Deion Sanders makes big admission following bad Week 1 loss originally appeared on The Sporting News
Deion Sanders had plenty to say on Tuesday, and the message was clear that he remains firmly in charge at Colorado. However, he’s not there to watch over kids.
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After a 27–20 season-opening loss to Georgia Tech, Sanders defended his late-game decisions while pushing back on criticism directed at his assistants. His tone was sharp, but his intent is to not allow outside voices to undermine his program’s direction.
“If we hit the darn plays, we wouldn’t be asking these questions,” Sanders said. The third-year coach broke down the final drive in detail, explaining why he held on to two timeouts with 1:07 remaining. A negative play on first down forced Colorado into tempo, not stoppages. The sequence ended with a Hail Mary from midfield, knocked away as time expired.
Sanders bristled at the notion that offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s play-calling was the root cause of the loss.
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“It’s funny that you start out with Coach Shurmur, and we gave up over 300 yards rushing,” Sanders told a reporter. “We didn’t lose the game because of Coach Shurmur, Coach (Robert) Livingston, or one specific thing. I’ve got to do a better job.”
That accountability didn’t stop Sanders from shifting the focus forward. He confirmed that freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis, a five-star recruit, will see the field this week against Delaware. The 17-year-old arrives with staggering high school numbers and will get his first taste of college action this weekend.
“We’ve got some freshmen that could light it up,” he said. But at the same time Sanders stressed he’s not there to play a role outside of being a coach.
“I don’t have to babysit, Sanders said. “These are some grown men getting handsomely paid. I’m pretty sure they understand what the objective is.”
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Colorado’s loss dropped them 16 spots to No. 67 in ESPN’s SP+ rankings, a sobering reminder of the work ahead before the Big 12 conference schedule. Sanders struck a defiant tone, stressing that one defeat will not shake his approach.
“I was there a few days ago, but I’m gone now. “I’m into this week now.”
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