The 2024 season has barely ended for the Colorado Buffaloes, and Deion Sanders has already started making moves. Addressing the kicking unit, which struggled last season, the head coach has signed a 5-star Tennessee recruit, Elliott Arnold — a kicker who seems quite excited to join the Buffs.
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Hours after reports broke about the move, Elliott Arnold posted an image on his social media, showing what appears to be a mix of his McCallie High School jersey and Buffaloes jersey, with the text “Elliott Arnold Committed” written on the photo. He captioned the edited image with, “100% committed.”
100% Commited!! #SkoBuffs @McCallieFB @JoelBradford_4 @cosimp4real @JamesWilhoit25 @watson_kelcey @DeionSanders @CoachBox6 @theyoungcoach @CUBuffsFootball pic.twitter.com/9hEyQhYPdA
— Elliott Arnold (@ElliottArnold12) December 11, 2024
For football fans, there is nothing more beautiful of a sight than seeing a top recruit show genuine excitement about joining their team. Arnold’s two-word caption was just that for the netizens, as Buffs fans flooded his post with enthusiasm.
AWESOME! Welcome home!
— Todd Cotton (@topnation11) December 11, 2024
Welcome to the Black & Gold
— Boulder808 (@Boulder787) December 11, 2024
In the last two seasons, the Colorado Buffs’ kicking unit has struggled to add points to the table. Fans, with Arnold’s addition, hoped that they would finally be able to change that next year.
Kicking through the end zone coming at a stadium near you.
— gaga (@GMarceline69105) December 11, 2024
Welcome bro.. but serious question, can you kick the ball into the endzone on kickoffs?? This is a skillset that is very much needed in boulder. Skobuffs
— free smurk (@DeaconWoodyYSL) December 11, 2024
With a five-star rating from Kohl’s Kicking Camps, Coach Prime is definitely pinning his hopes on Arnold to solve his team’s kicking woes next season. “We’ll have touchbacks next year, I’ll promise you that,” Sanders had said during Buffs’ recent blowout victory against Oklahoma.
As per reports, Arnold’s five-star rating at Kohl’s Kicking Camp was a result of his impressive efficiency in landing multiple kicks through the back of the end zone. Amongst the countless field goals, Elliott Arnold also reportedly had a 67-yard score with an insane hang time of 3.4 seconds.
Stats and reports like these must be music to Deion Sanders’ ears. Though he has Mata and Feely still at his disposal, both come with their own issues. While Mata has issues in placing a proper kick, Jacob lacks accuracy.
Considering the Buffs kicking roster’s pre-existing woes, it’s hard to see Elliott Arnold as the one-stop solution. Depth is still an issue. So additional signings and exits are needed to refurbish the kicking unit. Regardless, starting the season preparation with a five-star prospect is a stellar start for Deion Sanders & Co.