"You’re just not built for us“: Deion Sanders remains unfazed despite mass exodus of players leaving Colorado Buffaloes ahead of 2024 season
In an interview with "Thee Pregame Network Show" on Friday, coach Deion Sanders addressed the significant departure of 48 student-athletes from the Colorado Buffaloes football team, shedding light on the coaching philosophy that led to these decisions.
Amid accusations of neglect from one released player, Xavier Smith, Sanders defended his coaching style, emphasizing individualized attention and tailored plans for each player. Sanders revealed the meticulous approach of his coaching staff.
“And prayerfully, we could get to all of them and help them in some facet of life as well as football. Now there are some that you can try all you want, man, and that’s on us because we messed up, OK? Because you ain’t built for us. You may be built for somebody else, but you’re just not built for us.“
This micro-management aimed to maximize each player's potential, but some still couldn't fit or lacked the required quality, leading to their release from the program. Taking responsibility for these departures, Sanders admitted fault, saying:
“And prayerfully, we could get to all of them and help them in some facet of life as well as football. Now there are some that you can try all you want man and that’s on us because we messed up OK? Because you ain’t built for us. You may be built for somebody else, but you’re just not built for us.“
Statistics from 247Sports indicate that while the Buffaloes have secured 25 transfers, they lost 31 players, mainly backups. The 2023 season saw Deion Sanders bring in 86 new players, including 53 transfers, despite the team's 4-8 finish and last place in the Pac-12.
Deion Sanders once shrugged off the impact of transfer portal exodus on the team
Deion Sanders downplayed the concerns regarding the significant number of transfers from his team, dismissing the notion that the exodus would substantially impact the team's performance. Despite the departure of 48 players since early March, Sanders remained confident in the team's prospects.
"We're good. I trust the recruiting team. I trust our coaches, and please have some faith in me. We good. We all right. We all right," Sanders said.
Further, Deion Sanders pointed out that most of the movement in the transfer portal involved backup players:
"I think we got some [starting-caliber players] coming in from visits pretty soon, maybe even this weekend, but we can attract those type of players. I don't think we're losing those type of players, and if we do, we're good. We're good. We're making a big deal out of nothing."
Among the notable departures were former five-star cornerback Cormani McClain and running back Alton McCaskill, who both entered the transfer portal. Sanders voiced his support for McClain.
"I want the best for [McClain], man. I really do," Sanders said. "I want that kid to soar. I want him to man up. I want him to be the best possible athlete and human being and person that he could possibly be."
Deion Sanders boasts a coaching record of 27-7, with a 4-3 (1-3 Pac-12) performance at the University of Colorado in 2023, contributing to his overall college coaching record of 4-8 with a .333 win percentage.
His coaching career kicked off at Jackson State from 2020 to 2022. As a decorated athlete, Deion Sanders is a two-time Super Bowl champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time Pro Bowler.