“Little Off”: Deion Sanders Accused of Instigating Feud With Cormani McClain and Co.

Deion Sanders and his Colorado Buffaloes face a crisis because of the departure of many players. Many former Buffs blame the head coach for their decision to leave. Meanwhile, Cormani McClain, a highly coveted Buffs recruit, took center stage, saying, “I feel like I just don’t want to play for clicks. I actually want to be involved with a great, leading program that’s going to develop players.” McClain’s criticism upset many in the locker room, including Deion Sanders.

Coach Prime initially faced challenges with McClain, whose debut was delayed due to off-field behavioral issues. However, Sanders eventually expressed pride in McClain’s growth during the 2023 season. Despite this, the cornerback left the team, leaving a cloud of negativity behind him. Interestingly, a recent discussion accused Deion Sanders of instigating this feud with Cormani McClain and other departing Buffaloes players.

Did Deion Sanders provoke a feud with departing Buffaloes?

The On3 Deep Dive show discussed the online feud between Cormani McClain and his former coach, Deion Sanders. Andy from On3 defended McClain’s behavior, saying, “I don’t trust corners or receivers who don’t talk trash… I think there might be something a little off.“ He added, “O-line, D-line, that’s fine, you can be an introvert.“ However, cornerbacks are known for being fierce, and Andy made a bold accusation, stating, “Deion created all.”

Philip Dukes joined the discussion, offering his perspective, saying, “Let’s say you know you aren’t better than that guy, well, the only chance you have is to try to get in his head.“ This led to speculation that Deion Sanders’ “trash talk“ last year, when he insisted his team would make playoffs despite their poor record, wasn’t just for show. Dukes explains, “He believed it like kids believe in Santa Claus. The fifth graders can’t wait to go tell third graders ‘hey you were wrong!‘” Dukes suggests this is like what’s happening now, with departing players returning to shatter the team’s belief. Thus, he hints that Deion’s overly optimistic talk may have sparked the feud, leading to criticism from Cormani and other players. 

Coach Prime has to rebuild the crumbling belief in players

Deion Sanders arrived at Boulder with optimism, promising a major turnaround for the 2023 season. Despite a dismal previous year, Deion made a massive roster overhaul, attracting recruits like Cormani McClain, eager to learn from the legendary cornerback. The revamped Buffs embraced a “we coming“ attitude but ultimately finished with only a slightly better record of 4 wins.

Deion Sanders is now faced with the daunting task of rebuilding the team’s shattered belief in the program. However, the departure of players and their outspoken criticism have cast a shadow of doubt over the team. Cormani’s critique of the team as “click-based” and Xavier Smith’s feeling of being “an extra in the background of a reality show,” have further fueled the fire. Xavier even went as far as accusing Deion of “destroying guys’ confidence and belief.” With his methods under scrutiny, Deion must deliver a winning 2024 season to prove the departing players wrong and show that his optimism is not just a “Santa Claus-like” gimmick.