Former Colorado Star Phillip Lindsay Issues Candid Warning to Deion Sanders

Former Colorado Buffaloes running back Phillip Lindsay still has his eyes on his alma mater. Lindsay gave his thoughts on the state of the Buffaloes football program under coach Deion Sanders.

Phillip Lindsay: "You've Got To Win Games Now"

colorado buffaloes deion sanders coach prime big 12 bowl game phillip lindsay nfl draft folsom field brennan marion boulder — Former Colorado standout running back Phillip Lindsay recognizes the fans before the start of the Rocky Mountain Showdown at Broncos Stadium in Denver on Friday Aug. 31, 2018. (Cris Tiller / Fort Collins Coloradoan) Ftc0831 Rmshowdown Ct 25 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Philip Lindsay played for Colorado from 2013-17 before entering the NFL. He recently spoke to national sports writer Kyle Odegard about the Buffs’ football program right now with Coach Prime.

“All that hype, it wears off. You’ve got to win games now. That’s how you keep butts in seats and that’s how you make more money,” Lindsay said. “So for Deion now, what do you do? Your back is against the wall and you’ve got to do something more than just talk.”

Colorado made a splash when they hired Deion Sanders as coach prior to the 2023 college football season. The Buffs were coming off a 1-11 season in 2022 and desperately needed some energy. Coach Prime brought that. The Buffs immediately were one of the most talked about teams in the country and started to sell out home games at Folsom Field.

This hasn’t led to consistent success on the field as the Buffs have an overall record of 16-21 under Sanders in his first three seasons in Boulder. Lindsay warns Sanders that just his presence alone won’t keep people engaged with the program after a while if the wins aren’t there.

Colorado went 3-9 in 2025 and missed a bowl game for the second time in three years.

Lindsay did add that he liked Sanders’ hire of Brennan Marion this offseason as the Colorado offensive coordinator. Colorado’s offense in 2025 struggled all season long. They averaged just 20.9 points per game which ranked 116 out of 136 in FBS.

Marion was the coach of the Sacramento State Hornets in 2025, leading them to a 7-5 record and putting up an average of 33.75 points per game. Will this hire help unlock the Buffs’ offense in 2026?

Marion will bring a new-look to their offensive attack with the go-go offense. The go-go is an up-tempo style offense that primarily features the quarterback in the shotgun with two running backs alongside.

Phillip Lindsay's Journey form Colorado to the NFL

Phillip Lindsay played his whole collegiate football career with Colorado from 2013-17. In 51 games played as a Buffalo, Lindsay rushed for 3,770 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also had 116 receptions for 1,079 yards and three touchdowns. Lindsay was named Second-team All-Pac-12 in 2016.

He was not selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, but that did not stop him from being a productive player at the next level. Lindsay played five seasons in the NFL from 2018-2022. Lindsay's best season was as a rookie for the Denver Broncos in 2018. He rushed for 1,037 yards and nine touchdowns, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl, and being named as a member of the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

For his whole career in the NFL, Lindsay rushed for 2,848 yards and 18 touchdowns.

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