Will Deion Sanders stay at Colorado to carry on the greatness of Mac?

The late William Paul McCartney has been deservedly memorialized. The Hall of Fame football coach will be tremendously missed by many, including your scribe. Long after becoming the Buffs winningest coach and Promise Keepers’ co-founder, Coach Mac kept on coaching dudes like me. What a blessing.

At the well-attended service inside the university’s home to CU’s basketball and volleyball teams, the only coach to ever lead the Buffs to a national football title was eulogized in exemplary fashion. Also, before and after there was much chatter about the current state of affairs under Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders.

Will the dynamic personality stay? Will he go? It’s a constant topic. Dallas Cowboys? Never seemed like a good fit. Dallas owes a ton of guaranteed money to current quarterback Dak Prescott, an equally large ego in owner Jerry Jones and, barring a trade moving up, probably don’t have a chance at drafting Shedeur Sanders. The Cowboys pick 12th In the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.

Your correspondent believes, if Sanders does leap to the NFL, the Las Vegas Raiders make the most sense. The floundering franchise needs a coach, quarterback and picks sixth in the draft. Plus, the Sanders vibe seems to fit well with the Nevada city increasingly known for its sports influence outstripping the infamous Strip and its gambling/entertainment history.

In hiring Sanders, the Raiders get a coach, quarterback and could always select Buffs safety Shilo Sanders in the draft’s later rounds or sign him as a free agent. Prime would have a chance to continue mentoring his sons. A pattern dating back to youth football, high school, HBCU Jackson State, CU and now? Maybe the pros?

Who knows. This much is known. It’s not likely Prime is long for Boulder. He eventually will move on. I’d be shocked if the 57-year-old is here five years from now. The NFL Hall of Fame player’s talents are vast, his influence larger and media/entertainment opportunities seem to appear almost daily. Sanders, understandably, plans on striking while the iron’s hot and right now? It’s white hot.

Back to McCartney. The Detroit native left Michigan’s Bo Schembechler’s staff, arrived at the foot of the Flatirons in 1982 and resurrected the fortunes of a struggling program. 13 years later? The Buffs had risen to the top of the college football world and considered one of the nation’s elite programs before McCartney shockingly resigned after the 1994 season.

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Since McCartney’s departure, Colorado has had eight head football coaches: Neuheisel, Barnett, Hawkins, Embree, MacIntyre, Tucker, Dorrell and Sanders. None has served more than six years. With such a revolving door? It’s tough to rebuild the pride and tradition the father of four built.

Intrigue about Prime’s future is always the first question Buff Nation devotees ask of a dude who’s been around the program for five decades. The second? Where does CU pivot once Prime takes a unique and controversial road show to another locale? Perhaps the Florida native will shock the world and truly put down roots in Boulder with the intent of being the program’s next McCartney.

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For certain, far different personalities. However, I’ve written about this before in comparing Sanders to McCartney. The two men share three similar traits: faith, the ability to recruit and a passion for teaching young impressionable minds about life as much as about football. That statement's truth was revealed in the throng of former players present at the service.

College football has changed dramatically three decades after McCartney walked away to care for family ahead of football. Coach Mac and I spent a lot of time together in his final years. Fridays with Mac were precious. Billy Mac from Hackensack was old school. This NIL, transfer portal and conference insanity? Not surprisingly, Mac opposed it.

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The McCartney services and the fellowship before and after are complete. The school’s greatest coach is gone but will never be forgotten. Many of us gathering and sharing tender memories vow to keep his character-driven and faithful personality alive.

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Optimistic Buff fans hope Sanders’ gut says “stay.” Pragmatists realize the odds are slim. Collectively, Buff Nation yearns for the current or future coach to invoke Coach’s Mac spirit.

Stay awhile.