Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders did not mince his words when he laid out his expectations for his players when they spend time away from the team.
Sanders successfully built a winning culture at Jackson State and is looking to replicate that in Boulder. The Pro Football Hall of Famer immediately started to lay a foundation after he was named Colorado’s new head coach in December.
The student-athletes are set for a break, but Sanders warned players not to let the time away make them forget about the rules they have to follow once they return to campus.
Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders speaks to members of the media about National Signing Day during a press conference at the Dal Ward Athletic Center in Boulder on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Sanders spoke about signing new players to the football team for the upcoming season. (Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images)
“You have a meeting [Monday morning]. If you late to that meeting, there’s going to be consequences. Your locker will be cleaned. It will be cleaned, and I’m not threatening you. It’s just reality,” Sanders told his players.
From there, he emphasized the importance of the players being aware of their surroundings during the break.
“Fellas, be careful on your break. Be careful on your comings and goings. Everyone ain’t for you, everyone ain’t with you, everybody don’t love you, everybody don’t appreciate you, everybody don’t want you to be that guy you plan on being, and your life is of value.
Deion Sanders holds up a jersey before speaking after being introduced as the new head football coach at the University of Colorado during a news conference Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Boulder, Colo. Sanders left Jackson State University after three seasons at the helm of the school’s football team. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
He also encouraged the players to remember how valuable they are.
“Your life is of essence. You are somebody. You are important. So, be careful please. We don’t want to put on all black and go to a funeral. We want to put on all black and go out there and whoop somebody,” he passionately said.
Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders speaks to members of the media about National Signing Day during a press conference at the Dal Ward Athletic Center in Boulder on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Sanders spoke about signing new players to the football team for the upcoming season. (Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images)
Sanders guided the Jackson State Tigers to consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference titles and an undefeated regular season in 2022 before losing in the Celebration Bowl.
Colorado is coming off an abysmal 1-11 season. Sanders is hoping to make the Buffaloes contenders in the Pac-12 conference. Setting the tone appears to be the first part of his team building philosophy.
