Paul Finebaum called out Deion Sanders for seemingly ceding control of the Colorado football offense to Shedeur Sanders down the stretch of a 31-26 nail-biting opening victory over North Dakota State on August 29. Finebaum was referring to Shedeur's decision to try and get LaJohntay Wester a big play at the end of the game, and Coach Prime admitting it in what was not his finest hour of accountability as head coach.
“I’ve had my issues with Deion Sanders recently over things he’s done, but I was rooting for them,” Finebaum told ESPN College Football host Matt Barrie on September 1 (h/t On3). “I was having fun watching. It was an exciting game, but what concerns me more than anything else was the way Deion coached the game down the stretch.
“Is he in control on the sidelines? Does Shedeur have the final word on everything? Because at a time, and I’m sure you thought of this, and I know others have said it, but at a time when you needed to run the clock out, they’re just firing away, giving the opponent an opportunity to come back and win the game.”
Colorado was four yards away from Shedeur's decision, and Deion's indecision to stop it, costing the Buffs the game. Bison quarterback Cam Miller connected on a deep ball, that luckily wasn't deep enough, to Tyler Terhark, who was stopped four yards from the endzone.
Coach Prime lashed out at the media press scrum following the game, accusing them of being unhappy that his team won, and even admitted he felt like he had lost. Perhaps he was still recovering from the trauma of almost losing to an FCS school on what would've been a very easy-to-spot crunch-time coaching gaffe. Even though it is the dynastic North Dakota State Bison.
Deion Sanders giving media too much material, even after Colorado football wins
Had Sanders been grateful for the victory and not vengeful towards a media conglomerate that has no effect on wins and losses on the field, there might have been forgiveness about the sweating done on that last drive of the game; set up by the mismanagement of the Buffs' last offensive possession before it.
But he should know by now that it will become a select few in the local media up against every industry giant if he goes at anyone. Going at everyone in that postgame press conference media room awoke Finebaum, and likely will yield more opposition after Labor Day.
Sanders continues to feed the beast. And now the beast is doing beast things.