Colorado’s season is slipping away, and now former Buffaloes tight end Sav’ell Smalls is calling out the fans still defending head coach Deion Sanders. Smalls, a former five-star recruit who medically retired last season, took to social media to question supporters who continue to back Sanders through a five-game losing streak.
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Smalls joined Colorado in 2023 after transferring from Washington, where he was the top recruit in the state’s 2020 class. He transitioned to tight end in 2024 before stepping away from football due to a severe medical diagnosis. Despite no longer being on the roster, Smalls posted a public statement on X reacting to the ongoing fan debate surrounding Sanders.
“All y’all in the comments funny lol,” Smalls posted via X. “I agree I was weak and my stats were weak. So what’s y’all argument for getting on your knees for Deion now?”
The Buffaloes (2-5, 0-4 Big 12) lost 57-24 at Oklahoma State on Saturday, though they led 24-23 at halftime. They gave up 24 straight points in the second half, losing for the fifth straight time as Oklahoma State finished with 598 yards.
The skid includes Northwestern (41-7), Texas Tech (27-24), and the Cowboys. The only wins for the Buffaloes came against Georgia Tech and Weber State. Colorado hasn’t won a Big 12 game since October 2025, and it is 5-14 since Sanders signed his $54M extension.
As for Smalls, he pushed back against criticism for speaking out about his former program after stepping away from football because of health issues. He pointed to the difficult emotional journey he endured while dealing with his diagnosis.
During fall camp last season, Smalls experienced episodes of temporary paralysis in his arms and legs but kept the condition to himself and continued playing. After experiencing more episodes during the fifth week of practice and a game, he informed the training staff.
An MRI revealed he had been born with spinal stenosis, a condition in which the spinal canal is narrower than normal and can compress the nerves. Despite considering spinal fusion surgery, the risk of paralysis remained high, leading him to walk away from football. Smalls had also struggled to find a role on the field, sitting behind Zach Atkins on the depth chart and recording just 74 special teams snaps in his final season.
Smalls’ comments carry weight because he was among the high-profile talents recruited to help build Sanders’ vision at Colorado. Having shared a locker room with the current squad before his career was cut short, his willingness to publicly criticize the program’s direction reflects growing frustration even among former players who once bought into the hype.
Sanders himself seems baffled by Colorado’s repeated mistakes, especially because he believes the team is disciplined in every other area of the program.
“We’re so disciplined in this and that, and this and that, and every darn thing we do, but it seems like as soon as we go in the field, we’re not disciplined,” Sanders said, according to Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today. “I really don’t understand it, because we are disciplined in every area of this program…Everything. But (when) we get on the field at the most critical moments, we blow it.”
Smalls didn’t leave Colorado on his own terms, and he isn’t the first former Buff to question how Sanders is running the program. Colorado needs four wins in its final five games to reach bowl eligibility, starting with Kansas State on Saturday, followed by Arizona State, No. 14 Houston, Cincinnati, and UCF. With criticism mounting, Sanders needs a win against the Wildcats to quiet some of the outside noise.