The Colorado Buffaloes once again enter the offseason with optimism swirling around Boulder. Under head coach Deion Sanders, expectations remain high that Colorado can take a meaningful step toward conference contention, bowl relevance and, eventually, College Football Playoff aspirations. The talent influx has given Buffs fans reason to believe—but belief alone no longer carries the program.
As Spring Ball approaches, the focus shifts to cohesion and development. And that’s where the conversation becomes more uncomfortable. Colorado has seen more than 100 players exit the program in three seasons, an unprecedented churn that raises legitimate questions beyond NIL dollars or “business decisions.” The issue isn’t players betting on themselves—it’s whether the program is developing them in a way that maximizes long-term value and professional opportunity.
Despite a coaching staff rich in football knowledge, Colorado continues to lose contributors who transfer elsewhere and find success. That reality has fueled skepticism among those close to the program. Why are so many players leaving, and what does it say about on-field development?
Sanders has said he’s been hands-on in recruiting this latest class, but notably, the Buffs have not landed a five-star prospect this cycle. Fair or not, rival programs are selling structure and proven records—while critics argue Colorado’s slogans are beginning to wear thin. “I Ain’t Hard to Find” hits differently when roster turnover remains constant.
More: Warren Sapp’s tweets add speculation surrounding Colorado’s player exodus
Meanwhile, Colorado has taken another double-digit hit in the transfer portal. Sanders’ brief trip to New York raised questions during a critical evaluation window, while assistant Warren Sapp was spotted celebrating with the Miami Hurricanes during their postseason run—an unusual optic for a defensive assistant during a pivotal offseason.
The current roster has athleticism but lacks size at key positions, and several younger players may not yet be ready to contribute at this level yet. If the goal was to move off high-profit NIL talent in favor of cheaper alternatives, that objective has been met—but the results haven’t followed.
More: Paul Finebaum raises red flags on Kalen DeBoer’s leadership at Alabama
Entering Year 4, Sanders owns a 16-19 record, is coming off a 3-9 season and earns $10 million annually. He says this team “won’t quit.” Colorado fans will find out how true that is by Week 4 when the courting phase ends and proof becomes mandatory.
More college football news:
- Oregon's Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes
- Demond Williams bombshell could have resulted in Lane Kiffin being fired by LSU
- Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
- Top 2026 NFL Draft prospect suffers broken rib in CFP quarterfinal loss
- Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after Cotton Bowl