Deion Sanders loves just about everybody.
That was the theme of his press conference at Day 2 of Big 12 Media Days at the Dallas Cowboys practice facility on Wednesday. Sanders used the "word" love gratuitously. Coach Prime loves Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, Colorado athletic director Rick George, quarterbacks Julian Lewis and Kaidon Salter, Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire and, of course, former Cowboys teammate Michael Irvin, who attended the event.
"I love the coaches in the Big 12," Sanders said. "I want to beat them all, but I love them."
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Sanders – wearing a gray suit with a black Colorado T-shirt – briefly addressed an undisclosed health issue, which has limited his time at the Colorado facilities this summer.
"I never say 'Why me?' regardless of what's ahead of me," Sanders said. "What I say is 'Lord, just use me.'"
On the next question, Sanders used his trademark phrase "bull-junk" when asked about those health concerns.
"I'm not here to talk about my health," Sanders said. "I'm here to talk about my team."
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What did we learn about Sanders? He hasn't changed. Coach Prime can shift from friendly to defensive on a dime depending on the question – and he is intent on taking the next step with the Buffaloes.
So, what do we know about Colorado heading into Year 3 under Coach Prime? The Buffaloes – who have compiled a 13-12 record the last two seasons – have been must-see TV. Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy. Shedeur Sanders was college football's largest celebrity the last two seasons – and he's the most-talked about rookie in the NFL so far.
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Colorado still is going to be entertaining with Sanders on the sideline. How long will they hold the nation's attention? That will depend on two young quarterbacks, a tough Big 12 schedule and, of course, Sanders' health. This is the third year under Sanders, and there were 33 incoming transfers and 33 outgoing transfers in the 2025 cycle, according to 247Sports.com.
That is a decrease from 43 incoming transfers and 41 outgoing transfers in 2024 and 52 incoming transfers and 57 outgoing transfers in 2023. The Buffaloes ranked 19th in incoming transfers this cycle. That is progress.
"Our long-term plans are to win," Sanders said. "Our short-team plans are to win. I have a simple formula. It's like 40-40-20, grad transfers, transfers and high school kids. I stick to what we know and what works for us."
That won't change either.
Will Colorado still be must-see TV in 2025?
This is the question worth asking. According to FootballScoop, Colorado had six of the top 50 most watched college football games of 2023 and three of the top 50 in 2024.
Seven of those nine games were in the first month of the season. The Buffaloes also had a big audience when they lost 37-21 to Kansas on Nov. 23 last season, which prevented a run to the Big 12 championship game.
Colorado will be back in the spotlight early in the season. The Buffaloes face Georgia Tech at 8 p.m. on ESPN on Friday in Week 1 in a battle of schools that split the 1990 national championship. The Buffaloes will be on Fox against Delaware on Sept. 6 and back on ESPN for a Friday night game against Houston on Sept. 12.
"We will be seen and we will be heard and we will be known," Sanders said.
Colorado will have competition, however, in terms of being must-see TV. Arch Manning is quarterback at Texas now. Bill Belichick is the coach at North Carolina, and the Tar Heels get the Labor Day spotlight in Week 1, ironically against TCU. Colorado beat the Horned Frogs 45-42 on Sept. 2, 2023, in Sanders' debut at Colorado.
How will Deion Sanders fare at Colorado in 2025?
This will be Deion's first season at Colorado without Hunter, the two-way star who won the Heisman Trophy last season; and quarterback Shedeur Sanders – who passed for 7,364 yards, 64 TDs and 13 interceptions the last two seasons. Shilo Sanders also is gone.
The Buffaloes do have interesting storylines . There is a quarterback battle between Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter – who is 20-4 as a starter – and four-star freshman Julian Lewis, who committed to Colorado over USC, Auburn and Alabama. Sanders said both quarterbacks should see time early in the season.
"As long as both are doing their jobs and we're winning," Sanders said. "We definitely want to continue to develop JuJu, but Kaidon is unbelievable."
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What else? Sophomore tackle Jordan Seaton is a future first-round pick. The Buffaloes have to replace four receivers who are in NFL camps this summer, and the defense will look to improve again after jumping up to 42nd in scoring defense after it finished 124th in 2023. Colorado had four players drafted last season – which mapped the total for the program from 2020-23.
Sanders also added NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk as running backs coach. He joins another Hall of Famer in Warren Sapp, who is the pass rush coordinator. Sanders loves those guys, too.
Toward the end of his press conference, Sanders was asked how he would change college football if he had a voice.
"I do have a voice, you're talking to me right now, right?" Sanders asked back. "There has gotta be a salary cap on this stuff, because this stuff is going crazy because nobody knows where it's going to land and where it's going to end."
Sanders then went on to say, "I like the professional rules being implemented into college."
That sounds like a coach who will be around after Year 3 as long as he stays healthy. Coach Prime is good for Colorado, and that's good for college football.
What's not to love?