Deion Sanders trolls Pitt's Pat Narduzzi for developing transfer players

Coach Prime wasn't going to let the comments of his foe be forgotten

Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Deion Sanders took the opportunity to publicly thank the "head coach of Pittsburgh," Pat Narduzzi, for the development of two of his recent transfer portal pickups. During CU Media Day on Friday, the Colorado Buffaloes coach talked about Samuel Okunlola and Dayon Hayes.

Both players previously played for the Pittsburgh before joining Sanders in Boulder during the offseason.

Coach Prime expressed his gratitude, stating, "I want to digress a bit and thank the head coach from Pittsburgh for really preparing those young men for us... they’re really great players and they’re gonna be pros."

This exchange is part of an ongoing, and at times tense, relationship between Sanders and Narduzzi. Their dynamic has included public comments about each other's approaches to college football, particularly concerning the use of the transfer portal. Narduzzi has been critical of Sanders' aggressive roster overhaul at Colorado, implying that it reflects poorly on the coaching profession.

Deion Sanders shuts down CBS and Denver Post reporters at CU Media Day

In response, Sanders dismissed Narduzzi's criticism, suggesting that his real issue lies with the changing landscape of college football, particularly the loss of key players to the portal.

Despite these back-and-forth exchanges, Sanders' recent comments suggest a grudging respect for the way Narduzzi developed the players he inherited at Colorado. The underlying tension between these two coaches, however, is unlikely to dissipate anytime soon.

As Sanders continues to rebuild Colorado's program and Narduzzi defends traditional college football values, their exchanges will likely remain a point of interest in the sport. With Colorado's recent move to the Big 12 and the Buffaloes being picked 11th in the preseason media poll, Sanders’ handling of his new players, including Okunlola and Hayes, will be closely watched in the new conference.