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Deion Sanders Tells Current Colorado Football Players to Look into Transferring as He Takes Over

Alexis Jones
·3 min read
Deion Sanders, CUs new head football coach, takes questions in the Arrow Touchdown Club during a press conference on December 4, 2022 in Boulder, Colorado. CU held an introductory press conference to announce the hiring of Deion Coach Prime Sanders as the schools new head football coach. Chancellor Phil DiStefano and athletic director Rick George accompanied Sanders into a packed room in the Arrow Touchdown Club inside the Dal Ward Athletic Center. Sanders becomes the 28th head coach in Buffalo football history. Sanders, who known as Prime Time during his Hall of Fame playing career has since transitioned into Coach Prime as a head football coach. Sanders, 55, joins the CU program from Jackson State University where in three seasons the Tigers compiled a 27-5 record and won back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championships.

Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty

Incoming Colorado University head coach Deion Sanders told the current team to consider entering the transfer portal because of changes he plans to make to the football program.

"We got a few positions already taken care of because I'm bringing my luggage with me," Sanders addressed a room full of players on Sunday. "It ain't gonna be no more of a mess that these wonderful fans, the student body and some of your parents have put up with for probably two decades now.

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"I'm coming, and when I get here, it's gonna be changed. So I want y'all to get ready to go ahead and jump in the portal and do whatever you're gonna get because if more of you jump in, the more room you make because we bringing kids that are smart and tough," Sanders continued, having his players repeat "smart" and "tough" after him.

In a Sunday press conference in Boulder where he was officially announced as Colorado's next head coach, Sanders pointed to his son Shedeur, saying "This is your quarterback."

"He's gonna have to earn it though. The safety made me made mad so I didn't bring [him]," Sanders said, in reference his other son, Shiloh, who Sanders said is in "my doghouse right now."

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Like his father, Shedeur plans to leave Jackson State for Colorado after an undefeated season, in which they went 12-0. Sanders has also taken the team to a 27-5 overall record and two SWAC championships, including a 43-24 win in the SWAC title game on Saturday.

At the press conference, Sanders further spoke about his intentions to revitalize the program after Colorado finished their season with a 1-11 record, and only one winning season since moving to the Pac-12 Conference in 2011.

Deion Sanders, CUs new head football coach, talks to a packed audience in the Arrow Touchdown Club during a press conference on December 4, 2022 in Boulder, Colorado. CU held an introductory press conference to announce the hiring of Deion Coach Prime Sanders as the schools new head football coach. Chancellor Phil DiStefano and athletic director Rick George accompanied Sanders into a packed room in the Arrow Touchdown Club inside the Dal Ward Athletic Center. Sanders becomes the 28th head coach in Buffalo football history. Sanders, who known as Prime Time during his Hall of Fame playing career has since transitioned into Coach Prime as a head football coach. Sanders, 55, joins the CU program from Jackson State University where in three seasons the Tigers compiled a 27-5 record and won back-to-back Southwestern Athletic Conference championships.

Helen H. Richardson/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty

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"It is my job and my occupation and my business, and my dream, to bring you back to where you know you should belong," Sanders told CU boosters, alumni and leaders. "We're going to have one of the best coaching staffs assembled, some of the best scouts, some of the best kids that we're recruiting, [with] commitments already coming on the way as I speak."

"And now that I've gotten here and I see it, and I understand it … and I can grasp it and I can touch and I can feel it and I can taste it, I truly understand what you want," he continued. All you want is an opportunity to win, to compete, to dominate, to be amongst the elite, to be amongst the best. And darn it, I'm going to give you that."

"We're going to be good. We're really going to be good," he added.