College Football: The Colorado Buffalos

[DenverChief]

[Pablo]

I wish. We’ll have to settle for the next best thing- kicking the dogshit out of them

[LoneWolf]

Originally Posted by Pablo

A real cool program eh?

Deion is a ****ing joke. Anybody who didn't see this coming after watching him self advertise when he was a player is blind as a bat. He talks about "raising men" and "being a positive role model" for these ghetto kids and he does the exact opposite. When his sons are done playing, he will slink off to the next grift and he'll blame his failure on everything but himself.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by LoneWolf

Deion is a ****ing joke. Anybody who didn't see this coming after watching him self advertise when he was a player is blind as a bat. He talks about "raising men" and "being a positive role model" for these ghetto kids and he does the exact opposite. When his sons are done playing, he will slink off to the next grift and he'll blame his failure on everything but himself.

If he's just doing it for his sons, he sure did put in a shit ton of work at Jackson State before joining CU.

I'm not saying Deion is an amazing coach, but I don't think it's all about his own self-interest. I think he legit wants to be a good coach, and as cringy as something like this looks, he's doing it because he thinks it's a good idea.

[wazu]

That seems like a really good idea to me. They're practice jerseys, who cares? In today's game I would think creating opportunities like this is just something that will help attract good players.

[DanT]

Originally Posted by wazu

That seems like a really good idea to me. They're practice jerseys, who cares? In today's game I would think creating opportunities like this is just something that will help attract good players.

Exactly!

There are actually folks in this country that have some sort of problem with kids who made it onto a D1 team putting their social media handles on their ****in' practice jerseys?

"We sitting in here -- I'm supposed to be the franchise player, and we in here talking about practice. I mean, listen: We talking about practice. Not a game. Not a game. Not a game. We talking about practice. Not a game. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game like it's my last. Not the game. We talking about practice, man."
--Allen Iverson

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

If he's just doing it for his sons, he sure did put in a shit ton of work at Jackson State before joining CU.

I'm not saying Deion is an amazing coach, but I don't think it's all about his own self-interest. I think he legit wants to be a good coach, and as cringy as something like this looks, he's doing it because he thinks it's a good idea.

You mean how he talked up how great HBCU football before bolting out of there after 2-3 seasons?

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by MarkDavis'Haircut

You mean how he talked up how great HBCU football before bolting out of there after 2-3 seasons?

You mean like a thousand coaches before him?

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by MarkDavis'Haircut

You mean how he talked up how great HBCU football before bolting out of there after 2-3 seasons?

He’s been coaching in some form since 2012.

Even the biggest attention whore in the world wouldn’t burn 12 years of his life just for a spotlight when he’s already famous

[JohnnyHammersticks]

this is not going to end well...

Deion Sanders chaotic culture turns into locker room violence in Colorado
Coach Prime keeps it cool on the outside, but inside, it seems to be boiling over
Steve CorderAug 2, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

There has been a sudden shift in attitude within the Colorado Buffaloes locker room. While the initial hype surrounding Deion Sanders has dwindled, he has brought more than his "Louis Luggage" to Boulder. The urgency to win has increased as this season is expected to be the final one for Shilo and Shedeur Sanders, along with Travis Hunter.

Coach Prime has reiterated that he's not leaving Boulder with his kids, but rebuilding a program from scratch isn't his forte. Nor is fostering personal development among players. Many programs pride themselves on nurturing talent, but that’s not Prime's approach, and it's becoming apparent. He desires "ready-made" players who can deliver immediate results. It's not about gradually building up; it's about achieving success right now.

This approach has its flaws, and the foundation of Coach Prime's Camelot is starting to show cracks. What was portrayed to the public as an outstanding program is missing the mark. Sanders seizes the spotlight in front of cameras but then vanishes until the next media opportunity. Outside of these appearances, it’s all about promoting his products and services. The real question for those skeptical of the hype is why there’s constant turnover within the program?

Some players aren't suited for "Prime Time," or at least that's what the CU staff wants everyone to believe. But conversations with those who've left Boulder reveals the true nature of the culture within the Buffaloes program. A few former players have spoken anonymously to Athlon, fearing retaliation, if they went on the record.

"It's like a real-life Grand Theft Auto video game," one former player said. "There are many distractions with fights, guns, and money floating around. The environment is unlike any I’ve come from before."

Another former player went deeper into the violent incidents within CU's football program, recounting three separate alleged occurrences over the past year, each unfathomable in any normal locker room. This insight sheds light on what happened with former five-star talent Cormani McClain and why his experience in Boulder was negative.

"Cormani was taking a lot of heat from everyone," said the former player. "At the same time Coach Prime was saying he was in the doghouse and needed to improve, Cormani was getting bullied by Shilo (Sanders). After the Oregon State game, Shilo slapped him several times, which left Cormani screaming 'I'm going to kill you' repeatedly. After that, you could tell he wasn’t mentally there. It’s hard when the coaches you trust are calling you derogatory names on the practice field."

This violence often seemed to come from personal vendettas, but not always. Jordan Seaton, another five-star recruit, was allegedly bullied into "proving his manhood" and picked to fight former CU lineman Savion Washington. In April, the two were said to have exchanged blows, leaving both bloody. Witnesses described it as "two bears scrapping for food."

While bullying was also a common theme, there was another alleged incident involving a gambling debt between backup QB Colton Allen and wide receiver Kaleb Mathis. Days after the Seaton-Washington melee, the son of Robert Mathis, who's CU's defensive back coach, was asked to pay Allen over a gambling debt in excess of $10,000, according to a former CU player. When Mathis refused, he allegedly proceeded to punch Allen repeatedly in the locker room, with players and coaches witnessing the assault. Allen allegedly refused to discuss the matter, fearing repercussions due to Mathis' connection to Prime’s coaching staff. Athlon reached out to Allen's father, who also denied comment.

Outside of the fights, which now appear to be spilling over to the field during practice with Coach Prime even encouraging teammates to square off against each other, the gun culture is troublesome. According to a report by Naples Daily News, Colorado commit Ebenezer Bouzi was arrested for allegedly threatened a girl with a gun six months before he was charged with misdemeanor battery stemming from an incident last year.

"According to the Collier County Sheriff's Office incident report, witnesses saw Bouzi forcing a girl, between the age of 16 and 17, into a late-model Ford Focus sedan by a male witness. According to the report, Bouzi, 18, grabbed the girl by the neck, and the witness "approached the car and asked the driver and the girl what was going on and the young girl was crying and upset."

"According to the report, the mother said Bouzi threatened her daughter with a gun approximately six months earlier and said she fears for her daughter's life." The charges were later dropped by the Florida State Attorney's office after a lack of evidence, according to public records.

Another Colorado player showed off a handgun while announcing his commitment. Chidozie Nwankwo had what appeared to be a Glock .40 on the table as he celebrated with Prime on a livestream. For the most part, the "flashing incident" went under the radar but has relevance to the type of culture being fostered behind closed doors. In fact, Prime and his staff took his players up into the mountains for a retreat this offseason. The theme was to bond over fishing and shooting guns at the range.

The turmoil within the Colorado Buffaloes locker room underscores the challenges of Coach Prime's leadership style. While the desire for instant success is understandable, the associated instability and violence reveal deeper issues within the program. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen how these internal conflicts will impact the Buffaloes on the field.

https://athlonsports.com/college/col...ce-in-colorado

[tredadda]

Curious to see how this all works out, but winning does cure a lot of problems.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Curious to see how this all works out, but winning does cure a lot of problems.

They aren't winning shit

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Curious to see how this all works out, but winning does cure a lot of problems.

Tell that to Northwestern.

If they do an investigation and find any fishy shit, they're done.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by staylor26

They aren't winning shit

Definitely not trending that way, but time will tell.

[alanm]

This all reminds me of the Sooners in the late 80's before it all blew up under Switzer. Only it sounds worse in Colorado.