Deion Sanders promised changes, early portal movement suggests a shift in strategy

Jason Jones

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Deion Sanders promised changes, early portal movement suggests a shift in strategy image

According to 247Sports, as of Tuesday December 31st, the Colorado Buffaloes had 25 players entering the transfer portal. While 25 is not the largest number in the Power 4, it does put Colorado on the top tier of teams losing the most players.

Along with Colorado, other teams that made the top tier are Florida, Auburn and Iowa State. Three teams that all replaced their head coach. When a coach leaves, in the transfer portal era, it is almost logical to lose several players. The concern for Colorado is they did not lose their head coach. If anything, their head coach vowed to make significant changes and a refusal to repeat the 2025 campaign.

For two of the three years of Coach Sanders’ tenure at Colorado they have been wildly consistent in leaving breadcrumbs. Nothing specific, but vague posts that clearly indicate these messages are about recruiting. Social media posts suggesting today will be a good day, we’re working on having a big signing day, and of course most of the “we comin” messages almost all referencing recruiting news on some level.

Yet the most popular head coach in college football (1.8M followers on Twitter, 5.5M on Instagram, and while Well Off Media is technically Bucky’s platform, the channel showcases Coach Sanders and his program, 637K followers) has gone quiet for much of the last month. Almost radio silent if not for his routine inspirational quotes of the day. 

“The Last Supper” promised changes and a shift in thinking

Everything Coach Prime has posted recently is on brand. However, none of it indicates anything about the CU staff’s intentions for improving the personnel aspect Sanders promised was coming. That was until January 3rd. Despite Sanders’ recent online presence or lack of recruiting excitement, it does seem that he and his staff had a plan.

In this final “last supper” press conference, Prime was asked about the difference between 2024 and 2025 but the question included if it was personnel related.  “Does it just come down to personnel?” Prime acknowledged it was a great question. While he did not go into detail, he did in some way confirm that he believes the biggest aspect does come down to personnel. He didn’t name names, but seemed to indicate that big, potentially surprising changes were coming. Not just with players, but coaches as well.

Even with that on record, losing names like Omarion Miller, Dre’lon Miller, Tawfiq Byard, Brandon Davis-Swain, Alexander McPherson, Carde Smith, Dallan Hayden, and Tyler Brown was going to raise eyebrows. Especially if the head coach is silent regarding what were believed to be cornerstone pieces for 2026.

All this leads into one irrefutable concept. January 2nd was the kickoff. It was high noon. If big changes were coming, they needed to start happening with the Transfer Portal. If Sanders and his staff got aggressive on Friday and confirmed reports start coming in regarding transfer portal targets Sanders is signing, then this could prove to be strategic in nature, and no one had anything to worry about. As it turned out, the big day was not January 2nd, it was January 3rd into January 4th before Buffs fans saw commitment’s to be excited about.

Coach Sanders had arguably the most difficult February through June anyone could have predicted in 2025. Coming off a 10-4 season, a bowl game, and a Heisman Trophy winner, the new year began with questions about his players’ NFL stock. That included watching his son Shedeur face the biggest draft slide in NFL Draft history. While that was happening, Sanders was fighting bladder cancer.

For most of the recruiting cycle in 2025, Sanders was dealing with cancer, eventually draft week fallout, as well as a blood complication with his previously known leg issue. All while he would’ve otherwise been recruiting.  A concept he didn’t come out and confirm but did hint at in his final post-game press conference of the season.

In that press conference after the Kansas State game, Sanders very bluntly gave honest answers to some important questions. He was even more revealing than he typically tries to be. This felt like ‘fed up and ready to make changes’ Prime. Sanders makes several claims of changes coming. The only issue is, a month later there has been no indication of what those changes might be, short of a couple coordinator and position coach hirings. Until today, January 4th.

Colorado weekend signings reveal a change in strategy

As of Sunday, the Colorado Buffaloes have commitments from mulitple 3-star transfers. Miami of Ohio WR Kam Perry, son of former NFL CB Aqib Talib EDGE Yamil Talib from Charlotte, Monmouth EDGE Lamont Lester Jr, tandem Sacremento State running backs Damian Henderson II and JaQuail Smith (both averaged over 6.2 ypc in 2025) as well as the NCAA’s leading receiver Danny Scudero from San Jose State.

These are only the first dominos to fall, but they signify an interesting approach. At no point has Sanders really competed in the top tier recruiting battles. There is a certain level of success needed to pry 5-stars away from the top Power 4 programs. After Travis Hunter and Jordan Seaton, few recruits have been stolen away from elite programs successfully. Yet, there seems to be a very plausible plan at play.

Over the past three years, there have been different strategies. Most of which seem to revolve around Florida and Texas as it pertains to type of athletes. This time around, it seems production and a body of work is being prioritized over the perception of athleticism.

WR Danny Scudero is coming off an 88 reception, almost 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025. Both Sacramento State running backs flirted with 7.0 ypc and exceeded 1,000 yards combined. The motivation seems to be guys who have proven what they are.

Throughout many of Prime’s comments in 2025 and especially in his “Last Supper” comments following the loss to Kansas State, was a sense that guys brought in weren’t good enough when the lights were on. Players unwilling to give their 100%, players not ready for the moment and a lack of taking advantage of the situational football moment, were common themes in 2025.

In 2026 it seems, Coach Prime is searching for players built for the moment. He also seems content to find those players in the Group of Five conferences and the Big Sky with his early signings. No players signed out of the Portal, as of yet, are coming from Power 4 teams. 

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