How Deion Sanders is building upon initial hype at Colorado as he eyes bowl game for team in Year 2

Sanders impressed in Year 1, but is there enough in the tank for a sophomore leap?

By Will Backus Feb 28, 2024 at 10:45 am ET• 7 min read

Big expectations follow Deion Sanders like a shadow. Few are more adept than the Colorado coach at building hype and energy around his program, no matter what the circumstances may be. His first season in Boulder certainly gave fans a glimpse of what could be on the horizon. 

Colorado started the 2023 season scorching hot; a debut win over TCU kick-started a 3-0 run that culminated in an appearance in the AP Top 25. Then the wheels fell off against eventual Pac-12 runner-up Oregon, and Colorado only won one of its last nine games to drop to 4-8. 

That's not necessarily a disappointment. Colorado hasn't won more than four games since 2019. Its streak without a winning record extends far beyond that back to 2016. Given the program's context, Sanders' first year was a success. 

Now he's gearing up for more. Sanders spent the offseason reworking his coaching staff with shuffles at both offensive and defensive coordinator. Once again, he hit the transfer portal in an effort to revamp his roster, supplementing returning stars like quarterback Shedeur Sanders and two-way unicorn Travis Hunter. In total, 24 transfers will suit up for the Buffaloes in 2024.