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Kickin’ It with Kiz: Maybe Deion Sanders should pack his Louis Vuitton and move Buffs to the Sun Belt Conference

By November 29, 2025 | updated 41 minutes ago

Deion Sanders stands on the sidelines before an NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

While I think the boost in attendance and revenue to the CU football program is great, the performance is the same as in years past. I don’t see us improving much as long as this Deion Sanders staff is coaching in Boulder.

– Jeremie, adventurer

Kiz: When the Buffs hired Sanders, he had CU faithful dreaming about winning a ticket to the College Football Playoff. After a bone-chilling 24-14 loss to Kansas State in the snow to end his third season, Coach Prime’s primary challenge is to be merely competitive in the Big 12 Conference. The Buffs own a 1-8 record now, the same failing mark they had in the Pac 12 at the conclusion of Sanders’ first season in Boulder. In this era of unregulated transfers in college football, maybe Coach Prime should pack his Louis Vuitton and move the entire football program to a friendly climate, and see if the Buffs can stay on the field with James Madison in the Sun Belt Conference.

The CU football team finishing with a 3-9 record is simply a reversion to the mean. Even another marshmallow soft schedule in an embarrassingly weak conference couldn’t rescue such a poorly coached, ill-disciplined and under-talented team. Sub Prime will be gone as soon as the first legitimate opportunity presents itself.

– Johnny, bad to the bone

Kiz: Is a hurtin’ Southeastern Conference program that doesn’t secure the services of Lane Kiffin going to take a big-money gamble on Sanders at this point? Heck, nah. I’ve said it before and will say it again: With meaningful changes in his approach to coaching and recruiting, Coach Prime can be successful in Boulder. But if the Buffs suffer through another losing season next year, the big pile of money and attention Sanders has brought CU won’t be enough to cool his hot seat. 

Colorado’s recruiting process needs to greatly improve for the Buffs to get better. The ex-NFL players either need to step up and coach or step down to allow coaches with experience at the college level do the job.

– CJM, St. Petersburg, Fla.

Kiz: Poaching veteran quarterback Kaidon Salter from Liberty in the transfer portal proved to be an expensive mistake for the Buffs. While Sanders’ high-profile assistant coaches get heat, maybe what this CU program really needs is a better general manager in charge of talent procurement. There’s little statistical evidence to indicate Salter was a significantly better option than Ryan Staub, who was already on the roster. And that illustrates the risk of building your team through the transfer portal. If you lure a player with NIL money and he fails to deliver, the mistake is not only felt on the scoreboard but in the damage done to locker room morale.

CU football is all sizzle, no steak.

– Dave, hangry

Kiz: After three seasons in Boulder, Sanders’ record is 16-21. After his three seasons as CU’s football coach, Dan Hawkins’ record was 13-24.

And today’s parting shot is a joy ride back to the future.

Hard to believe, but it looks like the AFC’s representative in the Super Bowl will come down to the Broncos versus the Patriots, just like the good old days.

– V.J., proud old hippie

Mark Kiszla

Reporter

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