Urban Meyer Doesn't Hold Back On Deion Sanders' New Rules At Colorado

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders will impose fines for players this season, which could indicate culture issues within the program.

Nov 23, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warmup prior to the game between the Kansas Jayhawks and the Colorado Buffaloes at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images | Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images

Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders caused controversy by revealing that players can now be fined for breaking various program guidelines. On The Triple Option podcast, hosts Urban Meyer and Mark Ingram believe fines are a sign of issues with the program's culture.

“I think the biggest storyline here is that Prime has an issue within the locker room, within the culture, that he has to address this,” Ingram said. “If that wasn’t going on within the culture of your locker room, you wouldn’t have to address it.”

Oct 11, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Iowa State Cyclones at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

“If you’re fining people a lot, you’ve got bigger problems than collecting a couple thousand bucks,” Meyer echoed. “You’ve got a serious issue.”

Fines a Potential Sign of Culture Issues with Colorado Buffaloes

Establishing fines for the team during winter workouts could indicate locker room and culture issues are not a new obstacle for the program. Even if it has not yet happened with the current roster, there may be a reason Sanders feels he has to fine players to avoid them breaking the program's guidelines.

There are a variety of fines players can face, ranging from $500 for being late to practice to $2,500 for missing practice.

Nov 1, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

During the 2025 season, Sanders had to hold his players accountable on a couple of occasions. One of the most notable instances was during the matchup against the Utah Utes when wide receivers Omarion Miller and Joseph Williams were benched to start the game.

After the game, it was revealed that Miller and Williams did not return to Boulder on time following the bye week, and benching them despite facing a tough opponent showed how Sanders will hold his players accountable.

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In October of the 2025 season, after the Buffaloes had fallen to a 3-4 record, a video of Sanders calling out his players in practice was posted on X. It showed the Colorado coach calling out those who had quit on the team.

"Some people out here just aren’t here. They’re all ready to quit and shut it down because they know they have no future in this. But the rest of ya’ll do,” Sanders said.

Sanders is looking to turn things around from a 3-9 season and needs players who will give it their all every day for the team. Ensuring the locker room is on the same page and filled with motivated players will lead the Buffaloes to an improved record.

Oct 7, 2023; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Aside from discourse surrounding the culture, questions have been raised on whether a program can fine players without a union. On the other hand, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements are not often made public, which means players may have agreed to the fines being established.

Pressure Rising on Deion Sanders

The Colorado Buffaloes are coming off a 3-9 season, and pressure could be rising for Sanders to turn things around. If there is a culture issue, Sanders will have to fix that quickly to get the program back to winning.

Colorado will also have a very different roster compared to last season. The Buffaloes lost 36 players through the portal with 42 incoming. With a new roster, Sanders could be using the fines to get everyone on the same page quickly.

Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado head coach Deion Sanders speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

With quarterback Julian Lewis set to take over the program and talented players coming in through the portal, such as wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr, Sanders could have the roster he needs to bring the Buffaloes back to a winning record.

Sanders has proved his ability to turn programs around, as he did when he first joined the Buffaloes and in 2024. After working with the staff to bring in talented players, the Colorado Buffaloes could see a big improvement in 2026.