AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file
Deion Sanders speaks after being unveiled as the new head football coach at the University of Colorado during a news conference Sunday, December 4, 2022 in Boulder, Colorado.
Just a few months ago, Deion Sanders was one of the most popular characters in college football. From dominating Florida State to rising to the top of the NFL and MLB, Prime Time has established itself as one of the best the most famous athletes of all time.
Then Sanders switched to a new job – Coaching. In 2020, Sanders accepted a job as Jackson State’s head coach. During his tenure, Coach Prime transformed a small, relatively unknown HBCU into a national powerhouse. With his energetic personality, Sanders won the hearts and minds of his players and the nation alike.
But his status as college football’s most admired coach was short-lived.
Late last year, Sanders announced his decision to leave Jackson State for Colorado. In the weeks that followed, Sanders took over warmth for his transition to Colorado.
But the problem with Sanders’ move isn’t that he left Jackson State since he’s under no obligation to stay at HBCU. Rather, the problem is what Sanders did in his first few weeks with the Buffalos.
in one Team meeting recorded With players returning, Sanders made his intentions for the program clear.
“I’m coming,” Sander said in the video. “And when I get there, it will be changed. So I want you to prepare to move on and embrace it [transfer] Portal and do whatever you want, because the more of you jump into the portal, the more space you make. Because we bring kids who are smart and tough.”
After encouraging his new team to leave the program, Sanders introduced his son Shedeur Sanders as the team’s new quarterback, though Shedeur was still on Jackson State’s roster and had not yet entered the transfer portal.
Speaking of the transfer portal: Sanders used the tool extensively in his first few weeks with the buffs. On December 28, 14 players announced their intention to move to Colorado. Former Jackson State recruit #1 and standout Travis Hunter became Sanders’ biggest pickup in the portal. The first-year cornerback originally signed to Jackson State because of Sanders, so the move to Colorado was expected.
Given Sanders’ open nepotism and brutal honesty with his new players, it’s easy to see why Nation changes its mind on Coach Prime. But does Sanders really deserve the hate?
Not necessarily.
Here’s an inconvenient truth – college football faces an image problem. In between massive NIL deals and borderline manipulations in the transfer portal, The empire of college football is looking more and more corrupt as time goes by. But this problem started long before Sanders moved to Boulder, Colorado. Sanders is only highlighting the worst parts of college football’s current state.
Take for example the rampant use of the transfer portal in recent seasons. above 3000 players entered the transfer portal after the 2021 season. critics complain the unregulated and often shady businesses behind the portal.
Is Sanders taking advantage of the horrendous state of the NCAA transfer portal? Absolutely. Colorado assembled one of the best Transfer Recruitment Classes in the nation this season. Many recruits, including Hunter, were drawn to Sander’s big personality and star status. Sanders shouldn’t be accused of exploiting an already flawed system. But it draws attention to what needs fixing.
In addition to his use of the transfer portal, Sanders received hatred for leaving Jackson State for Colorado. While this case involves more than just a job change, it draws attention to a general loyalty issue in the NCAA. from Lincoln Riley to brian kelly, There is a serious problem with coaches leaving school early. Gone are the days when coaches like Alabama’s “Bear” Bryant would spend decades at the same university.
However, Sanders is not to blame for the fickle changes in college coaching or other problems that plague college football. Nonetheless, Sanders’ recent moves in Colorado point to one conclusion — college football is broken.
We’re not in the golden days of college football anymore. Instead, NIL, the transfer portal and large coaching deals will continue to dominate the new landscape. Ultimately, Deion Sanders is just part of college football’s larger demise.