Colorado finally had something to celebrate after its 27-24 overtime win over Kansas State on October 31. But Deion Sanders sparked another controversy when he struggled to recall his own running backs’ names during a press conference. For a coach already under scrutiny, the remark gave frustrated fans fresh ammunition.
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Running back Richard Young had just delivered his best performance of the season, rushing for 120 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries. When asked why Young hadn’t received more opportunities earlier, Sanders offered an unusual explanation.
“He could have, and he should have, because you’ve seen Moe, you know, Curly, Larry, whoever, all in the backfield. Not saying they’re the Three Stooges, but you know what I’m saying? You’ve seen multiple names. I can’t remember names to save my life, but he hadn’t gotten his opportunity, a true opportunity, and he got it,” Sanders said on November 3.
Although Sanders clarified that he wasn’t comparing his running backs to the Three Stooges, his admission about forgetting names immediately drew criticism.
“Every single week this guy gets up in front of a microphone and somehow finds a new way to look as stupid as humanly possible,” Colorado alum Moneyline Matt posted on X.
Another fan wrote, “lmaoooo he don’t know these boys.”
It wasn’t the first time Sanders had faced an awkward exchange involving a player’s name. Following Colorado’s 43-35 double-overtime victory over Colorado State in September 2023, he appeared confused when asked about true freshman center Hank Zalinskas, who had just made his first start.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m thinking Hankerson,” Sanders responded, referring to another player before mentioning that there were several different Hanks. He praised Zalinskas for stepping up but declined to evaluate his performance without reviewing the game film.
While that exchange occurred more than three years ago, the latest controversy raises an additional question about Sanders’ personnel decisions.
Before facing Kansas State, Young hadn’t received more than eight carries in a game this season. Yet when asked whether the running back had shown something new in practice, Sanders admitted he had recognized his talent “from the beginning.”
That raises the question of why a former Alabama running back, ranked as ESPN’s No. 22 national recruit in 2023, had waited until Colorado’s eighth game for a substantial workload.
“Sooner or later you gotta say, ‘He’s in,'” Sanders explained.
“The more carries that I was getting, the more hungry I was getting,” Young said.
Young became just the second Colorado player to rush for 100 yards in a game during Sanders’ four seasons, following Micah Welch earlier this year. Welch’s recent injury helped create the opening, and Young made the most of it.
Sanders confirmed that Young would start against Arizona State on Saturday but declined to guarantee a specific number of touches. His emergence could also ease pressure on quarterback Isaac Wilson, who avoided throwing an interception against Kansas State after recording seven across his previous three starts.
Still, Colorado’s problems extend beyond its backfield. The Buffaloes sit at 3-5 after a disappointing 3-9 campaign in 2025, a sharp decline from their 9-4 finish in 2024. Sanders holds a 19-26 record across four seasons in Boulder.
Former NFL MVP Cam Newton recently weighed in on Sanders’ future, suggesting his ability to connect with players and navigate modern college football might be better suited to a front-office position.
For now, Sanders is preparing Colorado for Arizona State, with Young set to receive another opportunity.
But the running back’s emergence has raised an uncomfortable question: If Sanders recognized his talent from the beginning, why did it take eight games to give him a significant workload? Combined with his latest press conference remarks, the situation has only intensified questions about his management of Colorado’s roster.