Deion Sanders‘ new Big 12 season is set for an epic showdown. But the road to the championship is quite bumpy this time.

After a disappointing 4-8 season, the Colorado Buffaloes are all fired up to turn things around. Intense practice sessions have been the norm, but that comes with a higher risk of injuries.

Coach Prime’s elder son, Deion Sanders Jr., has expressed concern about the number of injuries across the league. “I hate seeing these boys getting injured in fall camp.. even if you’re our rivals. It’s cool to talk sh*** on here or whatever but at the end of the day, we’re working towards the same goal. I honestly want everybody to win,” he wrote on X.

Unfortunately, the Buffaloes aren’t alone in dealing with injuries. Teams across the conference are facing similar challenges. Texas A&M’s star running back, Rueben Owens, is out with a lower leg injury this Sunday. Even Texas Longhorns running back CJ Baxter and Tennessee’s defensive back Jourdan Thomas are also sidelined with knee injuries. Notre Dame’s tackle Charles Jagusah is also out with a shoulder injury.

The Buffaloes haven’t been immune to it either. Deion’s safety son, Shilo Sanders, has been spotted wearing a non-contact “yellow” jersey, raising concerns about a possible shoulder injury. But Coach Prime has stayed silent while BuffZone’s Brain Howell downplayed the whole thing, claiming Shilo to be “healthy.” 

However, with the season right around the corner, Deion will do everything he can to ensure his son and the rest of his crew are safe!

Deion Sanders shields his stars

Deion Sanders is serious about protecting his players, especially his star athletes, Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders. As soon as fall practice started, Coach Prime laid down the law. “Take care of your guys,” he told his team.

According to Sports Illustrated, Deion was cautious with his quarterback and receivers. “Like I’m gonna tell you do not touch the receivers. Don’t get near the quarterback and leave Travis alone. I’m not playing favorites. I’m just being 100,” he said. It’s no wonder he’s extra careful with them! They’re worth millions and have already been hurt a bunch. Now, Hunter had a rough season last year, missing three games because of a lacerated liver. And Shedeur was sacked a whopping 52 times! While Deion can’t control what happens on game day, he can control what happens on the practice field. That’s why he’s made Hunter and Shedeur practically “untouchables.”

But it’s not just about protecting his stars; Deion is focused on the health of his entire team. The team has been using a new gen kit that measures players’ hydration levels through their urine. If the results are green, they’re well hydrated; yellow means moderate, and red means they need to drink more. This innovative approach aims to reduce “soft tissue injuries” for good. Looks like safety is first for Sanders & Co.