Deion Sanders upset over North Dakota State: "Couldn't you have given me a layup?"

Coach Prime being "mad" at Rick George” comes as a contradiction in philosophy

Deion Sanders wanted a layup, instead he got North Dakota State /

When Deion Sanders took the main stage at the Big 12 Media Days, most in attendance were expecting fireworks, or at least that he would be in his element. What we got played a lot more like a political ‘stump speech’. They don’t work in the modern technological age because everyone hears everything and has access to everything they’ve ever wanted.

There was very little we hadn't heard before. Pumping up the bosses above him (Rick George and Brett Yormark), along with loving up more tenured coaches (Gus Malzahn, Mike Gundy, Joey Maguire). Mentions of games they have on the schedule that are already sold out. Listing academic achievements due to his “we have to win in all things” narrative. The economic impact of Prime on Boulder. Relatively early on in the main stage press conference, Sanders gaves us an out of character gem regarding playing North Dakota State University to open the season. “I’m mad at Rick George for scheduling them first, couldn’t you have given me a layup?”

It is a funny line and a very Coach Prime like response, conceptually speaking. However, take a step back from it and zoom out. What is the one thing that for the most part supersedes anything else Coach Prime says publicly? “We will compete in all things”. Every message Prime gives the team that the public sees is about competing.

Not caring if you’re playing Colorado State or Oregon. Every message is about competing. Even Prime’s statement about “We have to win in all things” is deeply rooted in competition. He has even described ‘winning’ in the classroom as something that comes from competing there as well.

Two months ago, someone in Deion Sanders’ inner circle did an interview with the only outlet you’re likely to see that person guest appear on. They addressed the question of why did Dylan Edwards choose to transfer out of Colorado? That ‘insider’ quickly moved to criticizing Edwards’ desire to compete. He said, “It’s just a red flag to college football, there are people who just don’t want to compete….he left camp because someone was coming in.” That comment was not well received by the players on the roster, all of which would likely stand up to defend Edwards in the face of those comments. As one player told me directly, “That pissed everyone off, competing is the last thing you need to worry about when it comes to Dylan Edwards.”

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If anything is hardwired into Coach Prime’s Buffaloes, it would be that everyone competes all the time. In what realm of possibility would that suggest wanting a cake game or a layup in Week 1? Based on a long track record of preaching competition, there is nothing to suggest that this program would even invite cake games, which quite possibly is the biggest issue facing the ‘product’ of college football.

No one wants to see an SEC team play any lower-level FCS team. This is exactly why the North Dakota at CU game is so interesting. It’s not a cake game and it’s certainly not a layup. There is a reason why Power Four teams have avoided scheduling NDSU. Which is why this feels so strange coming from Coach Prime. If the Buffaloes go out and beat the NDSU Bison in Week 1, it will loosen the scrutiny for a bit. It will also have the national media and fans feeling optimistic about how the rest of this goes. Is that not what the expectation should be by the man who came into Boulder and changed the standard almost overnight?

Now, Prime did circle back and say what we initially expected. They are excited for that matchup and they respect that program very much. Every player and coach in that locker room should be looking forward to the opportunity to beat NDSU and should be preparing accordingly. Which is what everyone should assume they are doing. Doesn’t change the fact that hearing Coach Prime wanting a layup seemed about as logical for Prime as watching Presidential candidates argue about their golf game on a nationally televised debate. In other words, it seemed completely out of character or out of place.