The question was about Texas Tech.
The answer? Classic Coach Prime.
At Big 12 Media Days in Frisco on Tuesday, Deion Sanders took a brief detour from quarterback questions and health updates to weigh in on what everyone in college football has been whispering about: NIL money, the transfer portal, and how Texas Tech is handing out deals like it’s the MLB trade deadline.
"Joey’s got some money! He’s spending that money! I love it."Coach Prime on Texas Tech NIL spending
That “Joey” is Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire—an old friend of Sanders from their time in Texas high school football—and now, the leader of college football’s second-ranked incoming transfer class.
Tech has landed 21 transfers this cycle and recently signed five-star tackle Felix Ojo (who visited Colorado in May) to a reported $5.1 million revenue-sharing deal.
Let that number marinate for a second.
$5.1 million. For a high school senior.
From target to trendsetter
What made Prime’s comments great was what came next.
“Once upon a time, you guys were talking junk about me going in that portal. Now when everybody goes in the portal, it’s OK. It’s cool when they do it. It’s a problem when I do it. Ain’t that a rap song?”
It is a rap song, and it’s also a dead-on point.
Two years ago, Sanders was the villain of college football for flipping Colorado’s roster inside-out through the portal. The media backlash was loud.
But now? Joey McGuire does it. Purdue does it. Even Bill Belichick at UNC is diving in. Suddenly, it's innovative.
Funny how that works.
The NIL divide
The truth is—Texas Tech has big-time financial backing.
Their top donor, Cody Campbell, is reportedly helping bankroll $55 million in NIL deals across Tech athletics. That’s not a typo. That’s oil money, West Texas style. And it’s creating a major gap between haves and have-nots in the Big 12.
Colorado? We’re not there yet.
“Can you send a few of those dollars to us so we can get some of those players too?” Sanders joked.
And sure, he was half-kidding. But there’s truth behind the humor. The Buffs aren’t poor by any means—but compared to the booster-driven NIL war chests at places like Tech, USC, or even Utah, CU is still playing catch-up.
Coach Prime’s cap vision
Sanders didn’t stop there. He also shared something deeper.
“I wish it was a cap. The top player makes this, and if you’re not that type of guy, you know you’re not going to make that. That’s what the NFL does. The problem is you’ve got a guy that’s not that darn good, but he could go to another school and they give him half a million dollars. You can’t compete with that.”
It was a rare moment. It highlights what we already know: Coach Prime is trying to build something sustainable in Boulder.
He’s not against NIL, and he’s all for players getting paid. But Coach wants a system that makes sense and one that is fair. One that keeps the sport from turning into a free-agent circus every December.
Mutual respect, real talk
There’s no beef between Sanders and McGuire. In fact, there’s a ton of mutual admiration. Prime called McGuire “one of the best coaches in the conference” and a “man of standard.” That’s high praise.
And don’t forget—last season, Sanders and the Buffs went into Lubbock and beat Tech 41-27. Tortillas flew. Debris hit the field. It was the wildest road environment Colorado played in all year.
And when things got heated, it was McGuire who grabbed the mic and told Tech fans to chill.
“Joey told them to stop throwing at us or there’d be consequences,” Sanders said. “And I love that. I love Joey.”
But don’t mistake love for complacency.
Coach Prime sees what’s happening in this new NIL world. He’s not bitter—but he’s definitely aware. He’s the trendsetter, and now everyone else is catching up, but with deeper pockets.
Where the Buffs stand
This was a glimpse at the new college football arms race, and where Colorado stands in it.
The Buffs are trending in the right direction, but to truly compete in the Big 12 and beyond, we need to close the financial gap.
That means donors stepping up and fans supporting NIL collectives.
We need to match the energy that Tech is bringing, but because of who Prime is, that would bring serious criticism.
However, if we want to make Boulder the permanent home of college football's most electric head coach, we better keep giving him the resources to fight.
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