FRISCO, Texas – A buzzing day at Big 12 Media Days grew to a roar as Colorado football coach Deion Sanders broke through the curtain, with Dallas Cowboys legend and close friend Michael Irvin by his side, and commanded the stage.
Some wondered if Sanders would appear at conference media day due to an unknown illness that has kept the NFL Hall of Famer away from his Buffaloes.
Sanders previously battled blood clots in his legs and had two toes on his left foot amputated in 2021. He missed Pac-12 media day in 2023 to have surgery on his blood clots. Coach Prime, known for his zero-tolerance policy of “bulljunk,” quickly diverted the attention to Boulder.
“I’m not here to talk about my health,” Sanders said. “I’m here to talk about my team.”
That team features many new pieces, including a competition at the quarterback position. Following the departure of Deion’s son, Shedeur Sanders, the Buffaloes added two new faces to the quarterback room. True freshman Julian Lewis and Liberty transfer senior Kaidon Salter have battled throughout the spring and will continue to fight for a role in the fall. It’s rare for a team without a known starting quarterback to bring a quarterback to media day. Colorado, ever the trendsetter, brought both.
“We brought both of them because I don’t know which one’s gonna start,” Sanders said.
Salter, the veteran option, tallied 5,887 passing yards and 56 touchdowns through the air in his four seasons at Liberty. He added 2,063 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns on the ground. In 2023, his first season as the starter, he led the Flames to an undefeated regular season.
When asked if Salter and Lewis may share the field, Coach Prime didn’t rule out that option.
“As long as they’re doing their jobs and we win,” Sanders said. “We definitely want to continue to develop Juju, but Kaidon is unbelievable. Kaidon is off the chain. He can get the job done. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t trust him.”
Lewis laughed at the idea of playing on the field at the same time as Salter, but he expressed how grateful he would be for any opportunity so early in his career.
Colorado once again brought in a loaded class of players through the transfer portal. So far, Sanders has earned 33 commitments through the portal, the ninth most in the country. Sanders’ formula for success at Colorado hasn’t changed, and it’s deeper than just football for him.
“I’m truly a go-getter. I want to win at all costs,” Sanders said. “I want to win the right way, I want to set the right standards, and I want to prepare these young men for life, not just football.”
The Buffaloes aren’t the only big spenders in the NIL and transfer portal game. Big 12 foe Texas Tech currently holds the second-best transfer class in the nation, per 247Sports. Sanders was overjoyed to see another big spender within the conference.
“(Texas Tech coach) Joey (McGuire’s) got some money! Spending that money!” Sanders said. “I love it. Once upon a time, you guys were talking junk about me going to that portal. Now, when everybody goes to the portal, it’s OK. It’s cool when they do it.”
While some have debated the idea of building a roster through the portal versus recruiting high school players, the proof that the portal can work lies within the conference. Arizona State won the Big 12 last season in its first year in the conference, thanks to transfers such as Sam Leavitt, Cam Skattebo and Xavion Alford. That title was further validation that Coach Prime’s formula can work when done correctly. Sanders praised Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham for defying the odds a season ago.
“What he did last season was undarnbelievable,” Sanders said. “I didn’t get jealous. I didn’t get sensitive. I was just proud of it because we were virgins together coming into the Big 12. I’m thankful that he did the dog-gone thing. That was unbelievable, and now he’s soaring.
“I have a simple formula: 40-40-20, the grad transfers, transfers, and high school kids. I stick to what we do and what we know that works for us. It may not work for somebody else, but it works for us, and it’s been working for us. So I’m pleased with it.”
Sanders, sporting a grey sports jacket over a Colorado t-shirt draped in a gold chain, clamored for several rule changes, both on and beyond the field. Sanders argued for more NFL-style rules, like spot fouls for pass interference. He also proposed a salary cap on NIL spending to prevent more tampering within the sport.
“This stuff (NIL) is going crazy and nobody knows where it’s going to land, where it’s going to end, and you have so many different doors,” Sanders said. “I would see a player, and he’d say he got an offer from another school. I’m trying to figure out why you guys (the NCAA) haven’t investigated, and how is that possible when the guy’s not in the portal?”
In an age of college football where athletes are paid like the pros, Sanders isn’t alone in this sentiment. He suggested a tiered system, where a “top-of-the-line” player would make more than the average, similar to the NFL.
While such changes might be years away from being fully realized, Sanders will make do with his current roster and strategies. In his first season with his son under center, and Heisman-winning two-player Travis Hunter on the perimeter, Sanders’ aim remains the crown of the Big 12 in Dallas.
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