Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham had plenty of praise ready for Deion Sanders on Monday, and it came with a little edge to it, too.
With Colorado set to visit Mountain America Stadium in Tempe on Saturday, Dillingham spent part of his press conference pointing to what the Buffaloes have done under Sanders, then expanding that into a broader assessment of the coach himself.
“Like I said, they’ve basically had the lead in almost every game that they’ve played,” Dillingham said. “And they’re playing as competitive football as any team in our league right now. So I think he’s done a really good job.”
The numbers back up part of that view. Colorado has led at some point in seven of its eight games this season. The lone exception came in the 41-7 loss at Northwestern, when the Buffaloes never moved in front.
But holding a lead and finishing with a win have been different matters. Colorado was ahead of Texas Tech 7-6 in the third quarter and led Oklahoma State 24-23 at halftime, only to lose those games by 22 and 33 points. That’s the part Sanders still has to clean up, especially with Colorado sitting at 1-4 in Big 12 play.
Dillingham also made it clear he sees more than just a noisy brand when he looks at Sanders’ program.
“And I know there’s always going to be, it doesn’t matter who you are, there’s going to be critics. There’s probably going to be more when you’re Coach Prime, right?
People are always out for you,” Dillingham said. “But he’s done an unbelievable job making it a destination place.”
He went on to point out the roster Sanders has assembled.
“You know, they’ve got multiple NFL guys on this defense, multiple NFL guys on this offense, especially up front, wide receiver," he added. "So this is a good football team. He’s put together a good roster.”
Dillingham didn’t call out any players by name, but the message was obvious enough from a coach getting ready to face them: he’s studied Colorado closely, and he respects what he sees.
This isn’t the first time Dillingham has taken that approach. Last November, he praised Sanders for how far the program had come before Arizona State went to Folsom Field and won 42-17.
He returned to that same theme Monday, measuring Sanders by the state of the program rather than the noise around it.
Colorado went 1-11 in 2022, the season before Sanders coached his first game in Boulder. Since then, the Buffaloes have won 19 games, including nine in 2024.
“And I think they’re in a better place today than they were, than where they were when he took over,” Dillingham said. “And I think that’s the measurement of a head coach is, you know, where are you today as opposed to when you got it? And I think he has taken that program to a different level than when he took it over.”
In Other News...
Deion Sanders History Suddenly Hangs Over Florida State Opening
Florida States decision to move on from Mike Norvell after a 3-5 start and a loss to Clemson has reopened one of college footballs more familiar coaching conversations, especially for anyone who remembers how quickly the Seminoles have gone from patience to urgency before. Rick Stockstill, a former Florida State quarterback, will serve as interim coach for the rest of the season while the school sorts through a broader reset that includes finding both a new head coach and athletic director.
President Richard McCullough framed the move as a response to the programs trajectory and called it a fresh start, which is exactly the kind of opening that tends to stir up old names around a high-profile job. For Colorado fans, Deion Sanders history in Tallahassee adds another layer to watch, even as the search itself remains in its early stages and the next step is still to be determined. [Read more 🡒]
Buffs Young Core Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe
Colorado opened its season with a 94-59 win over Abilene Christian, and the most encouraging part for Tad Boyles group may have been the way its second-year players looked right away. Jalin Holland, Ian Inman and Josiah Sanders all showed clear growth, giving the Buffaloes a young foundation that looked more polished than it did a year ago. Holland led the way in scoring, while the overall performance suggested this roster may have more internal development than many expected heading into November.
The backdrop was a quiet one at the arena, with 4,420 on hand for Colorados season opener, the lowest turnout for a first game in Boyles 17 seasons. Even so, the Buffaloes had enough energy on the floor to make the crowd part of the story only in passing, not as the main event. If the early signs from Holland, Inman and Sanders hold, Colorado may have something worth building on beyond a single lopsided win. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Just Raised A Bigger Colorado Question Before Arizona State
Deion Sanders spent part of his pregame availability ahead of Arizona State giving Colorado a fairly routine update, at least on the surface. He said Tuesdays practice was one of the teams best of the season, noted that he stays in regular contact with recruits in the 2027 class, and offered a positive read on the general direction of the Buffaloes as they get ready for another Big 12 test.
The bigger concern, though, is the health of Julian Lewis after a recent medical emergency, and Sanders did not leave much doubt that the freshman quarterback is trending in the right direction. Colorado also appears set to keep riding Richard Young after his strong showing, a sign that the Buffaloes are trying to settle key spots as the schedule tightens and the margin for error gets smaller. [Read more 🡒]