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Deion Sanders Made Transfer Earn Number—and it Paid Off

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jeff Hauser | Last updated Jun 8, 2025 3:08 PM ET

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders offers something more foundational compared to other college coaches.

An NFL-experienced staff and a culture built on competition. It's a big reason why everything at Colorado must be earned. When LaJohntay Wester wanted to get No. 1 last year, he earn it from Sanders, who doesn't give out his best jersey to anyone.

Sanders' message has been clear to all his players. Show up and be the best you can at all times. Tulsa transfer wide receiver Joseph Williams recently went on the record about being courted by Coach Prime while being committed to Utah.

The 2024 AAC Freshman of the Year told the Reach The People Media's Darius Sanders there was another school willing to give him No. 8. But Coach Prime explained Williams it's that easy, it's not worth it.

“I’m not going to say the school, but a school made a phone call when I told them I wanted No. 8. He said, ‘Yeah, reserve the number until I say otherwise,’” Williams said. “But Coach Prime said I had to come in and earn it. That really got me. He’s not going to give me what I want just because I want it. I have to earn everything. My jersey number, things I need, things I want.”

For Williams, Sanders' basis for earning the number was eye-opening.

“My whole life, we didn’t live the best, we struggled a little bit,” Williams said. “My mom always taught me never take the easy way out. If you take the easy way out, nothing good is gonna come out of it. Hearing Coach Prime say that, all I heard was my mom—‘No easy way outs.’ That was super big for me.”

Sanders’ message isn't for everyone. Especially with NIL deals being offered in massive amounts. But Williams is a natural fit for his mindset. He brings character to a deep WR room ready to catch passes from either Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter or five-star Julian “JuJu” Lewis.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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