BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — If anyone is smiling bigger these days than Deion Sanders at offensive linemen landing in the transfer portal, it’s his son at quarterback.
Shedeur Sanders completed nearly 70% of his passes this season but was sacked an NCAA-high 52 times as Colorado finished 4-8. He was so battered that he missed the Buffs’ final game with a broken back.
His father told The Associated Press on a Zoom call Monday that he expects Shedeur to return to the center for the Buffs’ spring practices.
“Oh yes, absolutely. It would be,” said Sanders. He just needs some rest and recovering a little because he took a pretty bad beating. And that pushed some things inside me to do some things differently because the beating he took – people sometimes forget that I’m not only his coach, but this is my son – so I understand that this is not the way things are supposed to go.
“We played in youth league, high school and at an HBCU and we’ve never been beaten like that before,” Sanders added. “So, something had to change in that aspect.”
Political cartoon
The first change was the hiring of former Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Phil Loadholt to be the team’s offensive line coach. Sanders then set about bolstering his line through the transfer portal, which he likens to the quick fixes that can be found in NFL free agency.
In a wide-ranging interview with the AP, Coach Prime also said his son QB was happy with the guys coming to Boulder to bolster his protection and allow the Buffaloes to balance out and bolster the offense.
“He’s ecstatic, but more than anything else, he’s thinking about football, he’s thinking, ‘Okay, now we have more balance. Now we have to display the running game. You have eight players in the box trying to stop the run. Now you have 1 on 1 in the outside.
“Not only have we updated the line, I don’t know if you’ve seen the receivers. This is the start we’re bringing here,” Sanders said. “So everything has taken it tremendously to another level. Defensemen, we brought them out sporadically to keep people waiting. But we were able to solve the whole problem but maybe one defensive tackle. We’ve already got commitments from others so we’re in good shape now, we’re at fullback and a couple of DBs and we can call it a day.
The Buffaloes’ weakness up front and in the offensive backfield were the main reasons the team lost eight of nine games after turning the world of college football upside down during a 3-0 start.
Sanders has appeared on the cover of Time magazine and was named Sports Illustrated’s Athlete of the Year. He accepted that award earlier this month at an event that included the premiere of Season 2 of “Coach Prime,” an Amazon Prime Video docu-series offering an inside look at the CU program.
He said all of these things helped him get recruited through the transfer portal and high schools.
Although most shows still keep a tight lid on their behind-the-scenes work, Sanders embraces social media, the transparency, and the candid nature that comes with 24/7 cameras.
“I haven’t met a kid yet who said they didn’t want more followers, attention, focus, or didn’t want more opportunities for NIL or group groups,” Sanders said. “I’ve met coaches who don’t know how to handle the media and the attention in the spotlight. But I’ve been in this business since 1985. So this is nothing new to me. I know this business.
“I’ve worked in television for 19 years as well. So I understand this wholeheartedly. So I’ve sat in every seat as a player, a coach, a parent and as a media personality as well. So I kind of understand all those trappings and what these kids really want,” Sanders said. “Most coaches want to be perceived the way they want to be perceived when they want to be perceived.”
Sanders said whether he wins or loses, he wants the cameras there.
“It’s a tremendous blessing to me because you’re using this as a recruiting tool, a mentorship tool, a pitching tool. There’s nothing negative for me,” Sanders said.
The small number of aides leaving Boulder and the sprinkling of decommitments was normal attrition and nothing to worry about, Sanders said.
When asked about his alma mater, Florida State, which was undefeated but was left out of the College Football Playoff because its star quarterback was injured, Sanders said he only wished he had such concerns in Boulder but felt expanding the playoffs to 12 teams next year It will prevent similar disdain.
“Expansion is going to help it tremendously. I love it. I love it for us. I love it for a lot of schools, a lot of coaches. I love it. I really do,” Sanders said.
He added that he is eager for CU to move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12 next season along with Utah, Arizona and Arizona State.
“We plan to make a huge impact on the Big 12,” he said. “I mean you can see what we did in the portal and you’ll see on Wednesday what we did in the high school. And you might see a surprise or two where you’ll say, ‘Wow, like’ they’re building something special.”
“When people see the midfielders we keep, they have to say: ‘Dang, they’re really thinking not just about the moment; “Right now. They’re taking the future because everyone knows Chidior is going to be that guy. But look what they’ve built behind him.”
Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll all season long. Register here.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
It has been a challenging road to recovery for Shedeur Sanders, but the talented quarterback is ready to make his long-awaited return to the football field. After suffering a back injury that sidelined him for an extended period of time, Sanders has been cleared to participate in Spring Ball in Colorado. Coach Prime, speaking to the AP, expressed his excitement for Sanders’ comeback and the impact he will undoubtedly have on the team. With his undeniable talent and determination, Sanders is poised to make a significant impact as he returns to the field.