Faulk said. 'But we all start with the canvas and the paint brush the same way before we go make art.' For Faulk, it was an easy decision to join Sanders in Boulder. They've been longtime friends. 'Coming here not just to win games on the field, but to win the game off the field, which is to make sure that these young men in life become what they want to become,' the 52-year-old Faulk said. 'That's the important part.' ___ AP college football: and
USA Today
23-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
John Harbaugh's legendary career gets its due with eye-opening HC ranking
The proper respect is given to the Ravens' John Harbaugh in a recent ranking of NFL head coaches. Whenever we discuss the Baltimore Ravens' rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers, we mention bruised bodies and longtime animosity. We mention legends and Pro Football Hall of Famers, and though we talk about the longevity of two great head coaches, we probably don't delve into what they have accomplished often enough. No two current leaders of any two football teams have met at midfield to exchange postgame handshakes more often than John Harbaugh and Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin. In total, they've locked horns 38 times, and it will be a long time before any two meet or exceed their number. Harbaugh enters year 18 as Ravens head coach. His tenure is second only to, you guessed it, Mike Tomlin. He enters year 19. John Harbaugh lands third on Pro Football Network's ranking of NFL head coaches. Time has flown. Though he still looks like he is in his twenties, Harbaugh's near-20-year run enters another season with much on the line. The same is true for Tomlin. The Steelers will be expected to qualify for postseason contention as well. Their annual pair of clashes will have much to say about where they are seeded. Pro Football Network's Brandon Austin recently ranked the NFL's head coaches. These two rivals both earned top-ten rankings. Tomlin lands at seven. Harbaugh is ranked third. Here's Austin's reasoning behind placing John among the top three. "John Harbaugh has been a model of consistency since taking over as the Baltimore Ravens' head coach in 2008. A Super Bowl champion, Harbaugh has delivered double-digit win seasons in six of the past seven years, with just one losing record since 2016... Harbaugh's adaptability is one of his greatest strengths. He won with Joe Flacco. Then, once Lamar Jackson arrived, he and the staff reshaped the team around his unique skill set, and it worked faster than many expected." No lies have been told so far. Let's continue... "Harbaugh has stood the test of time, battling in two separate loaded AFC eras. He went toe-to-toe with Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Ben Roethlisberger. Now, he's perennially challenging Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow for conference supremacy." Coach Harbaugh is only exceeded on this list by Andy Reid and Sean McVay. Nick Sirianni (ranked fourth) and Dan Campbell (fifth) round out the top five. Kyle Shanahan (sixth), Jim Harbaugh (eighth), Matt LaFleur (ninth), and Sean Payton (tenth) round out the top ten. Typically, when we discuss the brilliance of what we see on the sidelines weekly, Harbaugh isn't brought up. Some see that as being disrespectful. That's understandable, but perhaps this happiness serves another purpose. Could an argument be made that John Harbaugh is so good that he is taken for granted? Don't worry. Another Vince Lombardi Trophy will place him in rare air. He'll have a chance to win one next February as, thanks to his leadership, Baltimore will again be among the AFC's top Super Bowl contenders.
Fox News
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Which college coaches have the most first-round NFL draft picks of all time?
When recruits are picking where they want to play college football, the vast majority of them prioritize which program will give them the best path to the NFL. Many coaches have been able to help fulfill those dreams, but a select few have been elite at getting their players drafted in the first round over the years. Entering the 2025 NFL Draft, eleven college football head coaches have at least 20 players selected in the first round. Georgia's Kirby Smart and Ohio State's Ryan Day could join that list soon. Smart has seen 16 of his Bulldogs get selected in Round 1 since he became their head coach in 2016, with linebacker Jalon Walker, edge rusher and safety Malaki Starks being viewed as potential first-round picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. Day, meanwhile, has coached 10 first-round picks since becoming Ohio State's head coach in 2019, with offensive tackle Josh Simmons, wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, offensive lineman Donovan Jackson, edge rusher JT Tuimoloau, defensive tackle Tyleik Williams and running back TreVeyon Henderson each being featured as first-round picks ahead of this year's draft. For now, Smart and Day are on the outside looking in. Here are the top 10 coaches at producing first-round picks. As Osborne turned Nebraska into a powerhouse during his 25-year stint (1973-97), he coached a lot of first-round talent over the years. Wide receiver Irving Fryar was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1984 NFL Draft and one of seven players that was a top-five pick that Osborne coached at Nebraska. Neil Smith was arguably the best off the bench, with the defensive end recording six Pro Bowls after the Chiefs selected him with the second overall pick in 1988. Cooper's Ohio State teams in the 1990s were loaded with NFL talent and future Hall of Famers. Defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson (1994) and offensive tackle Orlando Pace (1997) were the No. 1 overall picks in their respective draft years. Six more of Cooper's players at Ohio State were selected in the top 10, including wide receivers Joey Galloway and Terry Glenn. Hall of Fame guard Randall McDaniel also became a first-round pick after Cooper coached him at Arizona State. Coker coached a few of the most NFL-talent-infused teams in college football at Miami. Naturally, a bunch of those players became first-round picks. While he never coached a player who became the No. 1 overall pick, the first-round picks that Coker coached at Miami became Pro Football Hall of Famers (Andre Johnson, Ed Reed, Devin Hester). Ten other players coached by Coker that were selected in the first round also became Pro Bowlers. In the 2004 NFL Draft, six Miami players were drafted in the first round, which is tied for the most all-time from one school. Holtz's coaching career is mostly associated with Notre Dame as he helped return the Fighting Irish to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s, but the national championship-winning coach coached up first-round picks at three stops. At Arkansas, he helped make defensive tackle Dan Hampton become the fourth overall pick in the 1979 NFL Draft. At South Carolina, Holtz coached defensive end John Abraham, who was the 13th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft. Of course, most of the first-round picks Holtz coached came during his stint at Notre Dame. Thirteen of his former Fighting Irish players were first-round picks, with Hall of Famer Tim Brown being chief among them. In two separate stints as USC's head coach, Robinson coached 22 first-round picks over 12 seasons. Two of them were No. 1 overall picks (RB Ricky Bell in 1977, WR Keyshawn Johnson in 1996), with seven of Robinson's other USC players being selected in the top five. The group of players Robinson selected who were picked in the top five includes Hall of Famers Anthony Munoz and Tony Boselli. Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott was also a first-round pick coached by Robinson. Brown coached first-round picks during both of his stints at UNC and during his reign at Texas. Former Dallas Cowboys defensive end Greg Ellis was taken with the eighth overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft after playing for Brown, while Drake Maye will likely be the last player coached by Brown to be a first-round pick. Among Brown's former Texas players, Vince Young was also the third pick in the draft, like Maye. But Ricky Williams, Leonard Davis, Casey Hampton, Roy Williams, Brian Orakpo and Earl Thomas were among the players who played for Brown at Texas that were first-round picks and became Pro Bowlers. Meyer made Florida and Ohio State factories for NFL prospects during his time at each program. With the Gators, he helped mold Reggie Nelson, Percy Harvin, Joe Haden and the Pouncey twins (Maurkice and Mike) into first-round picks. He coached another pair of brothers into top-three picks at Ohio State, with Joey and Nick Bosa each being a top-three pick in their respective draft years. Ryan Shazier, Ezekiel Elliott, Taylor Decker, Denzel Ward, Chase Young and Joe Burrow are also among the group of players who became first-round picks after Meyer coached them at OSU. Quite possibly no school has developed NFL talent better than Ohio State, so it's no surprise to see three Ohio State coaches on this list. Tom Cousineau was the only former player of Hayes to be selected with the No. 1 overall pick, as the Buffalo Bills drafted the linebacker first in 1979. There were four years in the 1970s when multiple Ohio State players were selected in the first round. Bowden enjoyed a great deal of success during his time at Florida State, winning two national titles as the Seminoles became perennial contenders over 25 years at the helm. But he got some help from marquee NFL talent along the way, too. Deion Sanders was the most prominent player under Bowden who became a first-round pick, but Hall of Famers Derrick Brooks and Walter Jones and three-time Pro Bowler Warrick Dunn are among the others on that list. Just like Bowden, Paterno coached up a lot of first-round picks at one stop while making his program a near perennial contender. Franco Harris became a Hall of Famer after the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 1973 NFL Draft. Mike Munchak also became a Hall of Famer after the Houston Oilers took him with the eighth overall pick in 1982. Eleven other former Nittany Lions players who were first-round picks became Pro Bowlers after playing for Paterno, but neither of them were Ki-Jana Carter and Courtney Brown, who are the only former Penn State players to be taken with the first overall pick. Saban is the only coach who could legitimately field a full team of players who became first-round picks after playing college football for him. He coached Plaxico Burress to become a first-round pick during his time at Michigan State, with three of his former Spartans players becoming first-round selections. Dwayne Bowe was the most notable player Saban coached at LSU who later became a first-round pick. Of course, Saban's time at Alabama is where most people will associate with him. Twenty players Saban coached at Alabama who were first-round picks also became Pro Bowlers, and that doesn't include the likes of DeVonta Smith or Jaylen Waddle. They were a part of the 2021 NFL Draft, with Alabama tying the record for most first-round picks in a single draft class that year with six. Check out all of our Daily Rankers. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
