“I’m Just in It to Do Right”: Deion Sanders Talks Transfer Portal, Sends Classy Message to His Haters

Deion Sanders is living, breathing proof that the College transfer portal can be used to a program’s advantage all too well. After leaving Jackson State for greener pastures, or Colorado, the head coach made the Buffaloes relevant again. They struggled in Sanders’ debut year, but not his second. CU now boasts a 9-3 record, a Heisman Trophy winner, and two projected top-five draft picks.

If there’s one thing that helped Deion achieve this level of success, it’s the transfer portal. Everyone has now started using it all around college football, but at first, Deion was the only one to use it effectively. And boy, did he get criticized for it. It’s something he discussed in a recent podcast interview with Thee Pregame Show.

“Everybody knows I keep receipts,” said Sanders. “But I’m not in it for that. I’m just in it to do right, man — when wrong is an option.”

Sanders also shared how it all started. It all began when he hosted a youth football camp in Dallas, long before he became a coach. Sanders had coaches help him at the camp who are still on his staff today. A total of 1,200 people showed up to that event, and they seemed to be enamored by the way he coached.

“We created something out of nothing,” Sanders explained.

He didn’t just oversee three separate football age groups at the program, though—he also ran basketball and baseball. Both of his other sports youth programs managed to involve more than 20 age groups. Sanders also mentioned overseeing cheerleading and track and field groups. If that’s not uplifting the youth, nothing is.

Before Sanders knew it, these kids were advancing up through school and making efforts to stay as close to his tutelage as possible. When he accepted the coaching job at Jackson State, kids from those groups followed suit. “So, that was really the first transfer portal,” Sanders said.

 

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It’s a bit of a confusing analogy, but one that rings true, nonetheless. “The Deion Effect” is a thing in the sports world. For whatever reason, people are just extremely attracted to whatever Coach Prime is putting down. In all phases: coaching, media, and even in his immediate community.

Since arriving in Colorado, the enrollment rate has gone up. The price of football tickets has also skyrocketed, and game attendance numbers have followed as well. Colorado was a team that regularly ranked far below 50th in recruiting class year after year. This year, though, the 2025 class is already 38th and continues to rise.

It all just goes to show that Sanders was right. He knew he could make an immeasurable impact on college football, and he did. It’s not a story to hate, but rather one to envy and respect.