Deion Sanders is always working — always working to try and get a leg up on the competition for himself and his Colorado Buffaloes. Last year, after a thrilling 3-0 start to his debut with the Buffs, the bottom fell out and his guys finished the 2023 season 4-8.
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But things have been different this year. His program was sitting pretty at 6-2 prior to their November 9 matchup with Texas Tech. That record earned them a spot in the top 25, their first ranking since Coach Prime took over.
Sitting at No. 21 in the nation and with a bowl trip on the horizon, Sanders isn’t satisfied. He’s already thinking about 2025 and beyond. His son, Shedeur Sanders, is likely to be a top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. That means Neon Deion is going to need a new signal caller.
Enter Cole Leinart, son of former USC Heisman Trophy-winning QB Matt Leinart.
Since retiring from the NFL in 2012 after seven seasons in the league, Matt has been working for Fox’s marquee college football show, Big Noon Kickoff. On Saturday, with Leinart and the rest of the Big Noon crew on location in Texas for Colorado vs. Texas Tech, the former Cardinals QB came face-to-face with the never-stop attitude of Coach Prime.
Sanders came on the show as a guest on Saturday. During his time there, he made sure to use that platform to chide Leinart for his son’s recent decision to commit to SMU, rather than joining him in Boulder.
Sanders: I’m mad at you. You didn’t even consider me for your son, and I thought we were cool like that.
The Guys: Ohhhh, wow! *Laughs* Go on Matt, answer!
Leinart: What did you just say? … Well, hey, you know my number Prime. Call me, man.
Sanders: And you know I ain’t hard to find. And you know I ain’t hard to find.
Leinart: Hey Prime, I’m not hard to find either baby!
*Laughs*
"I'm mad at you, you didn't even consider me for your son, and I thought we were cool like that." @DeionSanders lets @MattLeinartQB hear it after his son, Cole Leinart, committed to SMU 😅🤣 pic.twitter.com/ljJrm8vD1F
— Big Noon Kickoff (@BNKonFOX) November 9, 2024
While it could have seemed like an uncomfortable situation, both men were clearly joking around tongue-in-cheek. At the tail-end of the conversation, everyone was laughing, so it was all in good fun.
Deion Sanders wasn’t blowing smoke about Cole either: the Buffaloes did give him an offer. Evidently, it wasn’t the right fit.
Cole Leinart is a 3-star prospect coming out of California
Cole has turned down offers from other top programs such as Pittsburgh, Arizona, Utah, and UNLV in favor of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas County, Texas. He cited the family-like feeling he got from his visit to SMU as something that influenced his decision (via ESPN).
“The culture they’re building at SMU — I just want to be a part of it. I love the coaching staff. They’re literally like family now. I just want to be part of what they have there.”
With the help of his father, who was the No. 10 overall pick of the 2006 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, Cole has become a three-star prospect. He’s the No. 81-rated QB in the nation for the 2026 class and the No. 158-ranked player overall in California, per 247Sports.
Leinart is a 6’3″, 190-pound right-hander who attended powerhouse high schools Mater Dei and Newport Harbor. He recently transferred to Redondo Union in Redondo Beach, California, ahead of his junior season this fall.
SMU was the first program to pursue Cole and offer him a scholarship, which likely contributed to his decision. He will look to live up to his father’s high college standards. Matt broke 16 program records while going 37-2 as the starter at USC from 2001 to 2005. His NFL career was decidedly less successful, with an 8-10 record as a starter.
