Much more than improving the team, Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders is transforming how things are done in Boulder and influencing areas beyond the football team. For the second semester in a row, the Colorado Buffaloes football program under Coach Sanders has met a major academic goal and shown how strong its players are in the classroom.
Because of his charm, recruiting skills, and commitment to turning things around for Colorado football, Coach Prime also demonstrates that success depends on more than game results. The program’s strong academic results clearly show that the program is forging athletes who triumph both in play and study.
How Has Deion Sanders Changed Colorado’s Academic Culture?
When Sanders became head coach, he emphasized the importance of academic progress. He has changed the program by disciplining and holding the players accountable.
The standard is the standard.
SMART • TOUGH • FAST • DISCIPLINED • WITH CHARACTER
The Herd made history this spring, earning a 2.957 GPA — the highest ever for Colorado Football in a spring semester.https://t.co/InvNQqFzKq | #GoBuffs pic.twitter.com/rlTuwoCaEu
— Colorado Buffaloes Football (@CUBuffsFootball) May 30, 2025
That commitment was underscored by the fact that Colorado’s players recorded a GPA of 2.957 in the spring, the highest ever for a spring semester in program history, following a 3.011 GPA in the fall semester, which was also the program’s best semester GPA in school history.
What Academic Standards Does Coach Prime Enforce?
The coach ensures that his players succeed academically before supporting them athletically. Successful semesters are made possible by many athletes managing both schoolwork and intense sports schedules.
Shedeur Sanders, the team’s former quarterback, Coach Prime’s son, and a prominent leader, openly stresses that strong academics are important for life after sports. Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr., among others, have also shown they are up to the academic tasks, influencing the new recruits.
The result? A team-wide commitment to becoming not just better athletes, but better students and citizens.
Sanders makes sure students follow high standards by implementing financial consequences for poor academic performance.
“I don’t get involved in what you make,” Sanders told his players in October 2024. “But when you stop going to class, now you’re affecting me. So we’re going to affect your check. When I see a multitude of Fs and Ds, we’re going to affect your check.”
The Buffaloes’ academic performance reflects the team’s embrace of Sanders’ approach. Because of his leadership, student-athletes have learned how valuable education is to their overall success.
Sanders celebrated the achievement by saying, “The standard is the standard,” and Colorado football continues to move forward.
