Colorado doesn’t need a new playbook. According to Deion Sanders, it needs cleaner decisions, sharper execution and fewer self-inflicted mistakes.
That was the message from Sanders on Colorado’s weekly press conference as the Buffaloes prepare to face Texas Tech in Boulder on Saturday. The big issue in front of him was obvious: Colorado’s third- and fourth-down troubles. A reporter pointed to the Buffs’ 7-for-32 stretch over the past two weeks, and Sanders said the fix starts with the players on the field.
“ The young men out there Cogot to make the decision to execute the play that’s called,” Sanders said. “When we all do that, we’re fine.”
Sanders pushed back on the idea that the offense’s problems should land on coordinator Brennan Marion. He said Marion is “overqualified” for the job and noted that he has averaged 33 points per game over his career. But Sanders was just as direct about where responsibility sits once the ball is snapped.
“It’s not just the coach calling the plays,” he said. “The players got to execute the plays that the coach is calling.”
Colorado has shown enough in stretches to suggest the offense can move the ball. The problem has been finishing.
Against Georgia Tech, Northwestern and Baylor, the Buffs have had chances but haven’t consistently turned them into points. Sanders said the film tells a different story than the final results, and that the details are there for anyone willing to look closely.
“If we just sat down with all of you and just turned on the film and watched the film, you would say, ‘Dang, you’re for real,’” Sanders said.
He also pointed to the bigger list of issues that need cleaning up: the running game, turnovers, field position and special teams. Short-yardage situations are part of that problem, and Sanders made clear Colorado can’t keep giving away chances there.
Penalties remain another sore spot, too. Sanders said the answer is discipline, but he framed it as a personal choice for each player to stop doing things that hurt the team.
“We just got to make up our minds that we’re not going to play football that’s not conducive to our success,” he said.
Even with the losses piling up, Sanders said he liked what he saw in terms of effort and energy against Baylor. What Colorado has to do now is turn that into production.
“We got to get it together, man,” Sanders said. “No excuses. No excuses.”
Colorado and Texas Tech are set for a 5:30 p.m. MT kickoff on FOX.
After that, the Buffaloes head into a bye week before hosting Utah on October 17. Texas Tech enters the weekend ranked No. 12 in the AP Top 25, with Utah sitting one spot behind at No.
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Homecoming in Boulder was supposed to give Colorados meeting with No. 12 Texas Tech a little extra buzz, especially with the Red Raiders making their first visit to town since 2010 and the Buffaloes also folding in a 150th anniversary celebration. Instead, the run-up to the game has come with an unexpected twist off the field, as resale prices for the cheapest tickets have fallen sharply in the days before kickoff.
Still, the matchup has the feel of one that should draw real attention once the ball is in the air, and Colorado knows the challenge waiting from a ranked Texas Tech team. Wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr. has already pointed to the importance of protecting home field, which makes the softening market around the game feel even more curious as Boulder gets ready for a big weekend. [Read more 🡒]
DeAndre Moore Jr. Revealed What Colorado Showed After His Scary Hit
DeAndre Moore Jr.s collision against Baylor briefly turned a routine Saturday into one of those moments that makes the whole sideline hold its breath. The Colorado receiver did regain consciousness and, in a scene that said plenty about both his toughness and the situation, walked off the field without needing a cart. His teammates made sure he knew they were behind him, and Deion Sanders later said Moore was kept out of practice afterward but is expected to be available for the Texas Tech game.
Moores update afterward fit the tone Colorado has tried to strike through the season: shaken by the scare, but not defined by it. He spoke with optimism about where the Buffaloes are headed and stressed how important it is to protect their home field, a reminder that even amid injury concerns, the focus remains on finishing strong. For Colorado, the immediate concern was health, but the broader message was just as clear - the locker room is still very much invested in the stretch ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados Defensive Front Has A Problem Baylor Fans Already Recognize
Dante Carter is already seeing the early-season lesson that comes with rebuilding a defensive line from scratch: practice can only take a front so far once the crowd gets loud and the game starts speeding up. In his first season as Colorados defensive line coach, Carter has talked about the gap between routine reps and the pressure of real moments, stressing that players have to be trained for sudden changes as much as they are coached on technique.
Thats why the next test feels especially relevant for a group still learning each other on the fly. After a recent game situation against Baylor showed how quickly things can tilt, Colorados revamped front now heads into a matchup with Texas Tech with more than scheme on the line. For Carter, the challenge is not just building depth and chemistry, but getting his players comfortable when the moment stops looking like practice. [Read more 🡒]