“Ion even remember him” - $4.6M NIL-valued Shedeur Sanders gives scathing reply to Xavier Smith over Deion Sanders’ remarks
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders has responded fiercely to criticism directed at the Buffaloes program, particularly from safety Xavier Smith, a former teammate. Smith signed with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted rookie free agent on Wednesday.
Smith voiced his discontent with the handling of his situation by Buffs coach Deion Sanders upon his arrival in Boulder. According to Smith, Sanders advised him to transfer, suggesting he would "waste a year" if he stayed. In a conversation with Max Olson of The Athletic, Smith said:
"He was destroying guys' confidence and belief in themselves. The way he did it, it could've been done with a little more compassion."
In response to Xavier Smith's criticism, Shedeur Sanders issued a scathing retort on X, dismissing his former teammate with the remark:
"Ion even remember him tbh. Bro had to be very mid at best."
Shedeur Sanders' lucrative NIL deal, valued at $4.6 million per On3, underscores the spotlight on him and the intense scrutiny surrounding the Colorado program under his father's leadership.
Sanders, since taking the Colorado job, has been unequivocal about his stance on transfers, aiming to overhaul the program entirely. Any player deemed incompatible with his vision faces the prospect of being cut or encouraged to transfer. On National Signing Day, Deion Sanders conveyed his message and said:
"We’re not recruiting just no ordinary Tom, Dick and Harry. We recruited some guys that can light up the scoreboard and prevent touchdowns from occurring. We’re coming. We’re serious about that,"
Xavier Smith's disappointment and Sanders' vision
Xavier Smith, who was striving to recover from a broken leg sustained in his senior season and subsequent hamstring injury during the 2022 season, revealed his optimism heading into a meeting with Sanders, hopeful that Coach Prime would nurture the younger players.
However, he felt let down, expressing his frustration at Sanders' apparent lack of effort to understand him.
"I was actually getting mad, like tears coming to my eyes. Because, bro, you never even tried to get to know me," Smith said.
After the season, Scotty Walden, the former Austin Peay coach, assumed the head coaching position at UTEP, prompting Xavier Smith to join him in El Paso. In contrast to Sanders, Smith remarked on Walden's genuine desire to witness every player on his roster thrive.
"It's rare you meet a head coach who genuinely wants to see every player on his roster succeed," Smith told The Athletic.
Deion Sanders' straightforward approach was evident from the outset, notably after the team's first spring game.
"You all know that we’re going to move on from some of the team members, and we’re going to reload and get some kids that we really identify with," Sanders asserted post-spring game, as reported by The Athletic.
He also emphasized the importance of recruiting top-tier talent during National Signing Day, underscoring the seriousness with which the program was approaching its rebuilding phase.