Mile High Sports' Mark Knudson sees Colorado football experiencing the largest catch-22 the sport has ever seen: win too much in 2024 and Deion Sanders is probably a goner.
Meanwhile, losing more than six games would almost be a blessing in disguise since it'd increase Sanders' chances of staying at CU.
"So here’s the current situation for University of Colorado football fans: Sanders has no concrete plans beyond this season when his two sons depart for the NFL," Knudson wrote. "The clues/hints are everywhere: Lack of emphasis on high school recruiting, a revolving door of assistant coaches, the blatant 'Daddy Ball' atmosphere and drama that’s surrounding his life and his program, along with his ties to the south and to Jerry Jones in Dallas.
"Here’s his dilemma, however. In order to get another (better?) job offer, Deion needs to win more than four or five games this coming season."
Deion Sanders has it too good with Colorado football to leave
Too often, the accusation of Sanders not having a plan beyond the 2024 season is tossed around. But we know his perennial plan in Boulder: recruit 80% of the roster from the transfer portal and big-game hunt for one or two top blue-chips given CU's relative lack of NIL spending power compared to the "Super 2" conferences (Big Ten, SEC).
Sanders is going after Julian Lewis as his next offensive centerpiece, but other than that, we know he's likely to find players in the portal looking for a last opportunity to make an NFL impression. It's what Sanders tailored his coaching staff for.
With all of that aside, the freedom Coach Prime has been granted in Colorado is not going to be matched anywhere else. The politics of the Big Ten and the SEC behind the scenes would have Sanders disinterested in partaking.
He has it too good, with a home in the Rocky Mountains' foothills, to want to jump ship so soon. Retiring would be the more likely option than jumping to the "Super 2." And there's little chance Sanders would be making a lateral move in the Big 12 or ACC either.