Deion Sanders Divulges Halftime Message to Julian Lewis, Colorado Buffaloes

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders revealed several conversations he had with his quarterback, Julian Lewis, after Colorado's win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts in the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders took to the podium following CU's miraculous victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Thursday. Amid fielding questions about a variety of players, Sanders spoke a number of conversations he had with his quarterback, Julian Lewis.

Sanders revealed that he called him out in front of the entire team at one point, lighting a fire under him that ultimately led to his final drive in the final two minutes.

What Deion Sanders said:

Opening Statement

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts in the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“We ran for 183 [yards]. They rushed for 51. I thought we were small. First of all, how's everyone doing? Great game, very entertaining game tonight. I'm pretty sure ESPN was happy to put the game in the way it played out. I never flinched, man. I told several people on the sideline, ‘We're going to make it very, very interesting, but we're going to win this game,’” Sanders said.

“That's just the faith I have in these young men and the coaching staff, both coordinators as well as our new AD, Fernando [Lovo]. They got the game balls, so that's noted and notable. The young men played their butts off, made some mistakes on special teams, which can't- it's effort, effort plays. Like when they're blocking a field goal, then they run a kick up back for a touchdown. That's straight effort because you have the correct personnel,” Sanders said.

“Could you go over it over and over and over and over? I do that myself, but they made it happen, so hats off to them. We beat a really, really good team and a really, really good coaching staff. But our guys were resilient. I'm proud of them. I'm truly happy for them. We didn't have many flights back home to victory or any flights back home [to victory],” Sanders said.

“But this is going to be a wonderful flight, knowing that we don't- I think we get back at four or five in the morning, but we don't have anything to do tomorrow. So I'm really pleased. I'm thankful for our fan base. I'm thankful for the first [home opener] sellout they had [since 2006]...I think we had a little something to do with that. God is so good, man. These young men are so wonderful. Love them to life. So, coaching staff, we fought through to the end. It was awesome,” Sanders said.

Deion Sanders calls out Julian Lewis in front of the team

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) during the first half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Well, I talked to him at halftime in front of the whole team. I addressed him in front of the whole team. I don't do anything secretive and private. I tell the whole team, ‘Let's go. You that man. We believe in you. Let's go.’ And you know, I challenged him in front of the whole team, and he went and did his thing,” Sanders said. 

“Because the thing that's so good about football in life is that when we just talk about a moment, if you maximize and dominate that moment, all you guys will forget about what happened during the four quarters [beforehand], right? You ever forget about that? Then that's the thing about a moment, and he took advantage of the moment. He didn't shrink in it, and I'm thankful, especially with him being at the crib at home,” Sanders said.

“I'm loving that, and we had a multitude of guys that are from this area that are on this roster, and I let them break it down in practice yesterday. You know, they said some the day before, and they're excited,” Sanders said.

Facing adversity

“We were resilient…I told them there was going to be adversity, tremendous adversity. But we wanted to implement the adversity, not be the recipients of the adversity. But we were resilient. We didn't give up, and just had it all play out in the end. I mean, a couple of special teams blunders, and then we came out strong on special teams to make it happen. So we don't wash it. We still are not satisfied with that. But I'm happy overall with the victory. Truly,” Sanders said.

Julian Lewis’ maturity

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) walks off the field after defeating the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The kid's still young, man. He's still growing. That's why I don't get up here and clap with my feet and my hands because I want you guys to give him time, man. Like, let it happen. I tell you what, the things that Brennan [Marion] says when he's getting the play in and the situational type of football that we practice and getting him prepared for that moment. It was real, and we knew,” Sanders said.

“I told him before, I said, 'Look, we get ready to use every one of these timeouts. You're probably gonna have a minute or something left to go to work because we're not gonna have a timeout. So they're not going to be up because they don't want to get beat deep. They don't want to do that. So we're going to have a chance to catch and get out of bounds. And he dialed it up. He dialed a correct play, and JuJu made the throw, man. I'm proud of him,” Sanders said.

Chauncey Gooden playing both sides of the ball

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes offensive lineman Chauncey Gooden (51) during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Chauncey is an unbelievable athlete. Like, Chauncey is a dog at that man. When you see some of his cut-ups from the game and what he did offensively to them, you'll understand why I allow him to play defense, and that was ideal. You're not going to play defense unless you're whooping the guy in front of you on offense, and he was. And when he got in there on defense, he did his job. So all the guys did a great job today in there,” Sanders said.

“Come on, man, 30 carries and 51 yards. I think they did a great job up front. I'm proud of them. Every last one of them, and we rotated several D-tackles, and we had a couple sacks today. Three sacks. That that's that's awesome, man. That's awesome,” Sanders said.

Chris Marve’s impact

FSU linebackers coach Chris Marve at the FSU National Signing Day Party on Feb. 5, 2020. Img 4547 | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“First of all, it says a lot about Marve and who he is and what he is and how he is and how he's relatable to these young men and how they really want to fight and play for him, and how smart and intelligent he is. Playing situational football, doing some things that we knew they would do. We surrendered a few big plays that we shouldn't, but we'll get that fixed,” Sanders said.

“But what can I say, man…when you're looking at the statistics, you've got to get on the plane happy with knowing the outcome, but knowing you can improve on that. So I'm happy about that,” Sanders said.

If silencing the doubters was satisfying

“I want to win, man. I don't give a damn, man. They talked about me when I came in the womb. This was a big win for the program. This is a big win, period, man. This is a big win for these kids, man. You know, I'm straight, man. I don't shake; I don’t shatter. That woman right there has been with me for at least 20 years, man. She can tell you. She's been taking pictures of me for well over 20 years,” Sanders said.

“And when her two twin sons played for me when they were youth, they were 12 years old. So we know what we're doing here. We don't shatter. We let y'all talk. You gotta sell some papers. You gotta get some clicks. You got to do that. So talk your talk and pop it. Just don't get sensitive when I talk back,” Sanders said.

What Deion Sanders said to his players

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders reacts in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Well, nobody flinched, man. I mean, you-if you know how many linemen grabbed me and said, 'I told y'all we got this. I told you we got this, Coach. I mean, you have no idea how many times I was grabbed and shaken by a lineman saying, ‘I told you we got this, and I never doubted him.’That was one of the things. It wasn't even a pregame speech. Usually, God waits right until it's time to articulate to these young men, and he didn't give me anything,” Sanders said. 

“So I think I said, ‘let's do this,’ something like that. ‘Are y'all ready? Let's do this.’ That's the only word God gave me. Let's go do this, and we did it,” Sanders said.

Finally getting to play against another team

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. (3) is tackled by Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets safety Savion Riley (13) at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Well, you're talking about another team that's also a physical team. They have a head coach who is a big line guy. Like, he doesn't play about the front. So to go out there and do this when you guys were talking about the run, to run the run, and we're a small team, which I don't know where that came from, but you're certainly happy with the results,” Sanders said.

Micah Welch and the running backs

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Micah Welch (29) rushes the ball against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Micah’s a dog, man. The darn near tried to run my boy out here, and he wasn't having it. He wasn't having it. Listen to me clearly: he wasn't having it. He wasn't about to go. He wasn't about to jump in the portal. He wasn't about to leave. He's like, ‘I know who I am. Watch this.’ At every turn, he came and did the doggone thing, and we know what he has. You got to understand, like 20 [DeKalon Taylor] and 29 [Welch], I know, so I trust them,” Sanders said.

“I know under pressure what they're going to do. The other guys are new to me, so it takes a minute for me to build that trust and that understanding of what they got. And several of them played. Shoot, they played some good football today. Physical, elusive. What we played. Six backs today, at least five,” Sanders said.

Lamont Lester, other transfers having impacts defensively

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive lineman Lamont Lester Jr. (56) reacts against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the first half at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Well, a lot of these guys were great players where they came from. That's why we got them. And you guys, sometimes just because a guy played at a school, you don't give him the credit that he deserves. Sometimes a smaller school, but football is football to me. I don't give a darn who's out there on the other side. Football is football. Like, you can watch your film and say that guy can play,” Sanders said. 

“I don't care who he's playing against. I don't care if it's SEC, ACC, or what C. You know, but those guys that we grabbed, the linebackers, did a phenomenal job as well. And I think we rotated three of them, and they stood the test,” Sanders said.

Building the offense around the run

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes running back Damian Henderson II (26) rushes the ball against Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets safety Savion Riley (13) at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“What happens when the passing game is not working? You got to go with what you know. We know we're big up front. We know we could be physical. We know these guys can move bodies, so that's what we went with. Thank God. Now we're growing as we mature in this game and understand one another's strengths and weaknesses. Those guys' ideas, one-on-one, man. We got to make that happen out there. So when we get all that together, it's going to be a beautiful day,” Sanders said.

His relationship with Boo Carter

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets running back Justice Haynes (22) rushes the ball against Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Boo Carter (6) at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I love that kid, man. I straight out love that kid because I know what he's been through as a young man. Things we won’t disclose, but I love who he is, what he is, and how he is. I want him to continue. Just do your thing,” Sanders said.

The calmness of his coordinators

“I don't have to yell and scream, although I have gray protruding from my face, not on my head right now, thanks to some dye, but these guys are really good at what they do, and they're very relational, and they don't panic. There was no panic on the headsets. There was no yelling and screaming. There was no panic. Like they were rock steady all the way through,” Sanders said.

Sacramento State Hornets head coach Brennan Marion listens to one of the assistant coaches yell at players on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“You have no idea how wonderful it is when you've been on the other side of these things to be on this side of these things because you knew what you had, you know what you got, and you guys could see. Okay, well, they don't give up a darn kickoff. Durn near dominated the game, and we weren't even flowing offensively, throwing the darn football. What, we throw for 20 yards? 124. Cool. We're gonna do better than that,” Sanders said.

“We have to. What I was upset with was the penalties…That was too many, and I think we had three on special teams. We got to clean that up. We really got to clean that up,” Sanders said.

Where this win ranks among his favorite moments in Atlanta

“Um, I don't rank moments, man. I don't rank moments. I try to turn them into monuments. That's all I do. I don't rank moments. (Reporter: “It’s a big monument”). Amen. God is good. 

Julian Lewis’ stepping to the occasion

Sep 3, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) during the second half against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I talked to him all game long. He reacts like a kid would react. He's very respectful. He's very intuitive, understanding, and he understands the moment. He understands the moment. And I mean, this he said he would have got eaten up if he didn't. What? Am I lying? One thing I don't do. I want you guys to know that I don't lie. I tell you everything. Sometimes I tell y'all too much, but I don't. I don't lie. I tell you the truth, whether you want to put a suit on it or not,” Sanders said.

“I tell you the truth, and he would have. But a moment could change everything, man. And I'm proud of the kid because he didn't shrink in that moment. He didn't shrink. He stood up and did his thing. Now we forgot about everything else,” Sanders said. 

Walking off he field with Shedeur Sanders

Deion Sanders spends time with his son, Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) at the conclusion of the second day of training camp, July 30, 2026, in Berea, Ohio. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

“You, trying to make me cry, man. Sometimes you know what y'all forget. I'm a father. I think y'all forget that. Y'all see a coach, you see Prime, you see someone that has dabbled with success in certain areas of life. Some of my young- made a multitude of mistakes as well, but y'all forget. Like, I'm a real loving, caring father, and that's my son, man,” Sanders said.

“So I feel him, and for him to, you know, get out of practice and make it to this game, and I think he's gonna fly back with us because he wants to spend a couple days with his dad. Like, I love that man…I don't know how many fathers are here, but man, I love fatherhood. I love fatherhood. I really do. I wasn't father-like I'm a father. So some people could take the wrong and keep it going wrong. Some people could take the wrong and make it right. I believe in making it right,” Sanders said.

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