The 2023 season came to a crashing halt for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes.
What was once a promising season, and arguably the greatest story in college football, became a nightmare reality for Coach Prime and the Buffs.
Finishing the season on a 6-game losing streak, Colorado didn’t even qualify for a bowl game due to their 4-8 record (and last place finish in the Pac-12 conference_.
To add insult to injury, Coach Prime also lost his prized quarterback recruit, Antwann Hill, who had previously committed to the Buffaloes.
Hill, the #3 quarterback in the 2025 class, pulled his commitment but said that he’ll still take Sanders and the Buffs into consideration.
“Colorado is still a top priority for me … I really just want to take the process slower and make sure I’m making the right decision for me and my family at the end of the day. I’m going to get back out there on the market and make the right decision,” Hill told ESPN.
It’s unknown if his decision had anything to do with money. Regardless, it’s clearly a brave new world in college football thanks to NIL.
He may be one of the biggest names in the sport, but Coach Prime made it clear that his program won’t just blindly buy players.
“We’re not an ATM. That’s not going to happen here,” he said.
“If you come to Colorado to play football for me and the Colorado Buffaloes, it’s because you really want to play football and receive a wonderful education, and all the business stuff will be handled on the back end if that’s the case. But we are not an ATM.”
“You’re not coming here to get rich unless you’re really coming here with a plan to go to the NFL and get your degree – not to come here and be Moneybagg Yo.”
“We’re not an ATM.”
Colorado coach Deion Sanders knows his roster has holes, but has no plans to use money to fix it in the offseason.@davidubben explains more: https://t.co/83u07xT8uk pic.twitter.com/CVktD9Dc7b
— The Athletic CFB (@TheAthleticCFB) November 21, 2023
Sanders, who took an unconventional approach to roster-building last offseason by heavily utilizing the transfer portal, emphasized that money won’t be overly used to lure talent to the program.
“We’re not going to buy anybody whatsoever,” he declared. “That’s how we approach it. We have tremendous needs. I’m pretty sure everybody in the country knows what we need and how much we need. That’s not a secret. Recruits are responding.”
Despite addressing the team’s needs through the transfer portal, Sanders made it clear that the Buffs won’t engage in bidding wars to secure talent.
“We want players who want us,” he emphasized. “Trying to convince somebody and doing that and being held hostage financially – we ain’t with that … We want players who want to be a Colorado Buffalo.”
Colorado just got blown out by a bottom 10 team
I still remember those shouts, bring us usc, Washington… 🤣
What does coach prime, Deion Sanders have to say about this performance?
pic.twitter.com/fuAhW1sUT9— Sunshine (@MrSunshine911) November 18, 2023
What is your take on Coach Prime?
Clearly, the wheels came off rather quickly following their hot start to the season..
Deion Sanders Has No Idea Where Mt. Rushmore Is, 'I Thought It Was In LA!' | Click to read more 👇 https://t.co/ytuY9Kn9FO
— TMZ (@TMZ) November 21, 2023
Regardless, how do you assess his 2023 season?
In the big picture, do you think he has what it takes to be an elite college football coach???