Deion Sanders sets ground rules with Buffs players: "We don't have tomorrow"

Coach Prime makes it clear the season starts today in Boulder

Deion Sanders tell his players to show up or say goodbye /

Deion Sanders and Colorado jumped back into another season on Monday with the start of Fall Camp. There's a lot of buzz around the Buffaloes in what's expected to be an exciting 2024 season. After going 4-8 overall in 2023, Colorado was picked to finish eleventh in the Big 12 Conference by media members.

None of that means anything to Sanders and his football team. However, there is no time to waste in Boulder from this point on.

"We don't have tomorrow," Sanders told his team on Sunday. "We don't have the next day or next year. We have now. I mean, right now."

Colorado isn't the same program from last year. There is a edge that wasn't present from this time a year ago. It could be for a number of reasons, but it's clear Coach Prime is dialed in at a higher level.

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"We need to do what we need to do right now, but let me tell you this. If you show me you don't want this, I'm gonna show you I don't want you," Sanders told his players.

Any program led by Deion Sanders seems to be graded on a different scale. It's why his staff and players have adopted the win-now mentality of a team that's used to success, even if the Buffs haven't played in a bowl game since 2020.

"His expectation is now," CU running back coach Gary Harrell said about Coach Prime. "We're not waiting for Year 3 to win. We're not waiting until midseason for everything to click. It has to happen now. Every day he comes into work, his mentality, his thought process, his message and philosophy is the same. He doesn't deviate from that. It's why he's Deion Sanders."

Colorado has a tough matchup right out of the gate with FCS powerhouse North Dakota State on Thursday, August 29.

Sanders’ approach is a stark reminder of his competitive spirit and high expectations. He’s instilling a culture of immediacy and accountability, pushing his players to embrace the present and perform at their highest level. The Buffaloes’ 2024 season promises to be a test of their resilience and readiness, reflecting the relentless drive of their head coach.