Deion Sanders’ unconventional use of the transfer portal to revamp the Colorado Buffaloes roster during the offseason has been nothing short of groundbreaking.
With over 50 scholarship players leaving since Sanders took the helm in December 2022, the college football world is buzzing with both intrigue and skepticism.
Second-year Oklahoma coach Brent Venables is the latest to weigh in, openly challenging Sanders’ flashy approach to roster building.
In an interview with KREF 94.7 FM during the Big 12 Media Days, Venables didn’t shy away from contrasting his own coaching style with Sanders’.
“I gave guys 12 months of grace. I was unlike Deion,” Venables stated candidly. “I gave guys 12 months of grace to figure it out. Here’s three: Go to class, live right off the field, and when you show up here you show up with respect and appreciation with your opportunity.”
“If you go 0-for-3 for 12 months, you need a fresh start, so we helped 21 guys, give or take, find a fresh start.”
Venables’ approach to granting players a grace period after his team’s challenging 2022 season, which ended in a 6-7 finish, was a stark contrast to Sanders’ swift and significant roster overhaul in Colorado.
The Buffaloes’ coach, however, showed no regrets about his decisions.
“That wasn’t the only time Venables called out Sanders’ tactics. During another interview with student-run OUNightlySports at the Big 12 Media Days, Venables reaffirmed his commitment to his approach for the upcoming 2023 season while also taking a subtle jab at Sanders’ roster decisions.
“We’re another year in establishing our standards and our culture and our values,” Venables explained. “That matters. A year ago, I challenged the guys. I wasn’t like Deion that gave guys a bunch of pink slips.”
While the effectiveness of Sanders’ roster overhaul remains to be seen, there is no denying that the Buffaloes talent pool for the 2023 season is entirely different from previous years.
In a remarkable feat, Sanders managed to recruit the #1 transfer portal class, as ranked by 247Sports. The inclusion of star recruit Travis Hunter, who followed Sanders to Colorado after originally committing to Jackson State, adds significant firepower to the Buffaloes’ lineup.
Sanders, who has faced criticism for his drastic approach, has defended himself multiple times throughout the process. In a recent interview with Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt, he boldly stated, “what I am doing is no different than any CEO.”
Whose side are you on – Venables or Deion’s?
How do you think Deion will do at Colorado? Do They have a legitimate shot to beat TCU in week one?