Shedeur Sanders: Colorado will 'be ready this fall'

Tens of thousands of fans flooded Folsom Field in April for Colorado‘s spring game. It’s safe to say the Buffs’ fanbase has been highly anticipating the debut of head coach Deion Sanders since the hire was made.

According to Coach Prime’s son, and Colorado starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders — he’s doing everything he can ahead of the 2023 season to give the fans the product they’ve been desperately craving for years.

“I would definitely say the details improved and the preparation of everything,” Sanders said during Saturday’s edition of CFB Live. “Going out there with a real purpose every day in practice and knowing, just details with the ball placement and everything like that. So I’ll say, overall, lifting and running, it’s the most I’ve ever done. I’m overpreparing for this season, making sure our team’s ready. We’ll be ready this fall.”

Playing his first two collegiate seasons at the FCS level with Jackson State, Sanders has thrown 6,963 yards, 70 touchdowns compared to 14 interceptions through that time. His 21-3 record as a starter, including leading the Tigers to an 11-1 season in 2022, is impressive, but joining a Division I, Power Five conference is a massive leap. Will it translate to success on the field?

Many experts will tell you that it won’t. Colorado was picked to finish second to last in the preseason media poll after losing 57 players to the transfer portal and gaining only 50 commitments back. Despite having by far the most transfers on a single team, the Buffs rank No. 3 in On3’s 2023 College Football Team Transfer Portal Rankings. Louisville (27 incoming transfers) and USC (14 incoming) ranks No. 1 and No. 2, respectively.

Coach Prime has undoubtedly signed a few big guns out of the portal in the do-it-all Travis Hunter and former five-star EDGE Sav’ell Smalls, among others, but the majority of the talent were slated as three-star prospects coming out of high school. It’s made Colorado’s roster top-heavy in the sense that there’s a short list of elite talent in Boulder this season.

Colorado could surprise the college football world and take the Pac-12 by storm in Deion Sanders’ first season coaching on the big stage. It’s apparent that transfers, and in turn recruits, want to play for Coach Prime. If the Buffs can at least make a bowl game in 2023, it sets the tone for what could be a long, successful career for Sanders coaching at the FBS level.