Deion Sanders created a buzz and excitement they haven’t had for a long time in Boulder when it was announced he would be the next head coach at the University of Colorado Boulder. That excitement is now starting to fade as Sanders is shaking up things, leaving many to wonder who will be part of the team to compete in the Pac-12 this season.
Following the Buffaloes’ spring game on Saturday, April 22, a reported 23 players entered the transfer portal by Tuesday, April 25. It was reported that more than 40 scholarship players have transferred since Sanders’ arrival.
Among those players that have departed are wide receivers Grant Page, Jordyn Tyson and Montana Lemonious-Craig; tight end Zach Courtney, center Travis Gray, safety Jeremy Mack and running back Deion Smith.
Now some players and parents are speaking out against Sanders’ rebuild process.
Rebuild Gone Wrong
Sanders has used the transfer portal to his advantage. He told players to hop in that portal in his first team meeting when he arrived because he was bringing his own luggage and it was “Louie.”
The Colorado players took his advice by joining the portal, but they haven’t left quietly. Several parents and players interviewed with The Denver Post on Monday, April 24, described what they consider to be the “ugly side” of the Buffaloes rebuild.
“I couldn’t have stayed (at CU),” Page told the Denver Post on Monday. “I really wanted to. They said it was just best for me to leave.”
The “they” Grant was referring to reportedly was his position coach.
“My thoughts on Deion wouldn’t be good, so I’m not going to say anything,” said John Tyson, Jordyn Tyson’s father, to The Denver Post. “It’s a bad situation for us as a family, I will say that. And it’s unfortunate, but it’s the nature of the system.”
Former Buffaloes tight end Courtney took to Twitter to voice his frustrations with the program.
Gray said he was cut without any explanation as he was going to practice one day.
He told of receiving the news, without naming the person who delivered. “He’s walking with me and said, ‘Hey buddy, you’re going to get cut today. I’m sorry to tell you this. I didn’t want you to hear it from Coach Prime. I wanted you to hear it from my mouth. I didn’t want to cut you, but we had to cut five offensive linemen, and you were the last one,’” Gray told The Athletic on Tuesday evening.
Mack said he did everything in his control to just play ball, but it apparently wasn’t enough.
Prime Not Worried
In addition to the high turnover rate for Colorado with players already enrolled, they have also lost four-star athlete Ju-Juan Johnson, who decommitted from Colorado.
Sanders kept his message short and sweet when asked about all of the departures.
“You should be able to tell by the white cowboy hat I wore in the spring game that this isn’t my first rodeo,” Sanders told 247Sports on Wednesday morning. “We coming.”
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