Deion Sanders promises change amid Shedeur Sanders taking hits in the pocket

Saturday’s nights matchup between the Colorado offensive line and UCLA’s defensive front was one of the biggest mismatches on paper coming into the game. It certainly played out that way in the first half and the Bruins’ defensive front absolutely pummeled Colorado star quarterback Shedeur Sanders repeatedly.

He was pressured 14 times, hit 14 times, knocked down 11 times, and sacked five times. Heading into halftime, Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders promised change after his star quarterback was taking way too many hits in the first half on Saturday evening.

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“We’ve gotta get the ball out of the quarterback’s hands. We’ve gotta be able to run the ball. We’ve got to do something,” Sanders frustratingly said to ESPN’s Holly Rowe at the half.

Shedeur Sanders needed an injection to deal with pain

Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders received some sort of injection to help play through the pain against UCLA on Saturday, his father and head coach Deion Sanders said in the postgame press conference. The injection, which Deion Sanders said was to “block” the pain, was not described in detail.

Deion Sanders repeatedly in his press conference after the loss harped on the need to better protect the quarterback, both to protect the player and the function of the offense. The array of hits that Shedeur Sanders sustained on Saturday were among the most consistent and fierce that he has taken this season.

He was pressured 24 times, hit 17 times, knocked down 13 times, and sacked seven times, according to the stats given by the ABC broadcast.

“Offensively we’ve gotta improve, you see that. Quarterback is taking a beating. He got an injection at halftime. Probably shouldn’t tell you that but you know I’m 100. Just to block some of the pain. So I’m going to give him the next few days off so he can at least be mobile because I know once that block is off, he’s going to feel it tonight. We’ve gotta do a better job of protecting him,” Deion Sanders said postgame.

And along with repeatedly hammering home the need to get better on the offensive line, Deion also clarified that Shedeur isn’t specifically injured, just banged up and sore after taking so many hits.

“I don’t know, he’s hurting everywhere. Trust me,” Sanders said.

Up next for Colorado, they’ll face the Oregon State Beavers on Saturday, Nov. 4th.

On3’s Andrew Graham also contributed to this article.