Joel Klatt pulls out the facts to justify Coach Prime’s “steep” $54 million extension at Colorado
Coach Prime’s recent contract extension at Colorado makes him the fourth highest-paid coach in college football at $10.8 million a year. All three coaches earning more than Deion Sanders (Kirby Smart, Ryan Day and Dabo Swinney) have won a national title.
While the cost could seem elevated, Fox college football insider Joel Klatt believes the price is not as steep because of what Deion Sanders has brought to the program.
“You might be thinking to yourself, 'Wow, isn't that a little bit steep?'" Klatt said (Timestamp: 3;51). "I think, with Deion, it's not just what he's bringing to the field. ... Just in the last year, Colorado has gone from a one-win team to a relevant team to a nine-win team and a Top 25 finisher. Two years after going 1-11.
“Travis Hunter wins the Heisman Trophy, the highest award you can possibly win in our sport. They flipped a five-star quarterback, JuJu Lewis. Signed one of the top transfer quarterbacks, Kayden Salter. Marshall Faulk is now the running backs coach. Byron Leftwich is now an assistant. Deion is a top five head coach in the sport. The momentum for Colorado is palpable.”
As Klatt – a former Colorado football player – said, Coach Prime’s impact is felt beyond the football field. Turning Colorado, which has never been a traditional football powerhouse, into an attractive destination for students is worth the “steep” cost of the extension.
“CU just had a record number of applicants overall for 2024 fall semester," Klatt said. "That was up 20% from the year before. There was an 18% increase in applications from out-of-state students.
"So, just with that alone, you are getting a much better quality student, and you can get more out-of-state students, which is better for the bottom line of the institution.”
As the analyst also pointed out, African American student applications also increased by 50% while ticket sales went from $13 million to $31 million in Sanders’ first year.
According to Klatt, Coach Prime’s impact on recruiting should be even higher after signing the extension as it ensures he will stay in Boulder. Having former NFL players like Faulk, Leftwich and Warren Sapp could be appealing to young players.
Coach Prime’s third season in Boulder will begin on Aug. 29 against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The Colorado Buffaloes are coming off a 9-4 season and a trip to the Alamo Bowl.
Former Coach Prime pupil lands second in Klatt’s draft defensive rankings
With the NFL draft less than a month away, Joel Klatt released his top 10 defensive players in the draft. As expected, former Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter landed near the top of the ranking.
While Penn State lineman Abdul Carter is at the top of Klatt’s list, Hunter earned plenty of praise from the college football insider.
“If you look at him just as a corner, he is an elite corner," Klatt said. "He’s got great ball skills, and he’s got everything that you would want to see.”
Hunter finished the 2024 season with 35 tackles, 11 pass breakups, four interceptions and a forced fumble.
Hunter is expected to be a top five pick in the NFL draft, but it’s still unknown if he will play primarily on offense, defense or both ways in the NFL.