Deion Sanders being called an early Coach of the Year candidate in 2024

Coach Prime wants to shock the world this year and might do it

Candice Ward-Imagn Images

Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes notched a close win over North Dakota State 31-26 in Week 1. You would think with a five-point win over an FCS squad social media and sports analysts would be pointing fingers, trying to figure out where Colorado goes from here. Instead the hype train is getting ready to leave the depot.

Colorado plays with the same intensity and playmaking ability that everyone saw from Shedeur Sanders, who completed 26-of-34 passes for 445 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception. He even connected with Travis Hunter for an insane reception for his third score on the night.

The unexpected that Coach Prime and some of the Buffaloes playmakers have been able to show the masses over the past two seasons has kept people talking about what they can accomplish this season. Not to mention, Sanders’ name was mentioned as a possible Coach of The Year after just one game. After one game this season, the Buffs currently boast the 35th-ranked offense and 112th for total defense. Unlike the 2016 team under Mike MacIntyre, the offense averaged 32.8 and the defense allowed 20.5 points per game. This year’s offense must find a way to incorporate a running game to compete for a Big 12 Championship.

No excuses about it. Shedeur Sanders can’t do it all and keep Colorado’s offensive attack one-dimensional. Without a running game, the Buffs will have a repeat of last year except worse. The Buffs defense didn’t provide much help due to their inability to stop a rushing attack. If they don’t find a way to slow down conference opponents this season, it’s going to be another long campaign in Boulder.

If anyone believes Coach Prime is a candidate for Coach of the Year, the wins need to start stacking up in unexpected places. Keep this in mind, the last Buffaloes coach to earn the highest coaching honor was MacIntye in 2016. ‘The Rise’ took Colorado to new heights when they went 8-1 and won their first Pac-12 South Division Championship and played in the Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State. MacIntyre guided the Buffs to an outstanding finish after they were picked to finish last. It’s a similar storyline with this year’s CU squad being picked to finish eleventh out of 16 teams.

Coach Prime’s marketability, charisma, charm, and personality grasps the attention of the masses to tune in to what he has to say next. Especially when he lays out the blueprint to whether the Buffs hope to be bowl eligible or winning the BIG12 this 2024 season. Can Coach Prime win the AP Coach of the Year Award in December? It could very well happen, but first let's see if the Buffs can win the BIG12 and possibly receive a bowl bid.

Sanders and the Buffs will travel to Lincoln, Nebraska this week to face Nebraska Cornhuskers looking to get revenge for the loss suffered last year at Folsom Field.