Deion Sanders is gearing up for an emotional season as he heads into his second year coaching at Colorado with his two youngest sons, Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. The upcoming season is important because the two young athletes are expected to enter the NFL Draft in 2025.
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With the season opener against North Dakota State approaching, there is a shared feeling that this year could be precious for both the family and the team. Joel Klatt, Fox Sports lead college football analyst too feels the same. And he predicts the team to get to 8 wins this year.
During a conversation with Josh Pate, Klatt discussed how returning starters in important spots is a big plus point for Colorado. For instance, Shedeur Sanders, Coach Prime’s son, and the team’s QB, who is already being recognized as a top 10 pick in the upcoming NFL draft, has made a comeback.
Klatt pointed out that having experienced players like Shedeur in key positions can help the performance of the team. He noted that in the last year, despite facing six strong opponents, Colorado was able to keep five of those games super close until the final quarter.
The analyst believes that this season, with the return of players and improvements along both lines, Colorado is in a stronger position. Unlike last year’s schedule, featuring top Pac-12 quarterbacks, this year’s lineup looks more manageable.
With these factors in mind, Klatt confidently predicts that Colorado could secure a minimum of eight wins or, maybe even more. As CBS’s sports analyst, Josh Pate joined the discussion and he shifted the focus onto Deion Sanders and his influence in college football.
Coach Prime Stands Under Scrutiny
While Deion Sanders often grabs headlines, not all of them resonate positively. However, Josh Pate still deeply respects the ex-NFL star’s influence on the sport. The analyst said:
“Not necessarily crazy about some of the stuff he’s done, don’t always green-check-mark everything he says, but I love that he’s there.”
Pate believes that Deion makes college football more interesting even if his style is hugely different.
When Sanders took over, the team was unpopular and struggled to attract fans to the stadium. Today, all thanks to Coach Prime’s personality, Buffs are a big deal in collegiate football discussions and ticket money is rolling in.
Deion isn’t worried about winning over everyone. What matters to him most is that people are taking notice of Colorado which is hands down, a stark contrast to the previous anonymity. What might surprise many is that beneath Deion’s flashy image lies a coach with old-school sensibilities than meets the eye.
Pate has observed that Sanders has high expectations from his players–not only during games but also in every aspect of their lives, including their behavior off the field and in the weight room. There’s no doubt that it is Coach Prime’s principles and leadership that have helped CU to come back to a semblance of preparedness.
