Colorado football QB Shedeur Sanders is the key to the Buffs reaching Deion Sanders' 2024 goal of six wins and a bowl game according to On3's JD PicKell; something he promised CU superfan Peggy Coppom at the Black and Gold spring game during "Prime Weekend."
“So, the key to them being able to hit the over on this number is Shedeur Sanders and all about him progressing from year one to year two at Colorado… is key to where you want to go in terms of competing for conference championships,” PicKell said. “If we’re gonna have that discussion about how you find a way to win six or more ball games, to me it falls on Shedeur Sanders.
“If Shedeur Sanders can be dialed in, he makes everyone’s job easier. We talked about the offensive line and them having to improve, they did improve by nature of what they did through the portal is my assumption right now. Shedeur Sanders, if he is able to even speed up his own internal shot clock. If he’s able to have a better gauge for what the defense is going pre-snap. Gets the ball out of his hands quicker. Well, you go from asking your offensive line to block for three seconds to asking them to block for two, two and a half seconds. That’s a massive difference. I’m just telling you it’s a massive, massive difference."
Shedeur Sanders needs help from Colorado football defense to reach any 2024 goals
The Buffs won't go anywhere if Shedeur has a down year this Fall. Sanders has only gotten better each season from his first two years at Jackson State to his "Prime Time" campaign in Boulder last season, so that shouldn't be much of a worry.
The most pressing question mark is the defense. Luckily, the secondary has improved with the additions of OK State's DJ McKinney and Liberty's Preston Hodge and now the Buffs have a DB-minded defensive coordinator in Robert Livingston.
The defensive front was already a strength, but with Warren Sapp helping out the defensive line as a GA, it could take another step forward.
Don't get it twisted: Shedeur is the most important part of CU's bowl eligibility hopes, but the defense has just as much of the onus on them.