CFB insider highlights Colorado’s $31.4M reality while assessing Coach Prime’s impact on the program amid contract extension talks

Deion Sanders, also known as Coach Prime, has undeniably had a huge impact on the Colorado Buffaloes. Before he arrived, the program was viewed as one of the worst in Division I football. Now it is a premier destination for recruits.

On Friday, RJ Young released an episode of 'The Number One College Football Show.' On the program, he discussed the impressive financial boost the Buffaloes had in Prime's second season as the team's coach.

"There was an interesting story that I read in 'The Athletic' where I found a statistic which I thought was bonkers. Colorado brought in $31.4 million in ticket revenue according to their fiscal year report. That's $13 million up from the previous year. Now think about that. Prime gets to Colorado in 2023, they go 4-8. They turn around, they go 9-4.

"They have the Heisman Trophy winner, the first two-way star of serious repute in 20 friggin years and the best two-way player I think of all time. I think Travis Hunter's going to do what Travis Hunter's going to do."

RJ Young discusses Coach Prime's impressive recruitment of Travis Hunter and development of Shedeur Sanders

RJ Young went on to discuss how impressive it is that Coach Prime convinced Travis Hunter to come to Colorado.

"Prime was able to not only convince that dude to become the first five-star in the recruiting rankings to join up to a FCS program, but an HBCU one that hadn't done much in the better part of a decade. Then they go win championships."

He then went on to talk about how impressive it was that Coach Prime helped develop Shedeur Sanders to the point where it is no longer a debate whether he will be a first-round pick. Instead, people debate whether he will be the first QB off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft.

"He develops a first-round quarterback. We aren't even debating it anymore. We were debating before the season whether Shedeur Sanders is a first-round selection. He is a first-round selection. It's just whether or not he's going to be the first QB off the board."

Both Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders blossomed into stars under the tutelage of Coach Prime. Both look slated to be top-five picks, with both of them in the mix to be the first pick. Coach Prime has certainly done a great job in Colorado.