He stunned fans with his announcement that he was heading to Boulder to be the next head football coach of The Colorado Buffaloes football team. He yells “Give me my theme music!” before games. He inspires players through speeches and thoughtful social media posts (@deionsanders). I am referring to the one and only Coach Prime: Deion Sanders. Deion Sanders has made serious noise in college football and the broader national landscape. Personally, I’ve fallen for the Prime Time hype.
Deion Sanders deserves an introduction. Due to his stellar and unrivaled performances in high school, his peers praised him with the nickname “Prime Time.” One of the greatest college football players ever, he returned punts and played cornerback for the Florida State Seminoles. He was also a varsity track runner, and baseball player; equally dominating all three sports. In 1989, he was drafted by both the New York Yankees and the Atlanta Falcons. He is the only person ever to play in a Super Bowl and a World Series. In 2011, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Later, he began coaching in youth football and got his first collegiate job at Jackson State University, an HBCU located in Jackson, MS. He then became dubbed “Coach Prime.”
Before Sanders, it was widely accepted that the 2022 version of the Colorado Buffs football team was grotesquely subpar, going 1-10, with a solitary win against the Golden Bears of California. Coach Prime’s first speech to his team upon taking over in 2023 can be summarized in two ruthless words, “Get out.” Immediately upon his arrival, 73 scholarship players bid goodbye to the Boulder-based team. Deion said this about the situation, “It had to be.” In a span of six months, Coach Prime stripped down the 2022 team and landed a slew of talented transfer players, including Travis Hunter, who played at Jackson State and was a 5-star high school recruit from Collins Hill in Sewanee, Georgia.
Toughness is not the only expectation on Deion’s team, he also requires consistency. For example, players’ apparel have to match on workout days with strict punishments to enforce the rule. All of this serves to hold his players accountable and to shape them into “responsible young men.”
To start the year, the Buffs beat TCU 45 – 42. This was viewed as a major upset that shocked the media, college football, and casual fans alike. Following the unforgettable game, Deion exclaimed, “Do you believe now?!” referencing his constant reminder to his players to “believe they are great.” He leads with intensity and passion, constantly telling reporters he coaches utilizing old-school techniques.
A week after Deion’s win against TCU, I found myself on a Saturday afternoon watching the Colorado Buffaloes play Nebraska. Deion and the Colorado Buffs had become must-watch television – and in the process, millions of college football fans were caught off guard – we were falling for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffs.
More recently, Coach Prime and the Buffs lost to the #8 ranked Oregon Ducks 42 – 6 and the #9 ranked USC Trojans 48 – 41. Some argue the fairytale is over. Not me. I believe Coach Prime is just getting started. You can consider me a Coach Prime fan for life. By the way, Coach Prime, I Do Believe!
