"They say my DBs don’t tackle": Coach Warren Sapp oversees intense practice at Colorado before 2025 showdown

Modified Apr 14, 2025 20:38 GMT

NCAA Football: Utah at Colorado - Source: Imagn

In 2024, the Colorado Buffaloes focused on improving their defensive line after struggling in 2023. Head Coach Deion Sanders brought in NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp as the team’s pass rush coordinator.

In 2023, the team gave up too many rushing yards (176 per game) and ranked 107th in the nation. The Buffs were also 81st in tackles for loss with 5.4 per game. However, as the 2024 season progressed, the transformation was evident.

Colorado climbed to 15th nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 7.2 per game. Sapp, a known defensive tackle of his time, has left quite an impact on the team's defense.

He was seen on the sidelines doing what he does best in a clip of Sunday’s episode of “Thee Pregame Show,” overseeing drills and motivating the team. As players entered for practice before their spring game on Saturday, Sapp fired them up, saying:

“Come on baby, we got some hitting to do. They say my DBs don’t tackle, I say bullsh*t.”

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Sapp’s defensive credentials speak for themselves. Some of them include him being a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1999, where he posted 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. In 2000, he set a record for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with 16.5 sacks in one season.

Also Read: Warren Sapp sends a stern message to Colorado QBs before big debut season

Coach Prime on the importance of education in Colorado

While the team’s defense is getting better on the field, Coach Prime is just as proud of their progress in the classroom, with players averaging a cumulative GPA of over 3.0, according to assistant coach James Chaney. This record is a first in the program’s history.

In a YouTube video from “Reach The People Media,” Sanders talked about how important education is to him. He said:

“I wouldn’t be Coach Prime if it wasn’t for education. To actually coach in college football, you have to be educated. You have to graduate, you have to obtain a degree. So, if I didn’t have that, I couldn’t coach.

“I have to be not only educated, but informed. In this world, in this country, where we rely so much on foolishness, I think that education has somehow taken a back seat.”

Sanders earned his own bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on organization management from Talladega College in 2020.

Also Read: Coach Prime sends a passionate message for Colorado during spring practice

About the author

Garima's inclination for sports began with Pitthu/Seven Stones, then cricket, when she was named the team captain in high school, and slowly built up to badminton, tennis, swimming, baseball, and, most recently, F1. There is no end to her love for Serena Williams, who she admires for her incredible impact not only on the game but on women around the world.

Apart from sports, she loves good storytelling in any form, be it a good fiction book, film, or even a vlog. Photography, going on drives, eating good food, and exercising are the things that keep her sound.

Currently studying the Japanese language, she aims to become fluent by the end of 2026.

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Edited by Satagni Sikder