Deion Sanders has the entire football world talking when he got hired by Colorado. Heading into the 2023 college football season, Sanders and the Colorado Buffalos were considered by many to be one of the primary storylines, but “Coach Prime” has generated more views, and more sports talk shows have covered Colorado than ever before.
Sanders brings a rockstar presence to college football, and both fans and TV ratings reflect the impact he’s had. The Buffaloes have become must-watch TV, consistently drawing high ratings regardless of their opponent or game time.
As Colorado enters the Big 12 in 2024, the competition is about to intensify.
How Did Deion Sanders’ Nickname Originate?
To put it simply, the name is short for his nickname, “Prime Time.”
He’s had the Prime Time moniker since high school, which he shared during an interview with The Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon in February 2022. The name stuck after scoring 37 points in a basketball game.
"Boulder looked like a party last week..
I don't know if you brought the party or Coach Prime did" 😂😂 ~ Artie Smith#PMSLive pic.twitter.com/71J55D1BhW
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 22, 2023
In his transition to head coach, he’s now known as “Coach Prime” by players and fellow coaches alike. He’s bringing new energy to Buffaloes football, revitalizing a program that was once a consistent top-10 team in the late 1980s and early 1990s but has since endured 15 losing seasons since 2006.
Already, Coach Prime’s style has started new trends in college football. As Sanders put it to Fox’s Erin Andrews before the TCU upset in 2023: “I don’t follow trends. I set them.”
Is ‘Coach Prime’ Already Setting a New College Football Trend?
Coach Prime made it clear from the start that he would leverage the transfer portal like never before. Once merely an intriguing option, the transfer portal has now become a powerful tool capable of transforming a college football team’s fortunes in just one offseason.
Sanders has revolutionized the way college teams utilize and embrace the transfer portal, and there’s no turning back. Even teams that have criticized his approach will likely follow suit and adopt similar strategies.
Coach Prime isn’t cheating or bending the rules; he’s maximizing the potential of the transfer portal, reviving a once-dormant program, and quickly turning it into a national sensation. Sanders is a trendsetter, and the rest of college football will need to catch up with him.