Colorado Football Aims High After Second Spring Under Deion Sanders
A downpour Certain design ideas for Colorado’s Black & Gold spring game at Folsom Field were impeded on Saturday. Nonetheless, head coach Deion Sanders considered his second Buffaloes spring season a success.
“The progress that we’ve made is it’s another caliber of player that’s playing, a player that truly expects to go to the next level, meaning the NFL,” he said. “These young men want to practice, they want to have each other’s backs, they want the physicality, they want all the smoke, so to speak.”
A few minutes after 1 p.m. local time, before the game began, Sanders seized the microphone, praised the Buffs supporters, and offered a special mention to 99-year-old superfan Peggy Coppom.
“Our goal is, we’re going to get you to a bowl game, baby. God bless you,” Sanders said.
The roster change is noteworthy once more, just as it was the year before when Sanders added 69 new scholarship players to his squad after taking over a 1-11 campaign. Twenty scholarship players from Colorado, which finished 4–8 in 2023, have used the transfer portal just in April. Due to injuries and portal departures, the Buffaloes were so thin at running back for the spring game that they had to use redshirt freshman defensive back Isaiah Hardge as a backup.
Sanders grinned and said reinforcements were on their way, as he is known to do. Colorado has acquired former Ohio State running back Dallan Hayden and on Friday earned a commitment from former Miami (Ohio) running back Rashad Amos, who carried for 1,075 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, after losing running backs Dylan Edwards and Sy’Veon Wilkerson to the portal this week.
In various interviews and news conferences, Sanders has repeated the message that “we’re good” when addressing the players leaving the program. In the span of 36 hours, the Buffaloes received commitments from Amos, Wyatt Hummel, a former starting tackle at Villanova, Nikhai Green-Hill, the second-leading tackler at Charlotte, and two four-star high school recruits in LB Mantrez Walker (Buford, Ga.) and CB Alex Graham (Detroit, Mich.).
In addition, we just obtained commitments from Ohio DT Rayyan Buell, former Texas OT Payton Kirkland, former Ohio State TE Sam Hart, and former Pitt DE Dayon Hayes.
Sanders said they might have up to four more wide receivers and four more defensive backs in the coming weeks. He is looking forward now that spring football is gone, knowing there will be another slew of exits to the entryway.
“I don’t sell them anything because I don’t have anything for sale,” Sanders said when asked about his recruiting pitch. “I don’t sell them dreams, I don’t sell them hope or sell wishes. I tell them everything they get they’re going to have to earn. I don’t promise you a number, I’m not promising you a position, I’m not promising you to start. If you want it, come and get it. We don’t sugarcoat anything, we’re not going to baby you, not going to hold your hand.”
With their defense allowing the second-most sacks in the FBS last year—56—Colorado is predicted to start a completely new offensive line this season. 32 scholarship players have entered the portal since the completion of the previous year, including notable departures like Edwards, former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain, and former starting left tackle Savion Washington.
“I love what we’re building in this locker room, and if you’re not part of that thought process or that desire, you don’t fit,” Sanders said. “Now you see the gallop to the portal. Even with those guys, man, I wish them the best. … I just want you to have a plan before you go. Don’t just go. Just have a plan.”
Colorado starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders said the difference between this year and last is simple: The Buffs are “getting quality guys.”
“I feel like we got all the negative energy out the building, so now it’s just a positive vibe now,” Shedeur said. “There’s no real complaining. We’ve got to go out there and play with a clear mind.”
With their defense allowing the second-most sacks in the FBS last year—56—Colorado is predicted to start a completely new offensive line this season. 32 scholarship players have entered the portal since the completion of the previous year, including notable departures like Edwards, former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain, and former starting left tackle Savion Washington.
Additionally, Deion Sanders reiterated his earlier this spring remarks that Sheduer and two-way star Travis Hunter would be first-round selections in the future.
“Like it or not, we’re going to have a couple guys go in the top five picks,” he said. “I don’t care how you cut it up. And the way we’re recruiting right now, we may have several first-rounders.”
(Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)