After suffering a 28-10 humiliating loss to the underdog Nebraska Cornhuskers, Head Coach Deion Sanders recognized that adjustments were crucial for the Buffaloes to rebound. Consequently, Prime has set up a blueprint to get his team back on track as their faceoff with Colorado State on September 14 inches closer.
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As CU arrived at Colorado State, the head coach called for a team meeting with his players to have a heart-to-heart discussion about their performance and mindset. Shifting the focus from winning the game, Sanders asked everyone to first execute a great play, saying,
“You want to have a great game, right? Let’s minimize that a little bit. I want you to focus on having a great play.”
Deion essentially asked his squad to break the game down into smaller components—where every single play matters. By focusing on the specifics and blocking out distractions caused by errors during the game, the team could improve, as argued by the head coach.
The idea is simple—not allowing one misstep to overshadow their focus on the next play. The plan further emphasizes building on every executed play, defensive move, or tackle to set a solid foundation for a better overall showing.
Besides, Deion made it clear that this strategy wasn’t solely focused on the offense; the defense also needed to contribute to this mindset.
“Do not let that quarterback flush out of the pocket,” he told his defensive players, emphasizing the importance of sticking to the basics and executing simple, short tasks correctly.
Their main goal is to achieve stops by staying disciplined and maintaining a steady momentum in their favor. Every crucial defensive action such as a tackle or forcing a turnover had the potential to turn the game in CU’s direction.
“Just a great play. Just a great block. Great seal, great pin. Just hit that hole for one more yard. Just something great, one play at a time,” Coach Prime elaborated.
Especially, his motto, “one play at a time” suggested how the CU squad should not give up grinding through the tough moments like executing blocks and tackles or pushing for extra yardage.
Interestingly, Deion is not concerned about the immediate future. He wants his players to realize that to succeed in NCAA Football or the NFL, one doesn’t simply excel during the game but also establishes dominance during practice sessions, film room sessions, and in gyms. It is the place where professional footballers are molded into champions.
“If you want to go pro, you gotta dominate. You can’t just be an average player. Average players don’t go pro. Dominant players go pro,” he continued.
In Deion’s view, if his players could embrace this less glamorous but crucial mindset, they wouldn’t just succeed in the next game but also throughout their entire football careers.
Thus, as the Buffaloes get ready to play against Colorado State, Coach Prime wants each player to take more ownership, but in a way that improves their individual game in the long run.
