TCU vs Colorado Injury Report: Deion Sanders Gives Last-Minute Update on Key Defensive Stars

Deion has his eyes fixed on Davis-Swain, who likely got injured during the practice. He started Colorado’s first three games before giving way to Amari McNeill. The second-year defensive tackle from Michigan has seven total tackles and half a sack. Leaving out McPherson might come off as too costly for Deion and co. After all, he has made the most out of his true freshman opportunities with seven total tackles, four quarterback hurries, and a blocked punt. Now, who are the ones about whom Deion has lost all hope?

They are defensive end Samuel Okunlola, defensive tackle trio Tawfiq Thomas, Gavriel Lightfoot, and Tavian Coleman. As if Deion was already not in trouble with his defense. The Buffs’ run defense has been more ‘wide open prairie’ than ‘brick wall’ this season. How? Deion’s boys have been trampled on the ground, thanks in large part to quarterbacks turning their games into track meets.

As DNVR’s Jake Schwanitz reported, Deion’s program currently has the 12th-worst run defense in the FBS at 197.2 yards allowed per game. The only two programs that are in a worse shape than the Buffs are 1-3 Oklahoma State Cowboys (213.0) and 0-4 UCLA Bruins (232.8). Going by ESPN’s Max Olson’s report, Colorado ranks just 94th nationally in stop rate, the metric that tracks how often a defense forces a punt, turnover, or turnover on downs. The moral? 

The opponents are marching down the field with ease. Deion’s boys are allowing 2.28 points per drive and stopping foes on only 56% of possessions, a lack of consistency that’s keeping the defense gassed and the offense under constant strain. With his plate full of woes, does that mean Deion is leaving everything on autopilot mode? Definitely not. He came with his quintessential vocal tonic before the Saturday game. 

Deion Sanders fuels the fire before the TCU game

Well Off Media captured a pregame meeting between Deion and the Buffs players. Coach Prime knows exactly how to tickle the soft spot. Here he came with a direct message for the players from Texas in the Buffaloes squad. “You got a lot of fellas going back to Texas… You’re going home. You’re going to the crib,” said Deion. “Your passion, your energy, your attention to detail should be a little different this week.”

Colorado will be traveling to Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday. So, Deion’s Texas jewels have yet another reason to push harder. After all, here comes a golden opportunity for them to prove themselves in front of their friends and family who will be there at the stands. And here came a challenge from Coach Prime, “You don’t want nobody to know what you’re not doing. You want them to see what you’re doing.” Looks like the mission to stir up the players was successful.

When Deion asked, “Does it mean something to you? What does it mean?” A player immediately replied, “Well, for more family to come see you.” Well, no one gave Colorado a shot as 49.5-point underdogs, but Deion’s squad made BYU sweat a little, at least on offense. The line looked better, third downs not so much (33% conversions), and Kaidon Salter’s pick stung. Still, Coach Prime’s eyes were on the real problem, which is the defense.

That’s when Deion Sanders tackled it his way, with an inventive new drill straight out of the Prime playbook. “We’re going to start practicing while we’re breaking the practices in the quarter, so you’ll understand what we’re trying to accomplish. I need all the defensive coaches to be present, please. I need you guys to choose one guy from your segment because we’re going to learn what a thud is. Because if we don’t get it today, I’m sending you inside. If this happens today, I’m sending you off the field, and the next guy’s going to be up and the next guy’s going to play,” planned Coach Prime. But something is just not in his control. Let’s hope the “game time decisions” turn out to be in Colorado’s favor.