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Former Colorado Player Blames Deion Sanders for Ruining Program’s Culture

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Michael Gallagher | Last updated Mar 5, 2025 8:04 PM ET

Most people know Brendan Schaub as a former UFC fighter, a popular stand-up comedian, or the host of “The Fighter and the Kid” podcast, but before all of those things, Schaub was a member of the University of Colorado football team.

While Schaub didn’t blow anyone away with his talent on the field, he played for the Buffaloes for two seasons in 2004 and 2005 before going undrafted and joining the Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League.

Though most likely don’t remember Schaub’s time with the program, he still has fond memories of his time in Boulder, which is exactly why he decided to speak out about the state of the Colorado football program two years into the Deion Sanders era.

In an exclusive interview with the U.S. Mirror, Schaub went scorched earth about how much he’s not a fan of what Sanders has turned Colorado into.

“I went to CU because I grew up a Buffs fan, and it was my dream to play for CU,” Schaub said. “[Now] if your head coach is saying, ‘We'll make sure you get the cars, we'll make sure you get the chains, we'll make sure you get on ‘SportsCenter’ — that's all these kids want. But it doesn't make you the best team.

“I think CU's problem is they're just not tough. At CU, those kids don't give a [expletive]. They don't care about the gold helmet or the Buff on their helmet, they're just here to make noise and get Instagram followers, which is great, and getting paid and taking care of yourself, but then when you get in those CFP games, you start playing those SEC teams … you get kicked in the [expletive] face, and that's what's happening.

“I just don't think they're tough. They're flashy, they're fun to watch, they're all over the TV, but at the end of the day, the nitty gritty, they just don't have that toughness.”

Sanders’ method of program-building certainly isn’t for everyone.

He rebuilt Colorado’s roster through the transfer portal in his first season, and some believe he’s leveraged his celebrity status to attract high-profile recruits with the promise of massive NIL deals and large social media followings.

Whether anyone agrees with the way Sanders is running his program, few can argue with the results. Two years into his tenure, he led a 1-11 Buffaloes team to a 4-8 record in his first year, followed by a 9-4 season and Alamo Bowl appearance in his second.

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

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