Coach Prime, whose time has come at and in Colorado, is part preacher, prophet, personality, pontificator, people person, pop culture promoter and persuasive professional.
And he is, uniquely, all Deion Sanders.
At his introductory conference Sunday afternoon in Boulder, the man who needs no introduction paused, then said: “I’m not a loss for words. I’m trying to seize the moment.’’
Deion did.
The moment was more like a sermon in a tent revival.
“God chose me’’, he said. Buffaloes athletic director Rick George (mainly), Colorado-Boulder chancellor Philip DiStefano and the university’s Board of Regents also chose Sanders, who becomes the Buffs’ 28th head coach after being approved by Todd Saliman, who became CU’s 24th president earlier this year.
“I’m too blessed to be stressed,’’ said Deion among the copious aphorisms he recited in the Folsom Field football facility, which was filled with media, school officials, alumni and fans who seemed mesmerized by his every sentence.
What the Pro Football and College Football Hall of Famer promised most importantly to CU was “to bring you back to where you know you should belong.’’
The Buffs, he said, will “compete, dominate and be among the elite.
“I’m going to give you that.’’
Deion Sanders reminds me of a combination of longtime friend the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Mr. October Reggie Jackson.
Sanders admitted he walked into the room “with swagger.’’ I wrote Saturday that Swagger Time was arriving in Colorado in what will become perhaps the most exhilarating experience and experiment ever in Boulder and the state.
Deion didn’t provide a Prime Timetable for transforming the Buffs from being one of the most abysmal major college football programs in the country for the past 17 years, but Deion did say: “We’re going to win.’’
Speaking first, DiStefano, who has been at CU for a half century in several capacities, said George made a “transcendent, transformative’’ hire in Sanders. What did we expect from a former high school English teacher?
The chancellor acknowledged that Colorado is creating an initiative to allow football players in the Transfer Portal from other schools, high school recruits, other student-athletes and non-sports students, including those “who want to return home to Colorado from other schools,’’ to attend the campus in Boulder easier.
In essence, CU is relaxing its academic standards to help the football Buffaloes become relevant — as they were when the team won the mythical national championship in football in 1990.
Will Colorado football produce a football team that will make the ski team, the cross-country team, the men’s and women’s basketball teams and 36,000 students, alumni and big boosters proud? Most had turned away from the Buffs financially and emotionally.
Can Deion “bring back,’’ as he confidently claimed, the Buffaloes’ Backers.
Consider this:
On the first Sunday of December in Colorado, more attention was focused on the college football team in Boulder than the Denver pro football team playing in Baltimore.
While the Buffaloes were saying hello to their new head coach, the Broncos were closer to saying goodbye to their new head coach.
The Broncos lost again while the Buffaloes were rejoicing their most significant victory — albeit off the field — in decades since an Orange Bowl against Notre Dame.
The Broncos have just been dumpster-fired from a Prime Time TV game, while the Buffaloes have hired Prime Time and will be back in premier time in the Pac-12 Conference and nationally.
It’s Bed Time for Broncos.
Sanders’ coaching prowess, which procured back-to-back championships at the predominantly Black Jackson (Miss.) State in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, will be assessed next season when the Buffs open the season on the road at playoff finalist TCU and play his first home game against former nemesis Nebraska. The Buffs play Utah, USC, Oregon, Oregon State. UCLA and good ol’ Colorado State (once more).
It won’t be easy being the black and gold.
But Deion did introduce his son Shedeur Sanders Sunday by saying: “He’s your quarterback.’’ Shedeur is the high-class, sophomore class QB at Jackson State who will transfer to CU. And a five-star recruit already has signed up, and other quality prep players and transfers are lining up to join.
Now is Coach Prime’s time.
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