“Let’s Go Baby”: Deion Sanders Extends Warm Welcome as CU Buffs Enforce Quick Turnaround in Defense Despite Xavier Smith Controversy

Deion Sanders is having a tough time building his Colorado Buffaloes team. A lot of players left the team after the transfer portal opened recently. Now a whistleblower recently revealed that Coach Sanders might have had something to do with them leaving. It is said that Sanders “needed to make room for better players” and thus the mass exodus. 

This isn’t new for him, he’s done it before with the transfer portal. Last year alone, he brought in 53 new players and got rid of 50. This year also seems similar, however, this time he faces even harsher criticism as the leaving Buffs are throwing shade at Deion. Notably, Cormani McClain and Xavier Smith have been vocal about the negative impact the program had on them. Despite the negativity, Coach Prime is ready to move forward as he welcomes a new addition on the defense side. 

Deion Sanders welcomes new player amidst roster shakeup

Things aren’t looking great for Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes. Over 30 players have left the team this season, and the recent ones include linebacker Victory Johnson and walk-on defensive back Isreal Solomon. But Coach Prime isn’t giving up. He just welcomed a new defensive player to the team. The noskozone recently posted on Instagram that, “Former Arkansas Transfer DB RJ Johnson commits to Colorado. He played in 1 game last year before being redshirted as a freshman. He stands at 6’2, 195 lbs.” 

Coach Prime was quick enough to note the post and commented “Let’s go baby”. This shows he’s confident in rebuilding the team and having a winning season, despite the recent departures. It seems like the controversy around player Xavier Smith isn’t slowing the Buffaloes down anymore.

Smith’s departure is no big deal for Deion Sanders

The Buffs’ former safety Xavier Smith stirred controversy with his departure from Coach Prime’s team. He accused Deion Sanders of “never even trying to get to know” him and of “destroying” players’ confidence. Soon after, a defensive back and a linebacker also left the team. Despite these losses, new recruits show a keen interest in learning from the Pro Football Hall of Famer and RJ Johnson is one such. 

Some believe Coach Prime strategically orchestrated these exits to make room for promising new talent. From Deion’s perspective, it’s simply a business decision to ensure the roster is filled with players who fit his system. He’s not fazed by complaints from players who “didn’t get to play much.” Now Coach Prime is all set to build a championship-caliber team for 2024. It’s no small feat to improve a team from 1-11 to 4-8 in just one year, which he achieved through a similar roster overhaul in 2022. Thus Deion seems prepared to repeat the process this year, aiming for an even better season for the Buffaloes.