Deion Sanders Issues Strong Demand from CU Coaches after Labeling Julian Lewis & Co. ‘Soft’

Colorado’s season opener against Georgia Tech turned into one of Week 1’s more disappointing performances. The Buffaloes fell 27-20 to the Yellow Jackets, getting outgained 463-305 in total offense while allowing 320 rushing yards. The most frustrating part was the clock management disaster in the final minutes by Deion Sanders. With 1:07 left and two timeouts remaining in their pocket, Sanders burned precious seconds without calling a timeout and ultimately had to settle for desperate Hail Mary attempts, which did not work out in the end. ESPN’s Dusty Dvoracek called it “really poor clock management,” questioning why Sanders didn’t use those timeouts when every second mattered.

The aftermath brought criticism directed at Sanders, his coaching staff, and the players, with many questioning everything from play-calling to game management. Pat Shurmur’s conservative offensive approach came under fire, while the defense’s inability to stop Georgia Tech’s rushing attack had fans wondering if this team was ready for prime time. But here’s what we know about Coach Prime: adversity doesn’t break him; it fuels him. This moment called for the leadership that made him legendary.

The players witnessed that leadership in a brutally honest team meeting where Deion Sanders addressed the entire team. And that meeting turned into a masterclass of accountability and commitment. In a video by WellOff Media, Coach Prime was captured saying, “You’re here because you chose to be. Am I right or wrong? Anybody forcing you? Anybody got a gun on you, forcing you to come to practice, come to work, come to do the best that you can. Anybody? You chose to be here. Am I correct?” This was a fundamental challenge to each player’s mindset. Deion Sanders framed the athletes’ presence at Colorado as a choice rather than an obligation that was forced on them. Sanders was forcing his players to take ownership of their commitment level and examine whether they were truly invested in what the program was building.

Sanders drove home his point with characteristic bluntness about what happens when commitment wavers. “So why don’t you make the most of it, because it’s your choice. Some of you can say, ‘I made a bad decision.’ Cool. You can correct it. Get in the portal right after the season. I’m good with that. I’m cool with that.” His matter-of-fact tone about losing players shows he’d rather have a smaller roster of committed players than a larger one filled with doubt. The message was to either commit completely to making the most of your opportunity at Colorado or find somewhere else to play.

Looking ahead, Deion Sanders and his Buffaloes face a crucial stretch including Delaware, Houston, Wyoming, and BYU games, where they can’t afford another performance like the Georgia Tech opener. His ultimatum to the roster was about ensuring that when they face these next challenges, every player on the field wants to be there and is willing to give everything they have. The choice, as Sanders made crystal clear, is entirely theirs.

Sanders demands coaches stay true to their standards

Right after Sanders delivered that harsh reality check to his players about either committing or hitting the transfer portal, he had some equally tough words for his coaching staff. Sanders made it absolutely clear that his assistants better not start going soft on players who can’t handle the heat. “Coach do not change your character to compensate for these soft men. Don’t change your character. Do not change your character,” You can tell this wasn’t friendly advice. This was Sanders laying down the law for his entire coaching staff. He knows exactly what happens when coaches start bending their standards to make players feel better about themselves: the whole program starts falling apart from the inside out.

What Sanders is really getting at here goes way beyond just staying tough with players. He’s talking about keeping that authentic leadership that separates good programs from great ones. “Be who you are. Be who God has called you to be because we got a multitude of people that want to do right. We just got a few that want to do wrong,” he told his coaches. He gets this reality, and he’s protecting his coaches from making the mistake of changing who they are just to appease the few players who can’t handle being coached hard.

Coach Prime is creating this unified front where nobody gets to play games or make excuses. His players know they have a choice: buy in completely or find somewhere else to play. His coaches know they have a directive: stay true to who they are, no matter who likes it or doesn’t. He’s creating an environment where accountability runs both ways and everyone knows exactly what’s expected of them. Those who can’t handle this level of intensity and commitment simply don’t belong in what Sanders is building at Colorado.