Deion Sanders' Noteworthy Prediction For Colorado Buffaloes Assistant Coach's Future

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders revealed during a team meeting this week that he believes new defensive ends coach George Helow will one day become a head coach. A former assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama, Helow is entering his second year in Boulder.
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Defensive ends coach George Helow received a valuable piece of praise from his boss, Deion Sanders, during a Colorado Buffaloes team meeting earlier this week.

Prior to Colorado's second preseason training camp practice on Wednesday, "Coach Prime" surprised Helow by calling on him to speak to the team. While introducing Helow, Sanders shared his belief that the first-year defensive ends coach will one day become a head coach.

"George, where you at? Come on," Sanders said during the team meeting, per Well Off Media. "You're gonna be a head coach one day, so every day I might just throw a guy up there and you give them my 'Let's go get 'em' speech."

Deion Sanders Prediction Colorado Buffaloes Assistant Coach George Helow Defensive Ends Robert Livingston Big 12 Football
Michigan linebacker coach George Helow reacts to a play against Rutgers during the second half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021. | Junfu Han via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Although Helow wasn't anticipating he'd have to give a motivational pre-practice speech, the former Michigan Wolverines linebackers coach was quick on his feet. Helow spoke on the biggest aspects of fall camp and what's required to become a winning football team.

"The biggest thing about fall camp, man, is sacrifice and coming together as a team," Helow said. "Things in life that are worth accomplishing and worth doing will be difficult. Does everybody agree on that? The challenge is just getting better every day. As we go out and hit the field today, whether it's a special teams period, whether it's offense, whether it's defense, group teach, it doesn't matter, individual, you focus on that rep and that play."

Deion Sanders Prediction Colorado Buffaloes Assistant Coach George Helow Defensive Ends Robert Livingston Big 12 Football
Michigan linebackers coach George Helow high-fives players after a play against Nebraska during the first half of U-M's 34-3 win over Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Ann Arbor. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Helow, who previously worked under national championship-winning coaches Jim Harbaugh and Nick Saban, then reminded CU players about Sanders' simple yet important expectations.

"As far as eveything I've learned being here at Colorado under 'Coach Prime,' is the man doesn't ask for much," Helow continued. "He asks for a great attitude every day, being on time, being prepared, doing your job and playing with great effort. And it's not hard. As we take the field today, can we agree that everybody is gonna completely empty the tank? Can we agree? And then we're gonna feed off each other. That's what happens."

With an eye on the big picture, Helow then urged Colorado's offensive and defensive players to support each other during practice, noting that once Week 1 rolls around, the Buffs will reach their greatest potential as a connected unit.

"Let's give max effort every play and just see where this thing goes," Helow said. "Always being on the rise."

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Deion Sanders Prediction Colorado Buffaloes Assistant Coach George Helow Defensive Ends Robert Livingston Big 12 Football
Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Helow joined Sanders' staff last August as a defensive analyst and spent the season helping defensive coordinator Robert Livingston from the press box. When former defensive ends coach Vincent Dancy left Boulder for the Mississippi State Bulldogs in December, "Coach Prime" soon gave Helow the nod to lead one of his most talented position groups.

Colorado's Week 1 test will come against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Aug. 29.


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Jack Carlough
JACK CARLOUGH

Jack Carlough is lead reporter for Colorado Buffaloes on SI. Jack graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor's degree in journalism and minors in business and sports media. Born and raised in the Boulder area, Jack began covering Colorado athletics in 2018 and was the head sports editor of the CU Independent during his college career. More recently, he spent over three years as the managing editor of the USA Today Sports Network's Colorado Buffaloes Wire, where he covered Colorado's hiring of head football coach Deion Sanders. Other publications Jack has written for include the Boulder Daily Camera, Left Hand Valley Courier and SB Nation’s Ralphie Report. In 2022, the Colorado Press Association awarded Jack second place in its annual Class 5 Best Sports Column Writing category.