NFL legend Deion Sanders has played a pivotal role in transforming the Colorado Buffaloes program into a powerhouse in the last two years. After taking his expertise from Jackson State to Boulder, Colo., in 2023, the program has seen dramatic changes where top talents across the country are willing to take visits, which triggered a monumental shift in the entire culture, thanks to Coach Prime and his principles.
Deion Sanders Reveals Biggest Takeaway From His Time at Colorado
With a season record of 9-4, the Colorado Buffaloes find themselves among the top schools in the country. From recruiting high school standouts to guiding transfers, Coach Prime has been the whole and soul of this program. Before showing up for the historic Alamo Bowl on Saturday, Sanders explained some of his biggest learnings, highlighting two things: perseverance and forgiveness.
“Patience,” Sanders said to reporters. “They’ve taught me a tremendous amount of patience, and they taught me about forgiveness. There’s a lot of young men, a lot of things transpired that you guys don’t know about and aren’t privy to, but I’m a tremendous forgiving person, and I absolutely love these guys.”
"Patience and forgiveness and just overall love, man, that's what they've taught me."
Coach Prime on what the seniors have taught him the last two years 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Y4CeXdgpBc
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) December 29, 2024
On Dec 28, the Buffs played their final game of the campaign against BYU in San Antonio. It was a blowout loss (36-14) but an achievement at the same time to have reached a bowl game after three years.
Coach Prime Brags About Building a Winning Mindset in the Program
As a coach, Sanders has not only transformed the football aspect of the players but also upgraded their academic records. He made stricter rules to tackle players overlooking academics and introduced scholarships. According to Sanders, only a handful of players make the NFL, so it is essential to have a sound educational background.
“We’ve established expectations, so now you expect us to perform a certain way. You expect us to win. You expect us to be exciting. You expect us to be a lot more disciplined than we displayed today,” Sanders said in the press conference.
READ MORE: NFL Legend Deion Sanders Suggests Biggest Change He Wants in College Football
“We’re just trying to develop these young men, win games, and make sure they’re consistent men in the community with their relationships, with their families, and then school,” he added.
Colorado’s senior players, Shedeur Sanders, Travis Hunter, Shilo Sanders, LaJohntay Wester, Jimmy Horn Jr., and Will Sheppard, will take their talents to the next level by declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.