Anonymous Big 12 Coach Says Colorado is ‘Still a Circus’ Under Deion Sanders

One of our favorite times of the year in the Big 12 Conference—it’s the anonymous coaching quotes from Athlon Sports!

While most comments are fairly mundane at best, one anonymous Big 12 coach took aim at Colorado’s Coach Prime, calling the program a circus, even with Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter gone.

“It’s still a circus,” the anonymous coach said. “That’s not an insult to Deion, but it is.”

The initial criticism of Colorado being a circus dates back to multiple anonymous reports from last season, with Big 12 coaches echoing similar sentiments.

“It’s gonna be a circus just like last season, so expect the unexpected,” One anonymous coach said prior to the 2024 season. “It doesn’t matter what noise Prime makes — they cannot have a winning season without a functional run game and a legit offensive line. That’s the one position group you can’t really portal in one cycle. If they’re halfway better there, they’ll have a winning season.”

While the quote wasn’t entirely incorrect, the sentiment of Colorado being a circus didn’t quite measure up. The Buffaloes churned out an incredible 9-4 season, which saw two-way star Travis Hunter win the Heisman Trophy and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

Despite that success, some coaches remain skeptical about what lies ahead for Sanders, and many have expressed concern about the depth of the roster.

“They’ve turned over a ton in the portal,” a Big 12 coach said. “And they’re trying to make it out like it’s a competition-based result, but they’re really going to struggle on the offensive line because of transfers again.”

One final coach wrapped it all up into a bow, saying, “With his sons gone, this is the year you really wonder what Deion’s long-term plan is.”