Deion Sanders Tells Colorado Players to ‘Go Ahead and Jump in that Portal’ at First Team Meeting

Any current member of the Colorado Buffaloes football team looking to hear a stirring and inspirational message from newly-arrived coach Deion Sanders about why they should remain at Colorado and how great they can be as a team left their meeting with Sanders sorely disappointed.

In his first opportunity to talk to his new team, freshly-minted Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders basically told his players that they should hit the bricks.

“We got a few positions already taken care of because I’m bringing my luggage with me and it’s Louis,” Sanders explained.

“It ain’t gonna be no more of a mess that these wonderful fans, the student body, and some of your parents have put up with for probably two decades now. I’m coming, and when I get here, it’s gonna be changed. So I want y’all to get ready to go ahead and jump in that portal and do whatever you’re gonna get because more of you jump in, the more room you make.”

The “portal” refers to the program that grants players an unconditional release from the schools they signed a National Letter of Intent (NLOI) with and allows them to transfer to other schools.

Sanders promised big things at his introductory press conference on Sunday.

“We’re going to be good. We’re really going to be good. I do not worry … We need to stay together. We need to stay united. We need to continue to believe. It may not happen as quickly as you may desire, but it’s going to happen. We’re going to win. It’s going to happen. I’m not going to put a timetable on it but it’s going to happen,” Sanders said.

The Buffaloes were 1-11 in 2022. So, is Sanders losing much by telling the team that less of them is more? Probably not. However, there’s also a clever psychological tactic in play by making this type of statement if there are any real competitors on this Colorado team. Suppose some kids have real potential and were maybe unused or misused by the previous regime and could be big contributors to the school’s resurgence as a college football powerhouse. Those types of kids are going to hear Sanders’ challenge and decide they’re not going anywhere, and in fact, they’re going to devote every ounce of energy to proving Sanders wrong about them.

So, in delivering this bold challenge, Sanders is making his job easier by giving those who wouldn’t have been able to handle his tough coaching style the green light to leave. And at the same time, he’s stoking the competitive fires of those who may be able to stay and contribute to a winning program.

Pretty smart.