Colorado’s recruiting exodus caused overreaction over actual reason to panic

The recruiting exodus Colorado football experienced following their 2023 finale caused an overreaction over actual panic, said one analyst (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
The recruiting exodus Colorado football experienced following their 2023 finale caused an overreaction over actual panic, said one analyst (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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Yahoo Sports’ Dan Wetzel believes that the rumors of Coach Prime’s Colorado football program’s demise are greatly exaggerated following a 2024/2025 recruiting exodus that has seen multiple quarterbacks, a receiver, and an offensive line recruit de-commit; one accompanied by a pair of transfer portal defections as well.

“Much has been made this week about four CU recruits decommitting from the program and two players hitting the transfer portal,” Wetzel prefaced before saying, “It looks more like an overreaction than an actual reason to panic for CU. As with everything good or bad with Coach Prime, the extremes can define the narrative.

“Transfers happen. As for the recruiting decommits, two were from the Class of 2025. The other two — a three-star QB and a three-star tight end — may or may not be great (decommits can often be pulled scholarships or shifting priorities), but again, these things occur to every school.”

Coach Prime sends message on what Colorado football recruits should expect in Buffs recruitment

Coach Prime made it clear to recruits that he isn’t going to be getting into a bidding war for anyone’s services — and that anyone looking to join the Buffs is looking for a CU degree and/or has plans for the NFL.

“We’re not an ATM, that’s not gonna happen here,” Sanders said on November 21. “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. 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. That’s a rapper, right?”

The margins are thin for Coach Prime and his Buffs coaching staff — one set to see changes at offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at a bare minimum — but there’s a possibility Colorado finds the type of enthusiastic recruits willing to sacrifice Deion Sanders is looking for and it leads to massive improvements for CU.

Is it the strongest possibility? No. But it’s a possibility regardless.