Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders found a star transfer to provide the explosive playmaking in the receiving game that Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter did the past two years. That’d be Sincere Brown, a former Campbell Fighting Camel who’s scored on 71- and 68-yard catches this season.
Unfortunately, Coach Prime has not yet found someone who can come close to making the impact Hunter did during the 2024 season.
“Will Colorado’s ‘mini-NFL program’ show its muscle? It helps Sanders that Colorado’s quarterbacks have receiving targets who have filled in well for Hunter, the departed receiver/cornerback. The big one is 6-5 Sincere Brown, who has touchdown receptions of 71 and 68 yards. He compares himself to Pro Football Hall of Famer Randy Moss,” USA Today’s Brent Schrotenboer wrote.
“But Colorado misses Hunter’s playmaking on defense. The Buffs rank 121st nationally in rushing defense, having given up an average of 194.5 yards on the ground.”
While Brown has shown star potential, there’s even a caveat for Colorado’s leading receiver. Against the Houston Cougars, the only Power 4 program he has a catch against, he had just two receptions and 15 yards. His big performances came against the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens and Wyoming Cowboys.
Receiver may still be Colorado’s most talented room on the offensive side of the ball, but without Hunter, not to mention fellow NFL players LaJohntay Wester, Will Sheppard, and Jimmy Horn Jr., there is far less talent at the position.
As for the secondary, the losses of Hunter, Shilo Sanders, and Cam'ron Silmon-Craig have caused further regression from a group that was already suspect with a generational shutdown corner.
Losing a Heisman winner is never easy, but losing a two-way Heisman winner is twice as difficult.