FOUNTAIN — Deion Sanders’ bravado was on another level during his days as “Prime Time,” a Pro Football Hall of Fame football player, and it hasn’t dimmed as he enters his fourth season leading the University of Colorado football program as Coach Prime.
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While the lights in the press room bounced right off his designer shades Thursday morning, Sanders made a rare admission, briefly dropping his trademark swagger: He’d been uncomfortable with what stood before him at the team’s camp in Colorado Springs this week.
“A lot of deer here,” Sanders said. “You know, Black folks ain’t used to that. I went on my morning walk as usual and came like 10 yards within a deer. We made eye contact and I said, ‘You got it, dog. It’s you. It’s your world. I don’t know nothing. I’m gone.’”
CU’s coach is becoming more familiar with the state’s lush backyard an hour south of Denver. He’s less willing to talk about the noise surrounding his program after the Buffs went 3-9 in 2025.
“I can try my best to sit here and turn my neck all the way around, and it won’t go backwards,” the 58-year-old said. “I’m right here, man. I’m right here.”
To Sanders’ point, a lot has changed within his program since this time last year. The Buffs brought in 43 players through the transfer portal.
They have a new offensive coordinator in Brennan Marion, who led Sacramento State from 3-9 to 7-5 in his lone season as head coach in 2025. He brings his fast-paced “Go-Go” offense with him to Boulder.
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Linebackers coach Chris Marve was promoted to defensive coordinator, replacing Robert Livingston, who left to become the Denver Broncos’ pass game coordinator.
Fernando Lovo was named CU’s new athletic director, succeeding Rick George, who transitioned into a special advisor role with the chancellor.
Despite the overhaul, many outside the program don’t believe the changes will translate into more wins in 2026. USA TODAY and Sporting News both project the Buffs to finish 15th in the 16-team Big 12 Conference, while CBS Sports ranked them 15th in its preseason power rankings. DraftKings has CU’s win total set at 4.5.
“I have no pressure,” Sanders said. “That’s a single mom trying to make ends meet, and she has to be the mother, the father, the provider, the disciplinarian and everything. There’s a person laying in the hospital right now with cancer. Today, someone has bad news that they may have a multitude of weeks to live. That’s pressure.”
Sanders himself spent much of the past year, including spring practice, battling bladder cancer. In June, he announced he was cancer-free.
“This is football. I’m really good at this,” Sanders said. “I can play this. I can coach this. I can do this. You don’t believe, (then) you don’t believe. God bless you.”
