MANHATTAN, Kansas – Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has made it clear to his team that consistent improvement is not just a desire, but a necessity. Following a disappointing 24-14 loss to Kansas State on Saturday, Sanders highlighted the team’s struggles during the fourth quarter throughout the season, showing a graphic that depicted their near misses in games.
“Look at the scoreboard,” he urged his players during the game. “This is how much time is left. This is the score. This is the situation. What are we gonna do with it? Because we have seen the same picture 100 times.” Despite a valiant effort that saw the Buffaloes narrow the deficit to 17-14 midway through the fourth quarter, they were unable to capitalize in the final minutes, culminating in their sixth loss of the season after being in a competitive position.
This season concluded with the Buffs finishing at 3-9 overall and 1-8 in the Big 12, falling dramatically short of last year’s 9-4 record. This marks only the third occasion in the program’s history where the win total has dropped by at least six games between consecutive seasons. Sanders expressed his disappointment: “This fan base, the school, (athletic director Rick George), everybody deserves much better than this, and they expected much better than this. I expected much better than this, and we’re gonna give them much better than this, starting tomorrow.”
Changes are on the horizon, as Sanders promised substantial transformations within the coaching staff and the roster. Reports indicate that running backs coach Marshall Faulk is set to become the head coach at Southern University, but this likely heralds further departures and adjustments within the staff. Sanders emphasized the urgent need to reshape the team’s mentality, stating, “It’s a mentality. A certain mentality you got to have when the game is right there, and you could take it either way.”
Addressing the leadership void observed within the team, linebacker Jeremiah Brown noted the lack of natural leaders in the locker room compared to the previous season. “I feel like the leader, he doesn’t try to lead; it just naturally happens. And we just, unfortunately, didn’t have very many of those,” he remarked.
As the offseason approaches, Sanders is committed to identifying and recruiting players and coaches with the right mentality, which he believes is vital for turning around the team’s fortunes. “You don’t develop mentality. You select mentality. You pick mentality,” he said.
With a steadfast resolve, Sanders assured both his team and supporters, “We won’t be in this situation again. I promise you that. If anybody’s built to reconcile and to get this back on course, it’s me, and I will do it if it’s the last thing I do on Earth.” The coming months will be critical for the Buffaloes as they strive to rebuild and enhance their performance for the upcoming season.