Maybe Dan Lanning was on to something with his “substance” speech. Deion Sanders saw multiple Colorado Buffaloes recruits decommit in the last two days and the alarms sounded. But for what?
Is Coach Prime losing control of his program?
Why Are So Many Players Decommitting From Colorado?
The Buffaloes had one of the largest roster turnovers from the transfer portal in 2023, but sustainably winning requires A-plus work on the recruiting trail.
Colorado Buffaloes Decommittments
When you make as much noise as Sanders did coming to the Buffaloes, you’re bound to be in the spotlight. A number of bold statements combined with a trailblazing strategy put his program on everyone’s feed and scrutiny came with it.
After a 4-8 season, many wondered what would be next for Coach Prime. Would he capitalize on the recruiting trail? Would he hammer the transfer portal once again? It appeared that recruits hopped on the bandwagon, but lately, things weren’t going their way.
MORE: Where Does Deion Sanders’ Inaugural Class Rank?
In a matter of hours, the Buffaloes lost 2024 quarterback commit Danny O’Neil and 2025 quarterback commit Antwann Hill Jr. With early signing day so close, there’s cause for concern about the 2024 class and the future of Sanders in Boulder.
Losing a quarterback this close to signing day is a big deal, but what does that signify? Dan Lanning went viral for a speech about substance over flash, and maybe this experience in Boulder was a flash in the pan.
The struggles on the offensive line could also have played a factor in these decommittments. Shedeur Sanders became one of the most battered quarterbacks in the country thanks to subpar play up front. The recruits might have decided to wait to come to campus until they knew they’d be protected better.
There’s another question that will be lingering in the minds of the fans during Sanders’ entire tenure in Boulder. It’s a reasonable concern, and it might be playing a factor in what’s happening right now.
What’s Next?
As the coaching carousel continues spinning, the questions about Sanders’ future with the program continue. The truth is that his personality will ultimately become too big for Boulder. There are two ways this ends.
The first comes with Sanders turning the program around to a point where he’s commanded so much attention that recruiting becomes a breeze. That sends him to a new job in a bigger market where he’ll become even more of an icon. The other sends him packing, and the recent events have many worried the latter is coming before the former.
One day doesn’t completely change things for Colorado and Sanders, but a volatile approach comes with crazy results. One year you’re bringing in an entire new roster; the next you’re scrambling to find quarterback recruits. It’s part of the territory.
It’s not like the 2024 class is hopeless, either. It’s just not what fans expected. Colorado currently sits at 65th in the country with nine commits, listed here:
- ATH Kamron Mikell (Statesboro, GA)
- ATH Aaron Butler (Calabasas, CA)
- DL Brandon Davis-Swain (Bloomfield, MI)
- DL Omar White (Valdosta, GA)
- DL Eric Brantley (Valdosta, GA)
- OT Issiah Walker Jr. (El Dorado, KS)
- WR Zycarl Lewis (Venice, FL)
- EDGE Amontrae Bradford (Statesboro, GA)
- RB Micah Welch (Milledgeville, GA)
As you can see, there’s not much help coming for the offensive line, meaning the Buffs will look to the transfer portal for most of its help. Right now there might be some panic in the fanbase, but a deep breath could ease those concerns.
MORE: CFB Transfer Portal Tracker
Take a step back and you realize there’s still plenty to trust in Deion Sanders’ approach. It’s not a short-term fix, but the long-term has plenty of potential. Next year should be better if Sanders and the staff can continue elevating the talent level, and doing so would make this 24-hour stretch just a bump in the road.