Months After “I’m Coach Prime” Flex to Dismiss Criticism, Deion Sanders’ Confidant Offers Unique Perspective on Colorado’s Recruiting Struggles

Deion Sanders is Coach Prime for a reason. As the Colorado Buffaloes HC does not follow the crowd, he claimed not to be out on the road visiting high schools. Months later, this topic was then raised by the DNVR Buffs podcast host, Jake Schwanitz. He had Colorado’s Director of Player Personnel, Corey Phillips accompanied by Colorado’s Associate Director of On-Campus Recruiting, Maileka Slayton as the guests. To safeguard Coach Prime’s honor, Phillips addressed the criticism by exposing the real picture and the struggles that Buffaloes go through in their recruiting journey. 

Right from the beginning Deion Sanders is very vigilant about whatever steps he takes. Living by the mantra, “I can’t do things other coaches can do. You know why? I’m Coach Prime. And I didn’t stutter when I said it,” the Buffs HC has not made any recruiting visits since his hiring. For the criticism, Deion’s confidant, Phillips has some important insights. On the podcast, he retorts back to the critics claiming not everything is shown as it exists, “How you hate from outside the club if you can’t get in the club you can’t you can’t tell me what we got going on over here”. All that Phillips believes is that hiring school kids will be a wrong move for Colorado at this moment, “I don’t like to lose coach don’t like to lose check his history so taking a bunch of 18-year-old kids to try to go win a grown man’s game that that that’s not smart”.

The Director of Player Personnel came up with the assurance that things are not going stay like this for long as the Buffs roster will soon be open to high school recruits, “I know we will get to a point after we win one or two where we take a full class we take a handful of kids out of the portal that’s the vision.” Even though raising a wall for high school students did cost Coach Prime caustic attacks, he did save his $200,000 on travel budget. 

Deion Sanders saves revenue by questioning traditions

At a time when ex-Michigan Wolverines HC Jim Harbaugh made 145 off-campus contacts, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian made 128 and former UCLA head coach Chip Kelly made 55, the Buffs HC refused to follow the trend. Instead, working out his own way and not hitting the road, it was confirmed that Sanders and his coaching roster have not used a private air-travel service for recruiting. With this, Deion and company saved the budgeted $200,000 disposed of for travel that came with his contract. 

On this, Coach Prime gave an idea about what prompted him to do so. “My approach is totally different than many coaches. I’m a business man, as well so I try to save our university money every darn chance I get,” came the Buffs HC’s nonchalant reply. What Deion strongly believes is off-campus recruiting has somehow become obsolete is, to pick one of many words, laughable.

Keeping that aside, it seems that Deion Sanders is planning to make a record by not hitting the road for recruitment. Wondering how? If the Buffaloes bring home the conference title without its head coach recruiting off-campus, it would be the first title-winning roster built in the history of college football.