40 minutes of applause as Deion Sanders was introduced as the 28th head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes
If you haven’t heard, it’s “Prime Time” in Boulder.
After weeks of rumors and rumblings about who was going to be the next head coach of Colorado football, it was announced late on Saturday, Dec. 3 that Deion Sanders would become the 28th head coach of The Colorado Buffaloes football team.
Coach Prime’s introductory press conference was held in the Colorado Touchdown Club, an event room directly above Folsom Field’s north end zone that normally hosts parties and was filled with hundreds of people including special fans, CU Spirit Squad, donors, media, and anyone whose name rang a bell in Boulder.
Before Sanders ever even entered the room hundreds of people crowded and waited their turn to take a picture with his paper name plate that simply read “COACH PRIME.”
Coach Prime entered the Colorado Touchdown Club to thunderous applause and shiny pom poms as fans clapped, donors cheered, and media began snapping pictures the minute he touched the door handle.
Coach Prime was accompanied by CU Chancellor Phil DiStefano, and CU Athletic Director Rick George, as all three traversed through a spectator-made tunnel that led to their table ahead of the entire room.
“Wow,” said Prime. “I’m not lost for words; I’m just trying to seize the moment.”
Coach Prime was all smiles as he began his opening statement. He quickly introduced his family which consisted of his fiancé Tracey Edmonds, a star in her own regard. His daughter Shelomi Sanders, a Jackson State basketball player. He introduced his first son, Deion Sanders Jr, who is in charge of their personal social media and now @CUBuffsFootball social media as well.
Next, he introduced his third son Shedeur Sanders, who is about to complete his second year as starting quarterback at Jackson State. Shedeur was a four-star recruit coming out of high school who followed his father to Jackson State. Shedeur went on to win the Jerry Rice FCS National Freshman of the Year award and is on the watch list for Black College Player of the Year, Walter Payton Award, and the FCS All-American team.
Sanders also spoke briefly about his second son Shilo Sanders, who “is in [Prime’s] doghouse,” and didn’t make the trip to Colorado as reports rise about the two of them butting-heads about Coach Prime’s decision to leave Jackson State.
If true, Shilo is not the only person questioning Prime’s decision to leave his previous position as Jackson State’s head coach. Controversy arises from the fact that Sanders was one of, if not, the most prominent figures to ever coach at an HBCU and has now left to coach at a Power Five school, which is notably a predominately white institution.
Coach Prime spoke of the importance of bringing recognition to HBCUs at the national level, and JSU specifically. Some believe that is exactly what he did for Jackson State over three years, while others believe that Coach Prime left Jackson with broken promises.
If Deion Sanders leaves Jackson State & takes Shedeur, he proving folks right. Deion was preaching elevating HBCU programs & looks like he was just using JSU as a launching pad for his coaching career, which is fine, but don’t go around acting like it was for altruistic reasons.
— Ashton Morris (@ashtonmorris1) December 2, 2022
During the press conference, Coach Prime insisted that he has not abandoned Jackson State or young African-Americans. He reiterates that he’s very aware that he is Black and that no one has to remind him of that.
“My calling is for young men, young women, and people of all walks of life, all social climates, and all ethnicities,” said Sanders. “My calling is not built on a location, it’s built on the destination.”
He also insinuated that both Rick George and Phil DiStefano suggested that Colorado somehow help JSU in the next coming weeks. But in the end, Coach Prime reiterates that his goals remain unchanged, that in a sport dominated by Black student-athletes, he just wants to help everyone get to the next level.
Sanders also says he will be heading back to Mississippi soon to handle unfinished business as JSU prepares to face the NC Central Eagles in the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17.
When asked what has surprised him about Colorado up to this point, he noted the beautiful weather, the beautiful town, and how his earliest interaction with Buff Nation and Folsom Field left its impression.
“That blesses my heart, like when we landed last night… just hearing fans at the airport,” explained Coach Prime. “And my son, just to see him walk around [Folsom Field], and my daughter… just to see them meander around this beautiful complex and on the field, it just brought tears to my eyes man. So those types of things, just the welcome and the hospitality, and the love, and the respect, and the appreciation.”
Hundreds of fans waited, signs in hands and smiles on faces, for Sanders and company to arrive at both the airport and Champions Center as the Sanders family were given a tour of the facilities and the keys to the castle at approximately 1 a.m.. Coach Prime has repeatedly expressed his appreciation of Colorado fans calling them a fanbase “that just won’t stop.”
Coach Prime also spoke of his appreciation to be offered the position and credited Rick George with being a big part of why he accepted the job. He also spoke of his eagerness to get started saying that “the commitments are already coming on the way as I speak.”
This seems to be true as in the first few hours there are reportedly 200 recruits or transfers who have contacted Colorado. This includes five star wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr – who is just the fourth five star recruit in program history. Watkins Jr announced his commitment to the Buffs in a tweet on Sunday, less than 24 hours after Sanders’ hiring.
Expectations are already extremely high as Colorado has turned from a Power Five basement dweller to one of the most nationally prevalent teams overnight. Expectations are growing higher and higher every day as fans guess how good Colorado can be in the immediate future, but Coach Prime reassures everyone that his expectations are “much higher than [theirs],” and that they must remain patient as he won’t be putting a timetable on when that success comes.
Chancellor DiStefano made opening remarks about how proud the university, and everyone who worked to get Coach Prime to Colorado, are to have their new head coach. He noted that what impressed him the most with Coach Prime was “his ability to connect with student-athletes and lead them to success on the field, and off.”
He then followed by informing everyone that CU has updated their transfer requirements. This was met with loud applause and cheers of approval. Many have said that the previous transfer rules at CU were too strict, plaguing the program and making it difficult to acquire student-athletes from the transfer portal.
Rick George soon followed and was greeted by cheers that were only second to Prime Time himself. George became emotional as he thanked his wife, Nancy George, and spoke about the process of acquiring Sanders.
For Rick George, it was a two-month process of non-stop travel and follow-up texts as he worked to fulfill his promise of bringing the Colorado faithful “the best coach in America,” as they enter their 100th football season.
For those of you who don’t know, the nickname Coach Prime evolves from Deion Sanders’ nickname “Prime Time” which he got from a friend who started calling him Prime Time after Sanders scored 30 points in a high school basketball game. Since then, the nickname stuck with Sanders as he was a true must-watch player through his Hall-of-Fame NFL career, MLB career, and now into his already very successful coaching career.
Prime Time is what comes with Deion Sanders, and it is what he promises to bring to Colorado. Deion Sanders promises a new era of Colorado football, that things will change.
“All you want is an opportunity to win, to compete, to dominate, to be amongst the elite, to be amongst the best, and darnit’, I’m gonna give you that.”
And now, the only thing left to do is to sit back and watch.
