Former Colorado QB Disputes Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders Jersey Retirement Process

An ex-Buffaloes star offered his thoughts on a controversy that has roiled his alma mater.

Darian Hagan looks to pass against Nebraska in 1989. / Tim DeFrisco/Stringer

Long before the heyday of wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, quarterback Darian Hagan patrolled Folsom Field for Colorado. He was a lethal run-pass threat in his era, and led the Buffaloes to a national title in 1990.

Hagan's No. 3, however, remains in use by Colorado (quarterback Kaidon Salter will wear it this year). Amid controversy over the retirement of Hunter and Sanders's respective numbers, Hagan spoke out about the decision in a piece by Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today.

"It should not be at the discretion of the athletic director and the head coach. Head coaches come. Head coaches go. ADs come, and ADs go," Hagan said. "We had a policy in place. Where is that policy? We need to abide by that policy."

Hagan, who finished fifth in the 1989 Heisman voting, is in his second year as San Diego State's running backs coach after almost two decades with the Buffaloes in various roles.

"We were always told there was a waiting period," Hagan told Schrotenboer. "There was a policy in place. It had to be voted upon. I was never told that it was at the discretion of the athletic director or the head coach. That was shocking news to me. It was hard to stomach."

Hunter (now of the Jacksonville Jaguars) and Sanders (now of the Cleveland Browns) finished first and sixth in this year's Heisman voting, respectively. Sanders's father, coach Deion Sanders, is entering his third season as Colorado's head coach.

---

More College Football on Sports Illustrated

feed