CU football will be in a sombre mood for some time now, in the wake of the devastating loss of Dominiq Ponder. The 23-year-old passed away on March 1 in a single-car crash. His teammates and staff have been honoring him in the days since. Recently, head coach Deion Sanders disclosed a special tidbit on Ponder and the massive future he had in Boulder. 

“Let me give you something that no one knows [about Ponder],” Coach Prime said on the We Got Time podcast. “He had number 22, which is unlike a quarterback’s number. I said, ‘You got to take one of these low numbers if you want it, you got to fight.’ And he worked his b–t off. In this season, he was going to wear number seven.”

Ponder transferred to Boulder in 2024, but was only able to begin his career in 2025. Playing only two games last season, the quarterback was hoping to play a bigger role this year. And just like Sanders said, he gave his all to earn it. Ponder’s page on Colorado’s official website formally lists him as No. 7 for the 2026 season. He was going to wear it when the Buffaloes squad hit the grounds for their spring practice on March 2.

Sadly, that will never happen. Coach Prime was actually keen on seeing Ponder debut his new jersey number. He nicknamed the QB ‘Black Flutie,’ in honor of Doug Flutie, who also switched from No. 22 to No. 7 when he was at Boston College. The latter won the Heisman during his collegiate career. Ponder was a three-star player coming out of high school, but if he had earned the single-digit honor, he could have also aimed to chart a prolific career at Colorado.

“It was tough, because you send a kid to college to become a man and to get an education, and to just soar through life,” Sanders added. “You don’t send a kid to college to lose him. And that’s the toughest thing for me to digest.” 

Dominiq Ponder was special to the Buffaloes. Coach Prime had given the team an option of skipping the first day of spring practice, but the team soldiered on. According to them, it was their way of honoring Ponder, and that he would want them to do the same. But Colorado is also planning a special gesture to continue remembering the beloved QB throughout the season.

Deion Sanders and the Colorado team’s tribute to Dominiq Ponder

Ponder will no longer be able to make the most of what could have been a great season for him. However, Colorado is planning to keep him close, having decided to wear his jersey number as a patch on their uniforms. However, the team was caught in a dilemma: 22 was something Ponder was known for, but 7 was the goal he had achieved.

Coach Prime pitched a few tribute designs such as“DOM,” “DP 7,” and “Dom.” But the team decided to go with “DP 22” for the whole season. The patch will be stitched on the left side of the jersey, just above the Nike swoosh. 

On March 7, Colorado will be organizing a special event in celebration of Dominiq Ponder’s life. Along with his family, Deion Sanders himself, and a few coaches will be part of the ceremony. The head coach will be closing with a powerful prayer, while Brennan Marion and Director of Player Personnel James Chaney are also expected to deliver speeches. It will be a fitting tribute for a player who left such a deep impact on the program.