Pressure Building for Deion Sanders at Colorado

It feels like only yesterday.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson wore black and gold on College Gameday, a Heisman Trophy was raised and fans stormed Folsom Field seemingly every other week. Everyone wanted a piece of the "Prime Effect," but time moved fast on coach Deion Sanders' Colorado Buffaloes.

Deion Sanders Bearing Pressure For Success

Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders yells at his team during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Coach Prime is feeling some squeeze after a 3-9 season in Boulder. National outlets are taking note, such as CBS Sports' Brad Crawford. He compiled a list of 10 college football coaches under the most pressure in 2026 which Sanders rounds out.

"Coach Prime" is ranked No. 10, and he's one of two Big 12 coaches on the list with Dave Aranda of Baylor at No. 6. Colorado faces the Bears in Waco on Sept. 26.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell tops the rankings, followed by Wisconsin's Luke Fickell and South Carolina's Shane Beamer. North Carolina's Bill Belichick sits at No. 9, one spot ahead of Sanders. Crawford made mention of each coach's buyout, and with Coach Prime being extended for five years and $54 million last offseason, it'd take $26.6 million after this fall.

So at No. 10, Sanders isn't necessarily on the hot seat, but it only warms if the culture he's renovated continues to fall short of wins. New athletic director Fernando Lovo has inherited a department-high $27 million budget deficit, much of which stems from the football team's full-scale approach.

MORE: Deion Sanders Secures JUCO Cornerback Recruit Ahead of Spring Camp

MORE: Colorado's Lowest Position Grades Might Surprise Buffaloes Fans

MORE: Colorado Women's Basketball Impacts NCAA Tournament Chances With Latest Win

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER HERE

Feb 1, 2026; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes Director of Athletics Fernando Lovo during the second half against the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs at the CU Events Center. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Coach Prime is a grade-A frontman in a B-tier conference for a school with, at best, a C history. It's always been a strange marriage, as Sanders' brand often takes precedent over the Buffs' norms and traditions. Not that it hasn't helped the program's exposure or created an attractive destination, but the results on the field matter the most.

Is it wholly unsustainable, as many have spouted throughout his tenure? No, as long as college sports continue to lean into tools Sanders embraced before most, like the transfer portal and frivolous NIL marketing.

But to stick, some factors must be rewired for their situation. Colorado doesn't have revenue-sharing capabilities to run with the big dogs, and the Buffs have failed to retain a majority of key players. Keeping quarterback Julian Lewis in the fold was key, however.

Still, a portal piñata gets smacked around every offseason, leaving identity scattered. Like much of the sport, he can't go overboard without something to stand on. Continuity isn't the only path to success, but most schools can't build without some semblance of it.

A Successor In Town?

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. | Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

His philosophy might need work, but that's not to discount Colorado's progress this offseason. The quarterback spot returned to normalcy with promising youngster Julian Lewis, and Coach Prime loaded up on brains and brawn.

Sanders replaced dated offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur with innovative former Sacramento State coach Brennan Marion, a welcome shift that could raise the Buffs' ceiling on scoreboards. It sparked a haul of playmakers, including two decorated wide receivers in DeAndre Moore Jr. and Danny Scudero.

Marion has the keys to rejuvenate Colorado's offense, but brings a toolkit conducive to succeeding Sanders if duty calls. As a schematic wiz who's principled and experienced, he's easily the most intriguing new resident of Boulder.