Get ready for more Prime Time. The attention is warranted for Colorado’s star coach

On By Littum

If you’re suffering from Deion Sanders fatigue, worn down by the Colorado football coach’s repeated presence on sports feeds and debate shows, you’re in for a rough few months.

By landing a commitment from star recruit Julian Lewis on Thursday, Sanders secured more than a top quarterback prospect. He also came away with several options for his future, a reality that bodes well for keeping him prominently positioned in future news cycles.

Regardless of what develops, the attention is warranted based on the impressive work he’s done over the past five seasons, leading Jackson State to a 27-6 record before guiding Colorado to a share of the Big 12 lead going into Saturday’s game against Kansas.

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Before this week, I would have given competitive odds that Sanders would leave Colorado after this season. Two of his friends told me a handful of years ago that his primary reason for accepting the Jackson State job — his first as a college coach — was to ensure that Shedeur Sanders, his youngest son, would have every opportunity to develop into a top quarterback and a highly drafted NFL player.

Over four seasons, including the last two with Colorado, Shedeur, 22, has completed 70 percent of his passes for 13,415 yards and 124 touchdowns with just 24 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 17 scores, though he’s not considered a dual threat in the classic sense. He is a pocket passer with the mobility to create space and make throws out of the platform with accuracy and speed.

Where that lands him in the draft is unknown, but credible draft analysts have him and Miami’s Cam Ward as the top quarterback prospects. And since teams place a premium on the position — 17 signal callers have been selected as the No. 1 since 2000 — he’s likely to be drafted near the top of the first round, if not first overall.

Which brings me back to his father’s future and potential possibilities. Deion Sanders could easily consider it mission accomplished and hang up at the end of the season, especially with cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, a front-runner to win this season’s Heisman Trophy, already declaring he’s on his way as well to the NFL after the season. Losing his top two players represents a significant drain on talent that will be difficult for Sanders to replace in the short term, potentially resulting in fewer wins.

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Sanders was a Hall of Fame cornerback and a standout baseball player. You don’t play both sports at the highest level… in the same season … without having a competitive drive that matches your physical ability. That’s why I couldn’t see him staying in Colorado with an inferior roster.

However, having Lewis in the fold gives him a bellwether co-performer he can not only build around but also use as a magnet to attract more playmakers. Lewis had previously committed to USC, but changed his mind in part because of the success of Sanders and Shedeur. It suggests that recruits are looking past the glitz and glam and recognizing the skill development that is taking place.

“It’s a huge opportunity!” Lewis interjected a statement to On3. “What Coach Prime has been able to build in two seasons cannot be denied. I have had a chance to get to know him and believe that he can further develop me into the player and person I want to be. Coach (Pat) Shurmur has been an offensive coordinator and head coach in the NFL, so he understands exactly what it takes at the next level. Coach Prime is going to play the best player, whether it’s a freshman or a walk-on.”

But back to the discussion about the future and potential opportunities. There has been speculation NFL teams could be interested in Sanders, who has just one losing season in four years and has the 8-2 Buffaloes in contention for a spot in the College Football Playoff two years after finishing 1-11 before Sanders arrived. He has not publicly expressed interest in making the jump, telling Sports Illustrated in 2023, “I have no desire or ambition to coach in the NFL. I have a problem with men getting their checks and not doing their jobs. It I have a problem with. I would be too tough as a coach in the NFL because I still have those old-school qualities.”

And yet…

Michael Irvin, a close friend and former Dallas Cowboys teammate, believes Sanders would not hesitate to accept the Cowboys job if offered, and Shedeur was drafted by Dallas.

“I believe (it) 100 percent,” he said on Fox Sports’ “The Herd with Colin Cowherd.” “And I can tell you, good sources have told me that. Great sources has told me so. That’s all I can say like that without offending anything else.”

These types of comments tend to fuel the rumor mill, because no matter how far-fetched, you can’t completely dismiss the idea until Cowboys owner Jerry Jones categorically says it’s not happening, which he hasn’t.

Sanders’ name could also come up for other college jobs, especially if the Buffaloes make the Playoff and make a run. He was an unproven commodity in 2021 after taking the job at Jackson State. Major colleges were reluctant to take a chance on him because he had no track record. Some wondered if he was more style than substance.

Florida State, his alma mater, is regularly mentioned as a possibility, but that seems unlikely because of what it would cost to move on from coach Mike Norvell and because the sides aren’t on the best of terms after FSU didn’t do much of an attempt to sign Sanders a handful of years ago when he first talked about coaching at the collegiate level.

It would be irresponsible to throw out the names of other schools before an opening exists, but college football has become as cut-throat as the NFL, and landing Sanders could be seen as a boon not only on the field, but off it, as it appears from. of the increase in attendance, viewership and alumni contributions. Never forget that college football is as much a business as a game, which is why Sanders is in a great position.

He has proven himself on both fronts. He has exceeded expectations on every single ride, taking a group that was judged the second-worst staff in the Big 12 enters the season advancing to the cusp of a Big 12 championship. The Lewis commitment was another win in a season of wins, but it’s important because it gives him the opportunity to make decisions about his future based on whether something aligns with his purpose and vision. If the NFL calls, great. If another college program calls, cool. For Sanders, there is no downside. He’s positioned himself to have positive options regardless of the situation, which means we’re sure to continue to see him on news feeds and talk shows.

(Photo of Deion Sanders talking to Fox Sports reporter Jenny Taft after a win against Utah: Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)