Why is the media just now catching up? Coach Prime's dress code for Colorado Buffaloes players is nothing new

Headlines started popping up this morning about Deion Sanders enforcing a strict dress code at Colorado. You’d think he had just dropped some never-before-seen mandate. But here’s the reality: this is nothing new.

Since Coach Prime arrived in Boulder back in late 2022, he’s been crystal clear about his expectations. Dress code included. Players have long been told what to wear to team functions and how to present themselves in meetings, and even the standards for travel days.

At Jackson State, Coach Prime implemented the same rules. He enforced suit-and-tie travel days and team-issued gear only at practices and games. No flashy individual outfits that distract from the team.

For him, it’s been about creating a culture where presentation is professional. CU players knew that walking through the doors.

Many of the other powerhouse programs already have dress codes. Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan—you name it. Nick Saban stressed details like attire as a way of reinforcing discipline. Again, this is nothing new.

And Coach Prime knows that. He’s aware that the media will pick up on anything he says or does. But the narrative being spun right now—that Sanders is suddenly cracking down or changing things—is misleading.

This has been the standard since the day he arrived in Boulder.

For Coach Prime, the dress code is about the players' mindset. This is important. When players walk into classes dressed appropriately, it communicates focus. When they travel looking professional, it represents the program.

Coach has repeatedly said he’s not just building football players, he’s shaping young men for life after the game.

It's the NFL philosophy he is bringing to College Football. At CU, he’s simply applying the same principle: you represent the Buffaloes, and by extension, the University of Colorado.

So while national media debates whether Sanders is too “old school,” those inside the program already know: the rule isn’t new, and it isn’t surprising.

The players know the standard. The staff knows the standard. And if anything, recruits know the standard too—it’s part of the identity Coach has been selling from the beginning.

The media might be late to the story, but Coach Prime knows that winning begins in preparation and in dedication.

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