Colorado athletic director defends Deion Sanders amid team’s lackluster season

Colorado football’s third season with Deion Sanders at the helm has been met with considerable headwinds. The Buffaloes have dropped four of their last five games and enter a Week 11 matchup with West Virginia with a 3-6 record.

Nevertheless, Sanders continues to have the support of one of the university’s key athletic decision-makers. Rick George, Colorado’s athletic director, expressed confidence in the job Coach Prime is doing. George’s only preference would be for the team to pick up more wins.

“I’m proud of Coach Prime. It’s been a tough year what he’s been through. He’s been a trooper, been working hard, motivating. He’s doing the things I want him to do as coach. We just gotta win more FB games,” George told reporters.

George appeared to be referencing Sanders’ health battles, a closely followed topic leading up to the regular season. In July, Sanders announced doctors had removed his bladder after the discovery of a tumor. Sanders said there has been no evidence of cancer since the surgery.

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Doctors said a section of Sanders’ intestine was reconstructed to function as a bladder. Sanders faced questions about whether he’d be up for coaching after his health scare, but he remains steadfast in his commitment to Colorado.

Sanders was named head coach of the Colorado football program in December 2022. He took over a program that won just one game the previous season. Sanders, a charismatic NFL legend, immediately brought a spotlight to a program that had long been an afterthought.

This season, Sanders has routinely faced opposing teams with a sizable talent advantage. Coach Prime hasn’t been as successful in recruiting lately. Last year, Colorado made the leap to the Big 12 Conference. The Buffaloes won nine games in 2024 but have struggled to find replacements for two-way player Travis Hunter or quarterback Shedeur Sanders.

Hunter was the second overall selection in April’s NFL Draft, while Shedeur was drafted in the fifth round.

Kaidon Salter transferred from Liberty to Colorado in the offseason, but his uneven performances have opened the door for fellow quarterback Julian Lewis and others to see playing time.

Sanders barred players from speaking to the media after the Buffaloes’ 52-17 loss to Arizona last week. Saturday’s Colorado–West Virginia game is scheduled to kick off at noon ET at Milan Puskar Stadium.

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