Back in December, Deion Sanders acknowledged significant changes were coming for the Colorado Buffaloes. Some were immediate, reflected in coaching hires and staff reshuffling. What was less obvious was the philosophical shift behind how Colorado is recruiting — and why the 2026 cycle looks nothing like the previous three.
The contrast is stark. In 2023, fresh off the viral “Louis Luggage” speech, Colorado rushed to plug roster holes around Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. Many of those additions came quickly and, in hindsight, felt reactionary. In 2024, the approach shifted to fine-tuning — maximizing an offense built around star power.
But following the departures of Shedeur, Hunter, and much of the offense, Sanders hit reset again. More than 20 players once viewed as foundational pieces for the 2026 roster are now gone — either in the transfer portal or committed elsewhere.
According to Sanders, the 2025 season exposed two core issues: fit and availability. Talent alone wasn’t enough, and Sanders admits he wasn’t as hands-on during the 2025 offseason due to serious health challenges.
On Wednesday, Sanders appeared on TMR podcast. While the trio touched on several topics, the recruiting commentary was particularly interesting.
A lost offseason, a lost edge
Sanders described 2025 as the most difficult year of his life. What began as a routine checkup for blood clots escalated into a bladder cancer diagnosis by February — coinciding with mounting negative narratives around Shedeur Sanders’ draft stock.
As Shedeur experienced a historic draft slide, Sanders was preparing for surgery. It wasn’t until July 28 that he publicly announced he had beaten cancer.
“I went through hell last year man,” Sanders explained. “I went through it and I wasn’t here for a period of time. To keep my hands on the product, and I think some things may not have happened had I been (there) and we got it right, now.” Sanders further added, “I’m touching everything that comes in. My eyes are on it all.”
That absence covered much of the recruiting calendar. No one questions the necessity of stepping away — but it helps explain why Colorado spent much of the 2025 season publicly questioning effort, urgency, and buy-in. Sanders never singled out players, but personnel issues were evident early.
Talent isn’t enough and fit is everything
Sanders repeatedly returned to one word: fit.
“They gotta fit. That was some of the mistakes made a year ago, everybody didn’t fit,” Sanders said. “Just because they have talent, doesn’t mean they fit. Everything that might work for someone else, might not work for us.”
That idea ties directly to another term Sanders leans on — mentality. It was a recurring theme throughout the season, in press conferences, team messaging, and again this week.
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“It’s a certain mentality you gotta have when the game is right there. And you can take it either way. When you take it this way… all the time… that’s a problem. On both sides. That’s not just a personnel problem, that’s a PERSON-el problem. I see everything being different, even me. You don’t develop mentality, you select mentality.”
That quote has become the foundation of Colorado’s new recruiting model.
Why this approach is different — and risky
Since January 5, Colorado has landed 15 transfer commitments, most from Group of Five programs or lower. More recently, Sanders added players from Rutgers and Notre Dame — still selective, but intentional.
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The focus now is clear: proven production, competitive edge, and players who want pressure — not NIL headlines. Sanders is betting on hunger, toughness, and urgency — inspired, perhaps, by late-season playoff pushes from Group of Five programs like James Madison and Tulane. But this strategy carries risk.
If it works, Sanders emerges validated, reshaping Colorado in his image. If it doesn’t — if the Buffaloes look like a Group of Five roster wearing Power Four branding — there will be nowhere left to point. And Sanders knows it.
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