KirkHerbstreit explains what Deion is going to do for Colorado. There is a time and a place for this.
The highest level of college football has been reached by Deion Sanders, and he's in Colorado.
The man who transformed Jackson State's program the past few years was named Colorado's new coach. After interviewing for several Power 5 jobs, it was only a matter of time before he got a job at the FBS. Instead of staying in the South, where he spent most of his playing career and his entire coaching career, he's headed to a completely new region with the goal of reviving a once-elite Colorado program that has faded from view for much of the past 20 years.
Rick George said that he was confident that Prime would lead the program back to national prominence.
In today's college football climate, the transfer portal and name, image and likeness are the most important factors. He is the first black coach for a Power 5 program. Since the 2003 season, the program is 89-151.
What it means for Colorado is the focus of a group of people.
Colorado has finished in the bottom half of the conference in each of the last two years, but the program has a lot of potential due to its location. It is an ideal landing spot for a coach like Sanders, whose fast-rising reputation as a head coach, recruiting and face of a program was going to garner him a Power 5 job sooner rather than later. The Buffaloes needed an injection of energy because they were lagging behind their peers. The ability to institute a culture that will stand out in the Pac-12 is one of the things that will be brought by Sanders. Colorado has made a home out of the conference cellar over the past decade, which means that any success in Boulder will be appreciated.
He had interviewed for Power 5 jobs in the past but needed an opportunity. Although he has never worked in Colorado, the program has shown it can compete with the best in the country. Colorado needs to recruit Texas, where Sanders lives, and give immediate improvements. Colorado's brand needs a boost as it is somewhat of a forgotten program in the Pacific-12. Colorado has a good history of hiring black coaches. The school has hired three Black coaches in a row. The Buffaloes have at least four coaches who are black.
The better question is why. Colorado needs a coach with name recognition and clear recruiting chops in order to get a jump-start on its program, and that's exactly what they're going to get. The No. 1 recruit in the country last year was flipped by Sanders on signing day. Bringing in a coach with Jackson's reputation will make Colorado relevant again in the minds of recruits. The pressure to win right away is lessened by the fact that Jackson is up with Colorado.
Jackson State needed only two full seasons to be considered the best in the conference. For the second year in a row, the Tigers went perfect in the conference. Colorado is about accepting a bigger challenge after Jackson State had only one victory by a margin of less than 10 points. With USC and UCLA moving to the Big Ten, the budget of a Power 5 program will allow them to maximize their strengths, such as recruiting.
It's not going to be a one-year change like what DeBoer and Riley did at Washington and USC. The coaches led teams to double-digit wins after they had gone 4-7 in the previous season. This Colorado program will take more than just a couple of changes and additions if it is to be rebuilt. The Buffaloes need to break out the bulldozer and find a solution to the issues. He feels like a hire who will tear it all down. Don't finish last in thePac-12 should be the bar for the first year.
Win up to $1 million with your bowl picks. Pick your favorites.
Colorado's roster is in a poor state. There was an exodus of good players to the transfer portal last winter. Some of the best players from Jackson State will be moving to Colorado immediately. The team's performance this season was worse than any other season. There is a moderate improvement that can be made in the portal era. In the first year, it will be difficult to get into a bowl game, but the atmosphere will change and the talent level will improve.
The season should be considered a success if Colorado plays more competitive games and gets more exposure than it has in the past. Colorado is making games more interesting and fun by putting a 312 hour walking billboard on the road. Though this will be a much more difficult transition, I am not going to rule anything out because it did not take long for Sanders to win at Jackson State.
Making the roster better and improving the talent is the biggest challenge for the Colorado team. The only first- or second-team all-conference player on the Buffaloes was Landman. It shouldn't take more than two years for him to change the roster through the transfer portal and recruiting. He is going to be one of the best closers in the country because of his recruiters.
Recruiting won't be just about trying to beat the Florida States of the world for a top player now that Sanders has shown he can recruit. Building a program from the ground up is what it's going to be about. Colorado won't necessarily benefit from a single five star player. The foundation of local and regional recruiting will need to be created.
The key will be staffing. There needs to be at least a few coaches who have worked in the Power 5 and thePac-12. Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek had some concerns about the staff that Sanders would put together to compete in the SEC. The face of the program and lead elements like NIL will need a larger and more experienced supporting cast. He needs time to figure out what strategies will work best for this program in an unfamiliar region.
Recruiters and player personnel staff who know the strengths of the region and already have connections in the general recruiting area will be important. If he wanted to, he could probably recruit nationally, but honing in on some key spots would be beneficial.
Colorado lost 10 games by 23 points or more this year. It has to be for the Buffaloes to be competitive in the first season. The culture will be focused on the details. If Colorado can win three or four games in Prime's first year, it would be a huge step forward.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
