FORT WORTH, Texas — Deion Sanders’ health issues have resurfaced again.

After recently mentioning after games and practices that his feet have been bothering him, Coach Prime was seen without a shoe on his left foot during Colorado’s 35-21 loss to TCU on Saturday night at Amon G. Carter Stadium. There’s a reason for that.

“I think I got more blood clots. Cat’s out of the bag,” Sanders said. “It don’t make sense. I’m hurting like crazy.”

Blood clots are an issue Sanders has been dealing with, dating back to his time at Jackson State, when he had to have two toes amputated as part of a surgery to remove blood clots in his lower legs during the 2022 football season. Since then, he has regularly received treatment to assist the blood flow in his legs, but the issue has popped back up recently.

Sanders was away from campus for the majority of the summer as he battled and beat bladder cancer before rejoining the team in July. Now, the 58-year-old has more to take care of with his health in the midst of his third season with the Buffaloes. 

“I got a doctor’s appointment on Monday to see what it is,” Coach Prime said. “That’s what’s going on. I’m not getting to my leg, that’s why my leg is throbbing.” 

Offense falters under Salter in second half again

For a second straight week, the CU offense has looked like a completely different unit coming out of halftime.

Last week against BYU, the Buffs scored just one touchdown in the final 45 minutes after jumping out to an early 14-0 lead on the back of back-to-back scoring drives to open the game. This week, it took until the second quarter to get on the scoreboard, but Pat Shurmur’s unit still managed to get touchdowns on its second and third series of the game.

From the 6:22 mark of the second quarter on, though, it was a struggle as CU managed one scoring drive the rest of the game as quarterback Kaidon Salter finished with three interceptions in the loss, one of which came with the Buffs two yards away from the end zone in the closing moments of the first half.

“I wish I knew,” Sanders said of the continued offensive struggles.

Salter finished 18-for-29 for 217 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions as the Buffs finished with 343 total yards of offense.

Up until the final few minutes of the game, the Buffs were out-gaining the Horned Frogs and were more efficient on third down. It just didn’t lean to an advantage in the one place it mattered: the scoreboard.

“It’s all on us to fix,” Salter said. “You can’t really get frustrated (because) we still have a season to finish.”

Defense still searching for big plays

Coach Prime still isn’t budging when it comes to his defense.

Last week, he wouldn’t admit that the CU defense “gave the team a chance to win” against BYU, and he feels similarly after the most recent loss to TCU. The defense didn’t allow an explosive TCU offense to score until late in the first half, but the Horned Frogs wound up scoring touchdowns on five of their final eight possessions, including the final two, to pull away for the win.

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover was sacked just twice as he finished with five total touchdowns in his team’s comeback win that featured zero turnovers by him and the rest of the offense. 

“We gotta make the plays, man. If they’re scoring, that means we’re not making those plays,” Sanders said. “If they’re throwing touchdown passes, that means someone’s on the other end of that not making those plays. We have to make those plays if we want to be in the winner’s circle.”