In the wake of quarterback Dominiq Ponder’s tragic death, the Colorado Buffaloes have made a difficult decision to honor their teammate. Understandably, Coach Prime gave his players a choice: take the day off in this difficult moment or begin spring football practice as scheduled. The Buffs’ roster knew what Ponder would have done, and they did exactly that.

“As you can imagine, man, the team is in a somber mood, the coaching staff as well. But when Coach Prime put it to the team just a few hours ago, like, what do y’all want to do tomorrow? Do y’all want to take that day off? Do y’all want to practice? And it was unanimous that Dom would want us to practice,” said an independent CU Buffs creator, JaKi, during his Sunday appearance on Thee Pregame Show.

“And he then, Dom, knows what our goals are this season, and he wouldn’t want us to take the first day off, even if it was to honor him. So team, the team is going to practice tomorrow.”

Colorado’s spring practices are scheduled to start today, March 2. Deion Sanders’ team will have 15 practices over the next five weeks before their Spring Game on April 11. It is unclear whether the team will have on-field drills, but as JaKi mentioned, the players will gather in the facility.

Ponder, a junior from Opa Locka, Florida, joined the Buffs from Bethune-Cookman University. In 2025, Ponder appeared in two games, attempting one pass and running the ball twice. He died on Sunday morning in a car accident. According to the Colorado State Patrol, the QB’s 2023 Tesla hit an electric pole after he lost control on a curve. The vehicle rolled down an embankment in Boulder County, leading to his death on the spot.

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

“The entire CU Athletics family is devastated at the tragic passing of Dominiq Ponder,” said Colorado AD Fernando Lovo. “He epitomized the values of passion, enthusiasm, leadership, toughness, and intelligence that were revered by his teammates and coaches alike. Our hearts go out to his family and all of his teammates during this difficult time.”

This heartbreaking loss has shaken the whole Colorado community.

A heartfelt tribute to Dominiq Ponder

Announcing the heartbreaking loss of sophomore QB, Dominiq Ponder, head coach Deion Sanders made a heartfelt tribute, calling him “one of my favorites.”

“God, please comfort the Ponder family, friends, & Loved ones. Dom was one of my favorites!” wrote Sanders. “He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”

Not only Deion but also his son Shedeur, a former Colorado QB who is now with the Browns, shared his grief, writing, “Hurt about this 💔. “Then, Ponder’s teammate QB Colton Allen wrote a heartfelt note.

“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” stated Allen. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”

Colorado OC Brennan Marion also paid tribute, writing, “Getting that call from his dad today didn’t feel real. Love you, Dom! God cover his family & our team, especially our QB room!”