In just two years, Deion Sanders has taken Colorado football from the bottom of the Power Five to the center of the national conversation. But heading into his third season in Boulder, his peers around the Big 12 are not sold on the sustainability of the Prime Effect.
Athlon Sports’ annual anonymous coach feature pulled some punches towards the Buffs. While several Big 12 coaches praised CU’s athleticism and recruiting under Sanders, others questioned whether the Buffs heavy reliance on the transfer portal—and the departure of key players—might finally catch up to us in 2025.
"It’s still a circus. That’s not an insult to Deion, but it is."Anonymous Big 12 head coach
That quote alone set the tone. Others followed up with concerns about culture, cohesion, and whether CU can maintain success in the post-Shedeur/Travis Hunter era.
“It will be interesting to see how Deion manages the culture here,” another coach added. “This is a roster with big holes and a lot of questions.”
There’s no denying the losses Colorado has suffered following this season. The wide receiver room was gutted, leading rusher Isaiah Augustave hit the portal, as did key linemen Zack Owens and Cash Cleveland.
On defense, cornerback Colton Hood and linebacker Nikhai Hill-Green were among the biggest losses who left through the portal.
And yes, the offensive line — CU’s most criticized unit — remains a concern.
“They’ve turned over a ton in the portal,” a Big 12 coach said. “And they’re trying to make it out like it’s a competition-based result, but they’re really going to struggle on the offensive line because of transfers again.”
But how is offensive line going to be a struggle with the departures? Colorado has added serious depth and power up front this offseason, landing Andre Roye Jr. from Maryland, Larry Johnson III from Tennessee, Xavier Hill from Memphis, and Walker Andersen from UCLA.
Oh, and we just happen to have arguably the best left tackle in the country in Jordan Seaton locking down the blind side.
Big 12 coaches may be hoping the offensive line struggles, because if not, Colorado just might dominate.
Strength in the secondary
While Shedeur and Travis rightfully earned most of the headlines, some coaches pointed out that Colorado’s defense, specifically its secondary, may have been overlooked.
“[Travis] Hunter is so good, he overshadowed a really good position group in the secondary,” one coach said. “Right now, that is their strength. If they can rework the front, the defense might be better overall.”
Returning players like DJ McKinney and Preston Hodge offer tons of talent. CU also added help in the form of Tennessee transfer John Slaughter and Kansas State's Noah King. If the front seven can be retooled, the Buffs could quietly field the best defense in the Big 12.
CU still a ratings juggernaut
Love us or hate us, the Buffs are still must-watch TV.
Four of Colorado’s first five games this fall will air on national television. The opener against Georgia Tech (Aug. 29) will be broadcast on ESPN in primetime. That’s followed by Delaware (FOX), Houston (ESPN), and BYU (ESPN). It continues a media trend that’s defined the Prime era: national exposure, week after week.
Since Sanders took over, 25 of CU’s 29 games have aired on national TV — an all-time record for the program. In 2024, Colorado ranked sixth nationally in viewership with 46.3 million total viewers and an average of 3.86 million per game.
The numbers — both on the field and on the screen — suggest Colorado is winning more than just headlines.
It's not a circus if it's producing fruit.
Can Coach prove it again?
With Shedeur and Hunter gone, this is the season that will truly test Coach Prime's blueprint. A new quarterback (Julian Lewis or Kaidon Salter) will take over. The offensive line remains under construction. And despite portal talent, chemistry takes time.
But this year also offers something else: the chance to silence the doubters for good.
Coach Prime has already proved he can resurrect programs. Now comes the hard part — sustaining it, year after year, in one of college football’s toughest conferences.
Around the Big 12: What coaches are saying
Colorado wasn’t the only target in Athlon’s anonymous feature. Here’s a sampling of what coaches had to say about their Big 12 peers:
Arizona State: “They won the league and return almost everybody… They’re going to be at the top of the league for a while.”
Kansas State: “Avery [Johnson] could be a superstar, a Heisman-level guy.”
Iowa State: “They really could go to the [Big 12] title game again. Rocco Becht is the real deal.”
Texas Tech: “If they’re not a double-digit win team this season, it’ll be considered a failure.”
Houston: “This was the worst O-line in our league. Easy to hassle the QB.”
There’s no shortage of talent or expectations across the conference. But it's no question that no program draws more attention — or pressure — than Colorado.
The "circus" is not leaving town anytime soon. With Coach Prime running the show, don’t be surprised if the Buffaloes are still the ones shuttin' 'em up.
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