- NCAA. Coach Prime 'bullies' son Deion Sanders Jr. after overlooking a 'crime' by Shedeur and Travis Hunter
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Deion Sanders has had a week of mixed emotions, but the highs have certainly outweighed the lows.
The Colorado Buffaloes' head coach earned a significant career milestone as he secured a new five-year contract extension, valued at $54 million, making him one of the highest-paid coaches in college football.
Sanders expressed his excitement and commitment to the program in a statement.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to continue building something special here at Colorado. We've just scratched the surface of what this program can be. It's not just about football; it's about developing young men who are ready to take on the world," his statement read.
"I'm committed to bringing greatness to this university, on and off the field. We've got work to do, and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here, making history with these incredible players and this ionate fan base. Lastly, anybody got at least a five-bedroom home with acreage for sale?"
Colorado Athletic Director Rick George also praised Sanders for transforming the football program.
"Coach Prime has revolutionized college football and in doing so, has restored CU football to our rightful place as a national power," George said.
"This extension not only recognizes coach's incredible accomplishments transforming our program on and off the field, it keeps him in Boulder to compete for conference and national championships in the years to come."
Spring scrimmage cancellation could be problematic
However, the week wasn't without its challenges for Sanders. Despite the celebration surrounding his new contract, Sanders faced disappointing news from the NCAA. Colorado's request to hold a spring scrimmage against Fran Brown's Syracuse Orange was officially denied.
The NCAA's Football Bowl Subdivision oversight committee announced that the waiver request to allow the scrimmage would not be granted. This decision comes at a time when many college football programs have been canceling their spring games altogether.
Earlier this month, Sanders shared his thoughts on the trend of canceled spring games, emphasizing how difficult it is to evaluate his players without competitive scrimmages.
"The way the trend is going is, you never know if this is going to be the last spring game," Sanders had said.
"Now, I don't believe in that, and I don't really want to condone that... To have it competitive, and to play against your own guys, it can get kind of monotonous, and you really can't tell the level of your guys."
Despite the NCAA setback, Sanders' focus remains firmly on his long-term goals for the Colorado football program. With his contract extension in place, he remains committed to further building the Buffaloes into a national powerhouse, both on and off the field.