Deion Sanders Accepts Colorado Head-Coaching Job, Gets First Shot At Power-5 Level

It did not take very long. Deion Sanders made his way from the SWAC conference into the Power-5 level in just three seasons. Sanders has officially been named the 28th head football coach at Colorado, after leading the Jackson State program since 2020.

The move has been in the works for the last few weeks, with discussions taking place and Sanders putting together a staff for his new venture. He is set to be introduced as the Buffaloes' next head coach at a staff meeting on Sunday, as first reported by Carl Reed and Richard Johnson.

It's a monumental hire for Colorado, which fired Karl Dorrell over two months ago. Colorado officials wanted a splash hire to get them back into the national conversation and they've certainly done just that.

It turned into a bit of a chaotic situation following Jackson State winning the SWAC title. According to sources on the ground, Deion Sanders decided to skip out on the postgame media availability and meet with his players on-campus. To his credit, Sanders has said for the past week that he would not make an announcement until after the SWAC championship.

Deion Sanders made that announcement to his team on Saturday night.

Since taking over at Jackson State, Deion Sanders has brought the national spotlight to the town in Mississippi. Not only did Sanders win in his first few years as a head coach, but also he secured a number of high-profile players in the process. Sanders took an HBCU program that many had looked past and turned it into a household name.

Deion Sanders' son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, will certainly be playing for his father next season in Boulder. Shedeur has thrown for over 3,000 yards this season, along with 32 touchdowns. You can also expect Deion Sanders to bring his best players that have eligibility remaining with him to Colorado, hoping to make a quick impact.

From the weekly press conferences to the YouTube videos, Sanders has done a fantastic job at promoting his brand, while putting the school at the forefront. The lack of head coaching experience shouldn't be a factor for 'Prime', as long as he puts together a staff that can recruit in the PAC-12. More like a CEO, Sanders is a lightning rod for media coverage, which will only increase in Boulder.

Can Deion Sanders Win At Colorado And In PAC-12?

Can Deion Sanders win games at the power-five level? Sure he can, but recruiting the transfer portal will be a key component in Sanders winning immediately. The college football world has changed since Sanders took the job at Jackson State, with NIL and 'Collectives' becoming the recruiting tool. Now, 'Primetime' will be able to use the type of funding a school like Colorado has and increase his recruiting budget.

Part of the questions about this job will be how he puts together a roster and runs his type of system. At Jackson State, Sanders signed the top high school prospect in the country, with Travis Hunter enrolling in 2022. The college football world was shocked by the move, but Deion Sanders was sending a message to the folks who didn't think he could recruit players to Jackson, Mississippi.

Jackson State Tigers head coach Deion Sanders. (Getty Images)

Not only has Sanders turned over the roster, he's won. Over the past three seasons, Jackson State is 26-5, while also selling out stadiums wherever his team was playing. Everyone wanted to see the show that Deion's team was going to put on. Having won two Super Bowls and also playing Major League Baseball, Sanders has used his star-power to his advantage in the college football world, especially in recruiting.

This is certainly a bold move from Colorado, but one they certainly needed to take. As the College Football Playoff expands to twelve, this was the perfect time for Sanders to get into the ring with the big boys of football. I can promise you that Deion Sanders will have success in the transfer portal, which should scare a number of teams around the country.