In his presser this week, Head Coach Deion Sanders spoke on the Buffs’ work as a team thus far, as well as the TCU team and its coaching staff.
“I never feel pressure,” he said. “We apply pressure.”
Sanders said he feels good about the current protection of quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
“You protect 2, give him a clean pocket, it’s gonna be some problems,” he said.
When asked about his impression of TCU, Sanders commended their “great coaching and great staff.”
“They did the unthinkable last year and I’m proud of them,” he said. “One thing about that team and their head coach, they will be prepared. They will be fundamentally sound. It will come out emotional, playing with emotions, trying to atone for last season, the way that ended. But man, this team is a good football team.”
We’re Going to be Okay
Sanders is preparing the team not only for the matchup with TCU, but the Texas heat as well.
“Heat is heat, man,” Sanders said. “I think a lot of kids dealing with the altitude here, it’s been tremendous as well. We’re going to be okay. We’re putting them in pressure situations. We’ve stopped practices midway
through on a couple of occasions and had them run several sprints then continue practice to make sure they understand the fatigue level and don’t give in to it mentally. Once you give into anything in life mentally, you’re going to fail.”
With what’s been accomplished so far, Sanders is proud.
“They’ve been working their butts off,” he said. “They’ve kind of challenged one another to do so. Our morning message this morning wasn’t really me talking at them, it was them telling me what they need to do to be dominant in this game.”
These Kids Are Ready
Sanders said these players came to the University of Colorado because “they wanted it.”
“They came here because they wanted the light, they wanted the smoke, they wanted attention, they wanted the focus, they wanted the love,” he said. “I mean, but also, you got to understand there’s an opposite of that as well that you got to be willing to accept when you want all in and desire all those things.”
Sanders followed up with the affirmation “these kids are ready.”
“We’ve prepared them not just athletically, we’ve prepared them mentally for things and challenges
that’s going to happen in life as well,” he said. “I like what I see on a daily basis, I really do. You know, matter of fact, I love these kids. I really do.”
It’s Bigger Than That
If it’s one thing Deion Sanders stands by, it’s that coaching extends beyond the game.
“I’m not only coaching their mental, their physical, as well as their spiritual,” Sanders said. “And just trying to guide them to their finances as well. If you’re just coaching football, you’re missing it. Just leading these kids down the football path, you’re going to miss 98% of your locker room because it’s bigger than that.
Sanders said he tells parents all the time, “you send us a boy, we’re gonna send you back a man.”
“That has nothing to do with football,” Sanders said. “It has everything to do with the mental, social, spiritual,
economical, all these different facets of life. Educational as well.”
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