Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders has found unprecedented success in Boulder and could be headed back down south. After leading the team to a .500 record in his third season at the helm, other programs want a taste of the "Prime Effect."
On Tuesday, On3’s Pete Nakos listed Sanders as a candidate to replace Sam Pittman at Arkansas. But also believes Coach Prime isn't the top Power Four option. SMU's Rhett Lashlee would be high on the Hogs' list.
"Beyond Lashlee, another sitting Power Four head coach to know is Colorado head coach Deion Sanders," Nakos wrote.
"He previously interviewed for the Arkansas job when Yurachek was in the process of hiring Pittman. He has brought the Buffaloes back to relevancy and has made multiple top-25 appearances the last two years. Yurachek was impressed by Sanders previously. Sanders leaving for Arkansas is unlikely; another question will be salary. He just signed a new extension increasing his base salary to $10 million in 2025 and rising to $12 million by 2029."
What's interesting is the timing for this report to drop. Colorado is in the midst of a 2-3 season with no Big 12 wins on the books. Sanders dealt with a bladder cancer bout and wasn't on campus most of the offseason as well. Outside of those factors, Arkansas or Sanders would have to shell out $12 million to Colorado if he left for Fayetteville before the end of the year.
"Arkansas’ 2025 roster cost is in the $16 to $17 million range," sources told On3. "For comparison, LSU is spending roughly $18.5 million while Ole Miss is north of $20 million. How Arkansas continues to find ways to spend moving forward will be critical. Yurachek’s hire will factor into which boosters back the Razorbacks and how much they are willing to give. But the money is there — John Calipari has over $10 million to play with in basketball."
As of now, Nakos believes Lashlee is the frontrunner ahead of Sanders and UNLV's Dan Mullen. Dallas Cowboys owner and Arkansas alum Jerry Jones is reportedly backing Lashlee for the job.
Expect Sanders' name to be linked in many job openings during the upcoming cycle. The Hollywood appeal for being at UCLA has been brought up before, but there's not much backing from the Bruins' administration. If Lashlee leaves SMU, Sanders will be tied to the Dallas-based school due to his permanent house being near the metro area.
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