Coach Prime isn’t taking the bait — for now.

In what could’ve been a plot to give the Colorado coaching staff something else to think about this week, Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said Monday there is a “distinct chance” starting quarterback Devon Dampier could miss Saturday’s game (8:15 p.m. ESPN) against the Buffaloes in Salt Lake City.

But Deion Sanders and the Buffs aren’t preparing yet for Utes backup Byrd Ficklin, who is a perfect 9-for-9 passing for 138 yards and a touchdown this season during action at the end of three blowout wins. 

“We’re preparing for their scheme. We’re preparing for what they’ve done consistently and what they’ve done well consistently,” Sanders said. “We’ll make adjustments if that happens and do research and a study on this particular (backup) quarterback, but right now we’re just preparing for what they do well — and what they do well, they really do it well.”

Due to his admiration for Whittingham, Coach Prime knows it will be a challenge regardless of who is under center for Utah as the season finale in 2023 featured a game in which the Buffs fell to the Utes and fifth-string walk-on quarterback Luke Bottari. 

“Coach Whittingham (is) unbelievable,” Sanders said. “He’s a pillar of consistency, one of my heroes in this coaching realm. I wish I could have the tenure here at CU that he’s had at Utah. His team resembles who he is as a man, how he played the game. Physical, tough, consistent. I love what they’re doing. They’ve got something special.”

Buffs stay loose during bye week

The win over Iowa State helped, but there was a good vibe in Boulder despite no game on the schedule.

Sanders made headlines by allowing the backups to get live film in the form of a scrimmage for the transfer portal, admitting in a team meeting that he’s not naive to think everyone will be back next season. That scrimmage also featured some comedy as former walk-on and current starting safety Ben Finneseth dressed up as Coach Prime, rocking his signature overalls, sunglasses and cowboy hat look as a surprise.

“Ben has a lot of Shilo (Sanders) in him,” Sanders said. “First of all, Ben is one of the smartest young men on the team. You gotta understand his studies and what he’s doing in his personal life, but he has a career (in) entertainment if he don’t make it in football because Ben is so smart, so intelligent, so energetic. Everybody loves him. 

“The cafeteria should be named after him because that’s where he puts in his most work, as well as on the field. He’s one of my favorites, man.”

Coach Prime also said he was able to use the off weekend to return to his Texas home to relax and do some fishing, while also spending some time exploring Estes Park and the local wildlife.

“I don’t know (the difference between) elk, moose, deer. They’re all like family to me,” he said. “But I saw a lot of big animals around Estes (Park) and I’m not used to that and it was great. I want to go back.”

Sanders appreciates Ohtani’s greatness

As a fellow barrier breaker in the sports world, Sanders was still astonished by what Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani accomplished in the Dodgers’ National League-clinching win Friday.

“He did what?” Sanders said after hearing about Ohtani’s six shutout innings and 10 strikeouts on the mound that went with his three home run game at the plate.

“Can they just hand him the MVP during the game?” Coach Prime added. “He’s doing something that’s unfathomable. I hope he opens the door for others.”