Deion Sanders Didn’t Hold Back When Asked About Shohei Ohtani

For Coach Prime, Ohtani’s success serves as a pushback on specialization in sports, a concept he fought against during his own career, which saw him log 39 home runs and 186 stolen bases in MLB.

Sanders is adamant that Ohtani's dominance should inspire leagues to change how they approach multi-talented athletes. 

“I hope he opens the door for others,” Sanders insisted. “Because there’s many pitchers that can do both, but they’re never allowed to do so. They put them in a pocket and say, ‘You just need to do that.’”

This is the very philosophy that Coach Prime has brought to Boulder and applied to Travis Hunter. He allowed Hunter to play as a receiver and a cornerback, ultimately leading to Hunter's 2024 Heisman Trophy win and his eventual ascension to the NFL.

The Two-Way U

The numbers behind Ohtani’s 2025 campaign have been staggering, confirming why Coach Prime sees him as a revolutionary player. Ohtani has hit .220 with 5 home runs and 9 RBIs in the postseason, and has cemented his status as the National League MVP.

But the philosophy has extended beyond baseball. Hunter, the ultimate example of Prime’s two-way vision, is now validating the idea in the National Football League. In his rookie season with the 4-3 Jacksonville Jaguars, Hunter continues to pull double duty, already achieving a statistic previously held by only Coach Prime in the last 30 years, recording at least three receptions and two tackles in multiple games.

Hunter's dual-threat success directly mirrors Ohtani's. Both athletes have refused to accept the limits that box in extraordinary talents. Hunter’s dominance not only won him a Heisman; it also created a domino effect across college football, forcing teams to adapt. 

Utah coach Kyle Whittingham publicly admitted Hunter’s success forced him to re-evaluate his own roster, leading to the use of players like linebacker Smith Snowden. Similarly, Minnesota has also used the dual role with sophomore Koi Perich.

And while Hunter is blazing a trail for the NFL, the two-way experiment continues in Boulder, where the Buffaloes have already cultivated Isaiah Hardge, a wide receiver-turned-defensive-back.

The Limitless Potential

With Ohtani bringing in nostalgia, Sanders reflected on his own past, commenting: “When I'm in the cafeteria and I see the baseball games, I think, ‘Wow, I used to do that.’” While the game has changed, Coach Prime is enthusiastic about what Ohtani represents; a push toward a more dynamic, limitless future in sports.

When the Dodgers take the field in the World Series, Coach Prime will be watching as a former baseball player, and also watching his coaching and playing philosophy realized on the biggest stages. Ohtani's success has to be adding to the ultimate idea that Colorado is Two-Way U.

Ohtani is sparking a conversation on "unfathomable" potential in sports, and in Boulder, that means the ceiling could be limitless. The rest of the sports world is catching up to the blueprint Deion Sanders drew decades ago, which he cemented with Hunter—and now being proven by the best player in Major League Baseball.