Deion Sanders is a headline magnet. In the past few weeks, Coach Prime has been getting the headlines for the right reasons. After their Week 5 thrashing of the UCF, Prime Time’s team got well-deserved praise in the media. ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith went a step further and put Deion Sanders in the conversation for the “Coach of the Year.” Well, that must have surprised many, but Stephen A. found an unlikely supporter in Paul Finebaum, a known Deion hater. However, not everyone has taken the claim well.

On Wednesday’s First Take, Mike “Mad Dog” Russo joined the conversation and told Stephen A. to calm down about the “Coach of the Year” thing. However, Stephen A. did not hold back and asked people to get a drug test if they thought that Deion Sanders was not going to warrant consideration for Coach of the Year. “I said, if this continues, that’s number one. Number two, he got a guy, Travis Hunter, who I believe should be a leading candidate for the Heisman trophy. He’s got his son at the quarterback, who I believe is going to be Travis Hunter, I’m sorry, Travis Hunter, who I think is going to be a Heisman trophy. It should be a Lenee Heisman trophy.”

Smith pointed to the state of the program at the Buffs when Deion took over. They were not just losing; they were getting blown by their opponents. While they may not have reached the highs that Deion ultimately imagines for the program, the progress can’t be denied. “You inherit a 1-11 program. You win four games last year. We made all of this noise behind the law, six straight, and nosedive lost seven of eight. You come back this season. They’re projecting you’re gonna finish 11th in your new conference, 11th, and you go out there and you win for your first five games. What if he makes a bowl game? What if they win nine or 10 games? You try to tell me that Deion Sanders is not gonna warrant consideration for Coach of the Year. I’m telling you you should be drug tested. If you say that you should be drug tested.” 

Deion Sanders is very fortunate to have two stars on his team. His son Shedeur Sanders and the two-way star Tarvis Hunter. Both of them have displayed some amazing performances so far. It’s been two weeks since Buffs vs Baylor, but still, the Shedeur’s Hail Mary touchdown is in everyone’s mind. Similarly, Hunter’s striking Heisman pose in the last game was a treat for football fans.

Stephen A. added, “The candidate should do a Sanders; his son is going to be one of the top two or three quarterbacks taken in the upcoming NFL draft, number three. And more importantly, doggy, it’s about where you come from.” The Buffs have won three back-to-back games so far, and now their eyes are set on their fourth straight win against Kansas State.

Urban Meyer’s belief and discomfort in the Deion Sanders’ team

After Buffaloes’s defeat against Nebaraska, many thought the Deion Sanders team wouldn’t bounce back. But they displayed some phenomenal plays against UCF last Saturday and won 48-21. However, the Colorado football program is not everyone’s cup of tea. Not even the former national champion coach, Urban Meyer.

Although he believes in Sanders and his leadership as a coach, still, he mentioned that the flashy style of Prime Time and his team show makes him feel very uncomfortable. ClutchPoints reported his statements in which he elaborated on the Buffs’ poor performance last year but also applauded them for acknowledging the potential and talent among the players.

The former player also highlighted the football program’s direction and mentioned the hard work they did on the field: “I went to meetings, I went to practice, and I texted you guys and called you guys and said, “Guys, this is not a 1-10 program. They have good players, a couple great players, and there’s some substance behind what shows up in press conferences and all that. I see him tearing into the players. I see the coaches coaching hard, which I think is a sign of a good program. It’s not a huggy feeling at all there. They coach, and you’re starting to see the rewards of the substance behind this stuff.” 

Sanders’s team is 4-1 this season and 2-0 in the Big 12 play. Coming Saturday, they will face Kansas State and try to maintain their winning streak. However, with the teams still on their schedule, the Buffs can be a significant contender for the conference title.