And all of a sudden, a whole new version of CU Buffs was in front of us. Deion Sanders and his boys managed to switch things around real fast after the Buffs went up against the Knights. To think that the boys would manage to handle a run-heavy team like UCF so effortlessly is wild. Heck, the entire game even made someone like Paul Finebaum switch his thoughts about Deion Sanders. “I say to you that I should’ve kept my mouth shut,” Finebaum had mentioned back on ESPN First Take. But the question now is; What created this entire new version of the Buffs? What magic did Deion Sanders manage to get done?

That is exactly what Joel Klatt talks about on the October 2nd episode of The Joel Klatt Show. “The diversity of the Run game and the ability to put the linebackers in Conflict made Colorado’s offense completely different and much more difficult to defend,” Klatt mentioned. All the credit goes to Deion Sanders and how he managed to form a wall around Shedeur Sanders. The Buffs have been following a style, which Klatt refers to as ’10 personnel,’ during most of their games.

They pulled it against the Huskers as well, and we saw how easily Deion and his boys were brought to their knees. So, to not make the same past mistakes, Coach Prime switched things to a ’11 personnel’ formation. With the earlier style, Shedeur had no tight end for protection along the edges of the offensive line. This resulted in him having much less time to make decisions and make a play. Now, with a tight end involved, Shedeur can be much more comfortable while playing from a collapsing pocket.

If you go back and compare the tapes of the Baylor or Rams games with the UCF one, you will see how great of a time Shedeur is having. CU alum Matt McChesney had pointed out long back that if you give Shedeur Sanders enough protection on the turf where he doesn’t have to think about doing everything to win, then this guy will manage to do anything on the field.

Not only Shedeur, but Travis Hunter was also a beacon for Deion Sanders and the team. This guy is a different breed. The way he has managed to effortlessly combine both his roles and not break a sweat is quite staggering. Hunter is slowly climbing toward becoming the next Heisman favorite. With his record play against the Rams, followed by his game-winning fumble against Baylor, and finally the 8 catches against the Knights, Hunter has an easy ticket to New York. Still, giving the offense all the credit ain’t fair.

Deion Sanders’ gamble paid off

While we were playing checkers, Coach Prime was playing chess. When Sean Kelly left the defensive coordinator post and moved to Auburn, Deion had to make a decision. The only thing that stood out at that time was bringing more NFL energy into the Buffs. So, enter Robert Livingstone.

To say that Deion’s gamble regarding the D-line paid off would be an understatement. As Klatt points out, “I thought the defense played their best and most complete game against UCF.” You have to hand that Dub to Livingstone. Taking a 35-point averaging team and turning it into something that barely allows 30 points is what Livingstone managed to do with the Buffs.

The defensive line had a complete chokehold over the UCF run game. A team that is known for its run-heavy style was seen struggling during the entirety of the showdown. The Knights QB and RB had almost no spots to make plays from. Now, standing with a 2-0 record in the Big 12, if Deion Sanders and his boys maintain the same pace, then this could be THE year for the Buffs.