From blatant jersey number violations to shifting stances on NCAA rules, Coach Prime’s recent decisions reveal a puzzling disconnect between his public proclamations and his program's reality.
Editor's note: This is part one of a three-part series entitled "Deion Sanders’ Colorado tenure is raising questions after contradictions"
Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders is no longer a young man. He’s not the twenty-something athlete terrorizing offenses anymore. In fact, all of his kids are adults making their way through the world. Time affects us all the same way.
With all that said, the recent contradictions for Coach Prime are noteworthy and in plain sight. There doesn’t need to be inside information. My proximity to the program is not what is delivering this news, because Sanders is serving it up.
There are two types of contradictions that have become difficult to ignore. One type is less concerning when you understand Sanders. These instances are more about actively choosing to disregard something the rest of the world considers to be the truth. The other type is a little more concerning, which is pushing back against things he previously stood by.
The internet and video remember everything and stay undefeated
This issue of directly contradicting one's self is not limited to Sanders. As a veteran reporter, this happens all the time. However, proceeding as if everyone else doesn’t have the technological ability to go back and see what was said or done is wild. In the reporter analogy, many that have been doing it long enough behave as if what they see or the quotes made can’t be found on the internet retroactively.
This concept now applies to Sanders. There are two significant examples of Sanders reacting to something one way, and then a week or months later pushing back on the very idea that he claimed to support. Both are concerning for different reasons.
Jersey Number Gate
Sanders was asked about the usage of Quanell Farrakhan Jr while Kaneal Sweetwyne was in the game. The issue is a known NCAA rule. Farrakhan is a wide receiver who wears No. 14. Sweetwyne is a quarterback who also wears No. 14. Sweetwyne had entered the game after Julian Lewis came out. According to the rules, Farrakhan cannot be on the field the same time as Sweetwyne because they play on the same side of the ball.
There was another example of this against Baylor from last week. This time with Colorado's special teams unit. Two players on the field at the same time, on the same side of the ball, both wearing No. 6. (Boo Carter and Quentin Gibson). Sanders previously made a proactive change to avoid this problem. Punter Damon Greaves was given Sanders' No. 21 to wear so it would not conflict with another special teams player. For the record, only Greaves and Shilo Sanders have donned the No. 21 in Prime’s time at Colorado.
When asked about the jersey number issue, Prime pushed back while laughing it off. “That’s so stupid,” Sanders said emphatically. The reporter who asked, offered the idea that they might carry additional jerseys. “For real?!?!” Sanders exclaimed. “You're joking! So we got extra jerseys?! That’s how stupid some of this stuff is.”
Greaves was given No. 21 to avoid this problem. One game, Sanders said one player did not go in because another player in the game wore the same number. Even razzing the reporter over the validity of the question. Citing how many players they have versus how many jersey numbers fall between 1–99. Then, in another game, two players wear the same number, in the same phase, at the same time and he calls the question stupid.
Check over part two of the series.
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