Deion Sanders had the top transfer portal class in 2023 and finished eigth in 2024. Colorado's head football coach knows it well. So when he speaks on it like it's a tragedy that has changed the game, not all in positive ways, this is a trusted voice.
On October 8, Coach Prime spoke on the portal with a negative connotation: "shopping."
“Yeah, we had to get rid of some luggage because we had a limited time to go shopping − and I do mean shopping,” Sanders said after spending part of his off week on his estate in Texas (h/t USA Today). “And it’s unfortunate. That’s what we do now in college football, even with guys out of high school. You're shopping, and you hope this outfit look good on you. But sometimes it don’t when it gets in the light. So it’s a good thing. We’re happy where we are, but we’re a long way from where we want to be.”
Deion Sanders believes modern state of college football forced Nick Saban to retire
Sanders made it clear after Nick Saban retired in January that the modern state of college football -- the transfer portal, the throwing around of millions in NIL, the lack of authenticity when high schoolers say they're committing to you after taking money to visit and then back off, all of it -- forced the college football coaching G.O.A.T.'s hand.
"I just hate it for him, because I felt as though he had so much more left, but I understand when it's not in you to do it that way, and you want to do it this way," Sanders said (h/t Bleacher Report). "Shoot, it was like, 'Man, we lost the OG. We lost the OG.' He means so much to me personally... I hate that we lost him for college football's sake, and why. It shouldn't be that way."
Sanders' comments could come off as a future out from coaching. One has to imagine he's enjoying the thrill of it right now, but that spark may not be as present if he doesn't have his kids or Travis Hunter.
Let's hope he can find a player worth coaching every recruiting cycle. Rick George is willing to have him indefinitely and the autonomy he has at CU won't be present elsewhere.
It's a good gig in Boulder. If he can contend with the ups and downs of modern recruiting, there's a mutually beneficial fit for the Buffs and Coach Prime.