Insider notes 15 years of mediocrity to highlight Coach Prime's impact on Colorado

College football insider Rece Davis has nothing but high praise for Deion Sanders and the impact he's had on the Colorado Buffaloes program. On ESPN's "College Gameday Podcast," he offered his thoughts on Sanders' run as the coach of the Buffaloes.

Davis pointed out that Sanders stepped into a program in 2022 that was mediocre. In just two seasons, Sanders has completely revitalized the program, turning out two sure-fire first-round picks and producing a winning record in the Big 12 this season.

"That was, that's a generally undistinguished 15-year-ish run, right?" Davis said (Timestamp: 28:00). "And then you have Coach Prime, and he has just come in and made that place electric. He has transformed the university. A 20% jump in applications ... that's like mind-bending. That's like winning a national title bump without winning a national title.

"So, they have made Colorado cool. I mean, Juju Lewis is there. That's pretty wild. If you had said, when Juju was coming up the high school ranks and committed to USC. Georgia was, you know, barking up his tree loud. They have, they have something going there."

Deion Sanders looks to stick around for the long haul in Colorado

Alamo Bowl: Brigham Young vs. Colorado - Source: Imagn

Deion Sanders led the Buffaloes to a 9-4 record, tying for first place in the Big 12, last season. Sanders also coached both his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and two-way player and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, who will be first-round draft picks in the upcoming NFL draft.

Colorado has taken notice of Sanders' impact and has taken steps to keep him around for the long haul. Colorado inked Sanders to a five-year, $54 million contract extension that will keep Coach Prime with the program through the 2029 season.

"I'm excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado," Sanders said. "We've just scratched the surface of what this program can be. It's not just about football; it's about developing young men who are ready to take on the world.

"I'm committed to bringing greatness to this university, on and off the field. We've got work to do, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here, making history with these incredible players and this passionate fan base. Lastly, anybody got at least a five-bedroom home with acreage for sale?"

It will be interesting to see how Coach Prime and Colorado fare in 2025 with the losses of both Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.