Deion Sanders Places Strict Rules During Colorado's Fall Camp

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders revealed the strict conditions his players were practicing under to begin fall camp.

Oct 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders coaches before the game against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Colorado Buffaloes began their fall camp in Colorado Springs, Colorado, this season. CU’s sibling campus, the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, played host to coach Deion Sanders and the Buffs, and he had nothing but positive things to say about the experience.

The Buffaloes were over an hour and a half away from their typical home in Boulder, but that wasn’t the only unique thing about the experience. Sanders revealed a strict set of conditions that were placed over the Buffs’ players during the first week of fall camp.

The Colorado Buffaloes’ isolation in fall camp

Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Legendary football and baseball player and father of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders on the sidelines prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field. Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In Sanders’s Thursday press conference, he gave insight into the strict conditions his players were placed under. Perhaps the strictest of all was the complete isolation the Buffs had from the outside world. Sanders said the choice to be so far away from Boulder was intentional, as it put physical space between his players and the things, or even people, who may distract them.

“Well, we wanted to go somewhere away that was significant, not just around the corner, like 45 minutes, 30 minutes,” Sanders said. “We wanted to get away so they can’t have the contacts to drive back home on the urge. Even though we're on buses, they're not doing that. No visitations or anything like that. No outside food coming in. They're doing a great job of feeding us.” 

Positive experiences created by the Colorado Buffaloes’ isolation

Jul 30, 2026; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) talks with his father Deion Sanders during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In addition to the physical space Sanders placed between his players and the outside world, he also cut down on their access via social media. Colorado’s staff monitored the players’ phone usage, but the isolation led to real, and frankly hilarious, bonding experiences between the team’s members.

“They're off the phones,” Sanders said. “We monitor that, and they're really getting to know each other, and really getting a bond. I sat at the table with a group of guys yesterday, and they were telling stories about some of them sleepwalking. He walked out of the room, and one of the coaches also fell out of bed, and he got a bruise on his arm. There’ve been some wonderful stories that have transpired on the campus.”

In a YouTube video from Well Off Media, the player in question was later revealed to be running back Richard Young, who was comically walking back and forth from the bathroom in his sleep.

The overall impact of the Colorado Buffaloes’ conditions

Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the start of the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

But while unique bonding experiences like that were situational results of the Buffs’ strict circumstances, Sanders made it clear that the team grew as a whole because of them as well.

“We love it,” Sanders said. “We're bonding. We're getting closer. We're getting to know each other. We're getting to know each other a lot more because we're in one unit at all times, night and day, and it's been phenomenal.” 

Given Colorado’s notable team chemistry struggles in 2025, early success in that front was of paramount importance to Coach Prime and his staff. With the reported success of the first week of fall camp, the Buffaloes are well on track to leave those struggles in the past.

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