Athlon Sports' Chris Licata sees Gus Malzahn's hiring as FSU's next offensive coordinator as a further sign that Deion Sanders won't be returning to the university he became a can't-miss NFL prospect during the late 1980s.
"The 57-year-old has repeatedly stated that he's content at Colorado, and as recently as November following speculation connecting him to one of his former teams, the Dallas Cowboys. Much could still change as the 2024 season wraps up, but Malzahn's move makes it even more unlikely Sanders will be patrolling the FSU sidelines anytime soon," Licata wrote.
Coach Prime going back to Tallahassee probably wasn't all that likely even before Malzahn's hiring. As Footballscoop’s Zach Barnett relayed last year, there's still a level of animosity between Sanders and his alma mater.
"Sanders clearly holds a level of animosity toward Florida State, and Florida State certainly holds a high level of animosity toward arguably the greatest player to ever wear the garnet and gold,” Barnett wrote.
For what it's worth, Sanders has great respect for Gus Malzahn. The two were complimentary of each other before Colorado played UCF on September 28. Malzahn himself isn't the roadblock to Coach Prime touching down in Tallahassee.
It's what he represents. Malzahn is a Mike Norvell hire, and if the university is still taking Norvell's advice, it's clear he's not going to be fired anytime soon.
Even if Norvell was on the hot seat, Sanders has a better thing going on in Boulder. He has unmatched autonomy and has become a staple in the community through his friendship with 100-year-old superfan Peggy Coppom and his "Prime Time: Public Performance and Leadership" course at CU.