Deion Sanders pitched recruits on avoiding taking massive NIL paydays for the sake of it on transfer portal's first day open, warning them in a tweet to know the difference between a "bag" and a blessing.
"(Too) many of the Portal Young Men that’s looking & searching for the right situation. You’re gonna get vetted thoroughly by us and then I pray u know the difference of being offered a bag & being offered a BLESSING. Ask Grandma-nem what I mean," Sanders tweeted.
Could this be Coach Prime's way of selling CU with a dearth of NIL funds to offer relative to the new big spenders, Oregon, Ohio State, and Michigan? Perhaps.
It comes off curiously considering he has the two highest-paid players in college football, Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, on his roster. But while the Buffs were able to foot the bill for the stars considering the box office brought to Boulder in the program's first two years of "Prime Time," Coach Prime may have to play money ball to fill out his roster in future seasons.
Unless he can get financial help. Shedeur Sanders claimed he'd help his father form a super team. Maybe Travis Hunter matches his donations.
Colorado playing in the Big 12 is critical for their long-term prospects. In the Big Ten, the Buffs would be on par with Minnesota and Maryland spending-wise and would probably finish similarly in the standings.
But in the Big 12, he will have a low-cost contender indefinitely. Unless his portal classes crash out in the coming years. Don't expect it to happen often, if at all, though, now that Deion knows what he's doing.