NFL legend Warren Sapp has embraced a crucial coaching role with the Colorado Buffaloes, joining as the Pass Rush Coordinator under head coach Deion Sanders. Bringing intensity and experience, Sapp is fully engaged in the team’s spring practices. At Colorado’s opening session, he was hands-on, running drills and pushing players to maximize their potential.
Warren Sapp Unfurl Excitement Joins Deion Sanders to Strengthen Colorado’s Defense
Pro Football Hall of Famer Warren Sapp, who became part of Sanders’ coaching staff last year, expressed enthusiasm about the potential for Colorado to practice with other teams. During a spring press conference on Tuesday, Sapp was energized by the idea.
“You made my mouth water. Can I get another color so my boys can just go to work and whoop on them, and we don’t care? Please bring them in here. Who wants some of this?” he said.
Recalling his time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sapp spoke about the value of practicing against external teams. He remembered facing the Washington Redskins (now the Commanders), the Miami Dolphins, and the Jacksonville Jaguars in joint practices. The experience, he said, brought a fresh competitive edge.
“It was always good to see another color because I ain’t got to care about whooping yellow. I can whoop upside your head and, get on the bus and go home. I don’t care,” Sapp noted.
Coach Prime has also been vocal about wanting the NCAA to adopt an NFL-style model, where teams can scrimmage against other programs during the spring.
“I would actually like to play the spring game against another team in the spring. That’s what I’m trying to do right now,” Sanders said Monday.
The Buffaloes’ spring game at Folsom Field on April 19 will be televised on ESPN2 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Sanders believes a structured practice against another team could significantly enhance preparation and appeal to fans.
An NCAA spokesperson confirmed that NCAA regulations currently prevent college football teams from facing other schools in the spring. While NFL teams often engage in joint practices before preseason games, college programs must limit spring training to intrasquad scrimmages.
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Many major programs, including Nebraska, Texas, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC, are shifting away from traditional spring games, opting for skills competitions. Nebraska, for instance, announced its spring game would be replaced with a skills challenge and 7-on-7 contests due to concerns over scouting and transfer portal poaching.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, Sapp was instrumental in the Buccaneers’ Super Bowl XXXVII win. He finished his career with 96.5 sacks and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.
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