Coach Prime is angry— and it’s a good thing
Despite putting up 52 points against the FCS’ Weber State, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders isn’t happy with his team’s performance.
After winning by 31 points, Sanders hasn’t been complacent. He knows his team could be better, even though the numbers were in his favor. One number wasn’t, however. The Buffs committed 13 total penalties and gave up over 100 yards.
“We can’t win consistently with those types of penalties,” Sanders said after the game. “We’re better than that. We’re much better than that.”
That kind of dissatisfaction with the little things shows Sanders cares about his team and his players’ success. That was the energy and intensity the Buffs lacked last year. It led to complacency in games where they were down, rolled over, and let the other team walk over them.
Their final home game last year against the Arizona State Sun Devils was a microcosm of the Buffaloes’ culture.
Colorado was happy to punt four times in the second half after scoring on the first drive of the half to go ahead. After the Sun Devils ripped an 88-yard touchdown run to open the fourth quarter and go ahead by two scores, the Buffaloes just mailed in the loss before the final whistle. That energy shift was most prevalent after the game.
Colorado put up the most offensive yards in the Coach Prime era and matched its team high in points in that span. Still, Sanders was adamant his team “didn’t capitalize on offense.” His redshirt freshman quarterback set 10 school records and six different players found the end zone.
Even during CU’s Fall Sports Media Day, senior defensive back Ben Finneseth noted the energy shift.
“He’s pissed off. He’s a winner, he’s a competitor and he’s not gonna put up with the crap we did last year,” Finneseth said. “It’s not going to happen again.”
Colorado begins their year 2-0, a bright spot after winning just three games last year. The energy shift is largely due to a cancer-free Sanders.
“You could tell his health affected him a little bit last year, and he wasn’t where he wanted to be,” Finneseth said. “He’s brought us such a different mentality this season. That alone has made the intensity increase.”
Colorado is still 2-0 this year, which can’t be overlooked. Still, Coach Prime has shown renewed energy, fight and perfectionism this year, raising the standard for Colorado football. Colorado doesn’t have game-wreckers as it did a few years ago with Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter or Shedeur Sanders. Should the Buffs have any success this season, it’s because they have a coach and a unit who want to win and prove that they still have it.
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