The Deion Sanders era at Colorado began with the bang of a 3-0 start and brief appearing in the AP Top 25 rankings, but an eventual 4-8 finish let out a lot of air from the program. The issues that undid the Buffaloes — a lack of depth and poor play in the trenches, among them — were easy to see, and “Coach Prime” knows well that there’s plenty of fine-tuning to be done if the Buffs intend to produce a winner upon their move to the Big 12 in 2024.
After orchestrating an unprecedented roster overhaul last offseason that banked on transfers, Sanders plans to stay aggressive in picking up existing talent in the portal. With the transfer portal opening on Monday, Sanders said live with 247Sports that high school recruiting will also be a key piece of the equation.
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“When you watched us play, what did you see?” Sanders told Carl Reed. “‘Oh, if they just had some protection for [quarterback] Shedeur [Sanders]. Oh, if they could just get after that pass.’ We are going to address that. We are going to address that from the transfer portal and the high school ranks. High school to me is like draft choices in the NFL. The portal is free agency. We are in free agency right now, and I am thankful we have and will have the wherewithal to get what we need.
“Right now, it’s all about protecting the quarterback, running the football and stopping the run,” Sanders continued. “We’re going to be very active in the portal with linemen, linebackers, and a few corners. … That’s what I want. And we’re going to put it together.”
As for recruiting high school players, Sanders plans to take a methodical approach with an emphasis on early enrollment.
“We’re going out and looking for these high school guys at certain positions where they can come in and have an impact,” Sanders said. “And it’s up to them, but I would recommend to these high school guys if they are going to make this transition … they have to get in during the spring, man. They have to come in so they can learn the playbooks and culture and expectations … and be on the path to success.”
Sanders downplays concerns, sees breakthrough
Recruiting has become a hot talking point given some of the setbacks for Sanders and his staff. Colorado’s 2024 recruiting class only has nine verbal pledges and ranks 66th nationally, according to 247Sports. There have also…
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