BOULDER, Colo. — Deion Sanders will nonetheless interrupt no matter he’s doing — even when he’s in a room stuffed with cameras and reporters — to select up a FaceTime from son Shedeur. He nonetheless touts and defends his sons’ skills through the NFL Draft course of, each Shedeur, the quarterback anticipated to be a first-round choose, and security Shilo, a possible undrafted free agent.
“We’ve already gained,” he says, nonetheless an overtly proud dad.
However when Colorado started spring observe this month, there have been no gamers taking reps with Sanders on their backs. He wasn’t positive who his quarterback can be — a primary for Sanders in teaching relationship again to when he moved Shilo from QB to defensive again as a result of Shedeur confirmed a lot early promise.
His early morning mini-sermons to his staff — the notorious first one in Boulder promising his Louis Vuitton baggage was coming quickly — aren’t given with Shilo and Shedeur staring again at him.
Two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, whom Sanders referred to as his “different son,” is NFL-bound and can hear his identify early on this month’s draft.
Quite a lot of predicted this might by no means occur. Critics, opposing coaches and even those that appreciated what Sanders did in his first two seasons in Boulder have been ready for Sanders to maneuver on when his sons did. He’s coached them his whole profession, and probably the most cynical of onlookers questioned aloud if Sanders’ whole detour into school teaching was about paving the smoothest path for his sons into the NFL.
Sanders remains to be right here. He’s getting into his third 12 months at Colorado, coming off a breakthrough 9-4 season, and final week, he grew to become considered one of solely a handful of school coaches making greater than $10 million a 12 months, agreeing to an extension that runs via 2029.
NOW GIVE ME MY THEME MUSIC
Coach Prime is staying in Boulder. 🏔️#GoBuffs | https://t.co/vJJTAN5ceR pic.twitter.com/nAwcnLlI36
— Colorado Buffaloes Soccer (@CUBuffsFootball) March 28, 2025
Like Colorado, the 57-year-old is getting into into a brand new period, one he usually calls the “third quarter” of his life.
“I find it irresistible as a result of I solely need to put on one hat,” Sanders mentioned. “If you’re a dad and a coach, you’re carrying two hats. You’re teaching your butt off, however naturally, you’re ensuring your children are all proper concurrently. I’ve adopted children on this staff that I like to life, and I’m watching them as properly, however it’s nothing like your two organic children. … It’s completely different for me. I’m positive it’s completely different for them. However I’m loving it.”
Sanders has been constant since he arrived in Boulder to take over a 1-11 program, extolling his love for his new residence, its magnificence and the reception amongst these on campus.
Colorado let him rebuild this system his manner — regardless of heaps of criticism over flipping practically his whole roster via the switch portal in his first offseason — and has reaped the advantages of letting Deion be Deion.
There’s final season’s bowl sport, the document TV scores and elevated ticket gross sales and purposes to the varsity, as touted by Colorado.
Enter the brand new deal, which practically doubled Sanders’ wage. Sanders would owe $12 million if he takes one other job earlier than Dec. 31, 2025. That quantity drops to $10 million the next 12 months. Sanders can, nonetheless, retire from teaching with no monetary penalty. If he returns to teaching, he would owe Colorado the agreed buyout cash.
A short dalliance with the Dallas Cowboys didn’t get far this offseason, however it was greater than a leverage play.
“If I’d had the chance to proceed teaching Shilo and Shedeur, I’d have been ecstatic,” Sanders mentioned.
Sanders remains to be operating this system in his personal distinctive manner.
Cameras stay a relentless within the facility, chronicling this system for a number of YouTube channels (together with one led by Deion’s oldest son, Deion Sanders Jr.) and the “Coach Prime” present on Amazon that aired its third season this winter.
Actor Denzel Washington FaceTimed in for a staff assembly final month to supply the staff some knowledge.
“I want I had my pocket book with me as a result of I wrote down so many issues from that interview he gave us,” sophomore offensive deal with Jordan Seaton mentioned.
Sanders is co-hosting his speak present “We Acquired Time Right this moment” on Tubi alongside Rocsi Diaz. Sanders lately needed to shoot down rumors the 2 have been relationship. His five-year engagement with Tracey Edmonds resulted in December 2023.
Coach Prime gear remains to be a prime vendor on the staff retailer. And his well being seems improved. Sanders’ limp — a relentless throughout his first 12 months at Colorado — is gone, and he hasn’t spoken publicly in regards to the points together with his left foot in months. Blood clots price Sanders two toes and practically his life in 2021. He wanted extra surgical procedure earlier than the 2023 season to assist alleviate fixed ache.
Then there’s the soccer and making an attempt to construct on final season’s success with out the three most acknowledged Buffs gamers.
“I don’t inherit legacies,” Sanders mentioned on “The Skip Bayless Present” final month. “I construct ’em.”
Sanders is presiding over a quarterback battle for the primary time as a school coach.
4-star freshman JuJu Lewis, a late flip after being dedicated to USC for over a 12 months, is competing this spring with Kaidon Salter. Salter, a former four-star recruit, started his profession at Tennessee earlier than transferring and starring at Liberty, the place he accounted for 66 touchdowns in two seasons and led the Flames to an undefeated common season and Fiesta Bowl berth in 2023.
“Who’s gonna be who? We don’t know. Nobody’s getting a nod,” Sanders mentioned. “We’re testing each of them to see how they react to what (offensive coordinator) Pat (Shurmur) throws at them.”
PERFECT TIMING. ⌚️
What you assume @ShedeurSanders 👀@JulianLewis10 x #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/GH0al01euV
— Colorado Buffaloes Soccer (@CUBuffsFootball) March 19, 2025
When Sanders began his school teaching profession at Jackson State in 2020, he inherited returning starter Jalon Jones. Aside from Shedeur, he’s the one quarterback to spend a season as Deion Sanders’ starter.
Now, that unique membership will develop from two to a few. What ought to Lewis or Salter anticipate?
“I’m positive there have been much more residence dinners with Shedeur,” Jones mentioned with fun.
For Jones, it was a surreal crash course within the day by day classes Sanders has tried to instill in his sons for many years. Jones mentioned he discovered professionalism, easy methods to current himself, easy methods to run an offense and easy methods to higher command his staff. Jones mentioned he acquired to see Sanders as “an everyday man such as you and me.”
Jones threw for 11 touchdowns with 5 extra speeding scores because the Tigers completed 4-3 throughout a season performed through the spring due to COVID-19. He tried to play via a groin harm and misplaced his job late within the season. He transferred, partially, attributable to Shedeur Sanders’ arrival. The three-star prospect flipped his dedication from Florida Atlantic and Willie Taggart to Jackson State to play for his father.
Jones by no means acquired the identical focus as Shedeur whereas Deion’s QB. Shedeur led Jackson State to a 23-3 document in two seasons, going 16-0 towards SWAC opponents and breaking the varsity document with 40 passing touchdowns as a sophomore, happening to turn into the Massive 12’s offensive participant of the 12 months final season at Colorado.
On sport days, Deion’s twin roles have been at all times on show simply earlier than kickoff. Deion would stroll down the sideline and again with Shedeur, a convention they shared since youth soccer. On the best way down, Sanders was a coach. On the best way again, a father.
“I had no clue that occurred,” Jones mentioned. “That’s a particular bond.”
Colorado’s new-look roster nonetheless has some carryover from Sanders’ sons being on the staff.
By means of his recruitment, Seaton, a freshman All-American at left deal with, constructed a relationship with Shedeur, who he mentioned taught him to “be legendary” and to steer with motion.
“Coming in as a freshman with numerous expectation, you type of stroll on eggshells since you don’t wish to screw nothing up,” Seaton mentioned. “Getting my ft beneath me, it’s simply being assured and understanding who I’m and understanding I’m one of the best participant on that subject, and after I stroll in any room, carry myself a sure manner and translate that on the sphere.”
Lewis additionally constructed a relationship with Shedeur, the QB he’s making an attempt to succeed.
“It’s undoubtedly a blessing to have a man like him that simply came to visit prime of me,” Lewis mentioned.
Left deal with Jordan Seaton is likely one of the key playmakers for Colorado in 12 months 3 beneath Deion Sanders. (Ron Chenoy / Imagn Photos)
Deion Sanders once more appeared to the switch portal to bolster his roster, including guard Zy Crisler, a three-year starter for Illinois. Jehiem Oatis, a four-star switch from Alabama, ought to be a lift to the defensive position.
However Sanders’ reliance on the portal has lessened. Simply over half of his incoming class is transfers, a far cry from the overall overhaul in his first and second seasons when the overwhelming majority of his newcomers have been transfers.
Together with dropping their quarterback, changing Hunter means the Buffaloes will lose their greatest receiver and defensive again. Shilo Sanders is considered one of seven starters gone from the Buffaloes protection. The staff’s prime 4 receivers are gone, too. Three offensive line starters return, together with Seaton.
“We don’t have one of the best QB in America anymore. We’re going to need to play protection. It’s on us,” mentioned defensive position coach Warren Sapp, a Professional Soccer Corridor of Famer promoted from graduate assistant this offseason.
Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston may need been the largest retention for the Buffaloes all offseason, apart from Sanders himself. Sanders made the longtime Bengals assistant a first-time play caller a season in the past.
He improved the Buffaloes protection from one hundred and fifteenth in yards per play to thirty third, and helped them leap from 124th in scoring to forty second with a lot of the identical personnel, save just a few key additions at cross rusher. Colorado practically doubled his pay this offseason, upping it from $800,000 to $1.5 million.
“That needed to be the No. 1 function,” Sanders mentioned. “Rob was on everyone’s listing to try to safe his providers. He deserves every little thing he’s acquired coming after which some.”
Stated Livingston: “I say I used to be the canine on the aspect of the highway that individuals drove by and say, ‘That’s an excellent trying canine, however we’re good.’ They introduced me in. They modified my life, modified my household’s life. It’s my job to not allow them to down.”
A season in the past, Livingston mentioned he was enjoying “Ted Lasso,” making an attempt to get his gamers to imagine in what they have been going to be with little proof to indicate them. This 12 months, perception is far simpler to come back by, even with a rebooted roster.
“I really feel like we can have a greater staff, I actually do. I do know we had just a few phenomenal gamers you’ll see get drafted, however as a staff, I really feel like we’re higher on each traces, higher within the backfield — particularly with the addition of Marshall Faulk,” Sanders mentioned.
Faulk’s arrival as operating backs coach is proof of Sanders doubling down on hiring NFL legends (and his buddies) with little to no teaching expertise to fill out his employees.
“You don’t get higher information. He was within the backfield with Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner telling them about protections,” Sapp mentioned. “We’re each right here for Prime. We’re not right here for cash. We’re going handy him that championship trophy.”
Domata Peko, a 15-year NFL veteran, and Gunnar White are new coaches for the defensive and offensive traces. Former Buffaloes star and NFL veteran Andre Gurode, who spent the previous two seasons teaching within the UFL, is an assistant offensive line coach. Sanders shared digicam time alongside each Faulk and Sapp on NFL Community.
Faulk mentioned he’s been saying no to teaching alternatives since retiring in 2005. Lately, he’s taken Sanders’ calls and been drawn into the occupation. He takes over a backfield that ranked 133rd out of 134 groups in yards per carry.
“I can assure we’re going to be higher,” Faulk mentioned.
“I’m addicted. I by no means thought I needed this job. However, oh, my God do I find it irresistible,” Sapp mentioned. “The infants react to it, and we’re having enjoyable.”
The face and voice of Colorado soccer will nonetheless be the identical, even because the names and faces on the sphere and sidelines have shifted forward of Sanders’ third 12 months in Boulder.
Nearly each morning, Sanders posts a motivational message to his 1.8 million followers on X and 5.2 million followers on Instagram. And for a little bit bit, he’ll scroll. When he does, he’ll see one impression of final 12 months’s 9-4 marketing campaign that makes him smile.
Reminders of his 4-8 debut season that included eight losses within the staff’s last 9 video games are sparse.
“My God, I haven’t heard that and mentioned that in a very long time. That was once on social media on a regular basis,” Sanders mentioned. “I by no means see it anymore.”
(High photograph: Ron Chenoy / USA Right this moment)