BOULDER, CO – Deion Sanders and the Colorado football team normally might try to get some rest this week with no game scheduled before their next game against Utah on Oct. 17. Last year, Sanders even went back to his ranch in Texas to go fishing during his team’s off week in October.
But this is not a normal off week for Sanders. Not after what happened last week in Colorado.
“The team is practicing all week,” a Colorado spokesman confirmed Monday, Oct 5.
This is what Sanders wants after his Buffaloes (2-3) lost at home against Texas Tech, 29-7, on Saturday, extending a troubling period that’s
been dogged by “one glaring problem,” as he said afterward.
It’s not just one problem, however. There are many — so many that it’s time to provide a rundown about what they all are, including coaching gaffes, a rumor-inducing statement by Sanders and a team playbook left behind at the team hotel. Here’s an unofficial list:
The Julian 'JuJu' Lewis controversy
Lewis started the first four games of the season at quarterback but was benched at halftime of a 23-13 loss at Baylor on Sept. 26. He didn’t play in the next game against Tech even though two other Colorado quarterbacks did. That would make him the third-string quarterback. But Sanders took issue with the suggestion from a reporter that he benched Lewis from “first to third string.”
“That’s not how it went down,” Sanders said.
Sanders also said he would “love for JuJu to come here and he tell you what happened.”
Sanders didn’t elaborate, leaving rumors and speculation to fill the void about what he meant. Was Lewis injured? Is he still in the mix to be starting QB?
“Julian is still part of the competition for the starting quarterback job,” a Colorado spokesman said Monday.
That echoes what Sanders said after the game Saturday — that he has “three options” at quarterback in an open competition.
Massive special-teams gaffes
Sanders knows the importance of special teams and often has spotlighted his kicker and punter. Yet he parted ways with last year’s special teams coach, Michael Pollock, and did not hire a replacement. It showed against Texas Tech.
▶ In the first quarter, Tech lined up a for 52-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter but only eight Colorado players lined up against it. Colorado then called timeout. But after the timeout, only nine CU players lined up. The field goal was good, cutting Colorado’s lead to 7-3.
“We’ve got nine people out there after a timeout!” Sanders shouted into his headpiece, as shown on a postgame video by his son Deion Jr.
▶ Colorado also strangely went for a first down on 4th-and-7 from its own 46-yard line in the second quarter. The play only went for four yards.
“I’m going to take the blame for that foolishness,” Sanders said.
▶ The Buffaloes missed a 29-yard field and a 52-yard field goal in the loss. Not only that, but they now rank 129th out of 138 major college teams in punt returns, 108th in kickoff returns and 108th in net punting.
Colorado's ‘one glaring problem’ under Deion Sanders
Sanders said his offense has “one glaring problem.” He didn’t want to name it, because he didn’t want to appear to be blaming certain players. But it’s the quarterbacks. Sanders has started four players at the most important position on the field since his son Shedeur last occupied that job for his team in 2024. Their combined record against Power Four conference teams since then is 2-12.
Colorado's playbook left behind at team hotel
Somebody from Colorado apparently left a team playbook behind at the team hotel, allowing it to be discovered by fans of Texas Tech before the game. That’s negligence and evidence of a leaky ship, even if it didn’t seem to affect the outcome of the game.
Sanders hasn’t addressed that issue publicly.
Deion Sanders’ record against top teams
Sanders’ record against Power Four teams since the last game of the 2024 season is 2-13. By contrast, Sanders’ predecessor at Colorado, Karl Dorrell, was 3-12 against power conference teams before his firing in 2022.
Sanders has beat only two Top-25 teams in four seasons in Boulder.
Colorado's upcoming opponents
None of the seven games left on Colorado’s schedule are against teams with losing records right now. The Buffs' next three games No. 12 Utah (4-0) at home, Oklahoma State (3-1) on the road and Kansas State (3-1) at home.
They need to win four more to become bowl-eligible.
The Colorado player dismissals
Sanders dismissed three players from the team after a 41-7 loss at Northwestern on Sept. 19. Player dismissals aren’t uncommon in college football. But in this case, all three players are experienced defensive backs, leading to questions about depth in that area down the stretch.
Colorado ranks 64th in passing efficiency defense and could have used a player like safety Jah Jah Boyd, who had a big game against Weber State on Sept. 12. Sanders didn’t say what he did to get kicked off the team but determined he wasn’t worth it.
Is Deion Sanders on the hot seat?
It depends on how the rest of the season goes. His record in four seasons in Boulder is 18-24. If Colorado wanted to fire him for losing too many games at the end of the season, it would owe him about $26 million to buy out his contract.
He is getting paid more than $10 million per year and is in the second year of a five-year deal given to him by Colorado last year.
According to his contract, Sanders also could retire without anybody owing each other anything.
This week's schedule for Deion Sanders and Colorado
Instead of taking time off before its off weekend, Colorado is practicing all week. The Buffs will take Friday and Saturday off before returning to practice as normal on Sunday.
“We’re going to work,” Sanders said Oct. 3. “We’re going to right the wrongs, looking to see how some of the young men respond (and) figure out what direction we want to go at certain positions, not just the quarterback position.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deion Sanders said Colorado has 'one glaring problem.' The list is much longer
