PAC-12 Coach Says Colorado/Deion Is Lose-Lose Situation

The University of Colorado made the splash of the off-season when they hired Deion Sanders as head coach.

Sanders immediately brought a swagger, new attitude and increased expectations to Boulder.

But he also brought an incredible amount of roster turnover.

And while the Buffaloes didn’t exactly have the strongest roster during the 2022 season, not everyone is convinced the massive influx of transfers will be that successful.

In fact, according to Athlon Sports, one anonymous Pac-12 head coach said he believes it’s a “lose-lose” situation.

“It feels like a lose-lose for Colorado with Prime. Either he’s gonna be really good really fast and leave for another gig, which, looking at that roster doesn’t seem possible,” the coach said. “The alternative is that they’re gonna be bad, and they’ll end up firing him in a big circus.”

The coach also wondered about Sanders’ ability to handle the increased adversity from playing in a major conference.

“Jackson State was so good because they could get FBS-level guys and beat on FCS rosters. That won’t happen here. They’re not a good roster right now. How does he handle losing big? We haven’t seen that.”

BOULDER, COLORADO - APRIL 22: Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes watches as his team warms up prior to their spring game at Folsom Field on April 22, 2023 in Boulder, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Would Deion Sanders Bolt After A Big Season?

The anonymous coach makes a valid point.

Sanders is clearly an ambitious coach with aspirations above coaching at Colorado.

If he engineers a rapid, impressive turnaround in Boulder, NFL teams could come calling sooner rather than later.

How would he handle the temptation of coaching at the highest level?

And if he’s unable to bring Colorado back to contention, the university will have invested significant money, time and resources and hurt their longer term roster construction in the process.

That said, Colorado had to take a big swing with their latest coaching hire. Years of mediocrity, or worse, weren’t working either.

The Buffaloes made themselves a destination; must-see TV overnight by hiring Sanders.

That may have been a big enough win to justify potential losses down the road.