Colorado’s week of offense got another layer of awkward on Tuesday, with Deion Sanders addressing the reported leak of a Buffaloes play script before last Saturday’s loss to Texas Tech.
Sanders confirmed what internet chatter had already suggested: a Colorado call sheet was apparently left behind and later recovered ahead of the game. But the Buffaloes coach made it clear he wasn’t interested in turning it into a bigger issue.
“A whole playbook? Somebody left a whole playbook, or was it a script of several plays?
I don't think we even have a whole playbook,” Sanders said. “I think week to week they get a script.
I thought we scored the first drive, so what's the purpose of the question? Why would we (look into that)?
The game's over.
“We probably know a lot more than you think we do. That happens sometimes.
I've heard of that on the pro level as well as the collegiate level. But we scored on the first drive, so I guess it didn't work.”
The confusion started the night before the loss, when a Texas Tech fan on a message board claimed to have found Colorado’s game script at the bar inside the team hotel. The fan did not post photos on the board at the time, but images later showed up on social media before kickoff and appeared to line up with Colorado’s opening sequence.
And that opening sequence did produce points. Colorado went 75 yards in nine plays and punched in a touchdown on its first possession against Texas Tech.
That was as good as it got. The Buffaloes were blanked the rest of the way in a 29-7 defeat.
Sanders wasn’t moved by the idea that the accidental leak could have changed the result, either.
“I think if someone had left that, they left it, mistake,” Sanders said. “What are we going to do about it?
It's over. Let's go.
Let's go. Let's go.
We could have the opposing team's first 10-15 plays, but we still have to stop it. When you get something like that, do you really trust it as a coach?
Was it a dummy script or was that real? That's what you're thinking as a coach.”
There is precedent for teams using decoys to throw off opponents. Sanders pointed to the possibility of a dummy script, and the source material also noted Mike Leach’s famous fake playbook in the trash can before the Red River Rivalry against Texas when he was offensive coordinator at Oklahoma.
The Buffaloes are trying to steady an offense that has struggled all season, and they’re turning back to Isaac Wilson as the starter this weekend against unbeaten Utah.
Wilson transferred from Utah this offseason. He began the year as the backup to Julian Lewis, then earned first-team reps after catching Sanders’ attention during Colorado’s Week 4 loss at Baylor.
Last week against Texas Tech, Wilson threw for 290 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.
“Isaac's always up to the task,” Sanders said. “Isaac is the same Isaac, man.
He don't flinch. He don't place blame.
He is what he is.”
Colorado enters Week 7 ranked 14th in the Big 12 in total offense, last in scoring offense and last in turnover margin at minus-6.
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