Recruiting will be a major part of Deion Sanders’ offseason if he plans on making good on his promise to turn Colorado into a contender. However, don’t count on Sanders using money to bring those recruits to Boulder.
“We’re not an ATM. That’s not going to happen here,” Sanders said during his Tuesday press conference. “If you come to Colorado to play football for me and the Colorado Buffaloes, it’s because you really want to play football and receive a wonderful education, and all the business stuff will be handled on the back end if that’s the case. But we are not an ATM. You’re not coming here to get rich unless you’re really coming here with a plan to go to the NFL and get your degree … not to come here and be Moneybagg Yo. That’s a rapper, right?”
Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders (Justin Tafoya/Getty Images)
Sanders brought large portions of his Jackson state team with him to Colorado in hopes of infusing the program with a bunch of fresh talent he was already familiar with. That worked, by and large, in the first three games of the year. However, since then, it has become readily apparent to all observers that the Buffs have no offensive line and little depth to speak of.
Colorado is currently giving up more sacks per game than any other team in the country.
Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes looks on from the sideline in the third quarter against the Colorado State Rams at Folsom Field on September 16, 2023, in Boulder, Colorado. (Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
“We’re not going to buy anybody whatsoever,” he said. “That’s how we approach it. We have tremendous needs. I’m pretty sure everybody in the country knows what we need and how much we need. That’s not a secret. Recruits are responding.”
He better hope so. Recruits will naturally want to play under an NFL legend like Sanders. Though more than that, they’re going to want to win. The Buffaloes have lost seven out of their last eight since starting 3-0. If Sanders can’t convince recruits that he knows how to turn that around, he may have to lure recruits with money.