Colorado just took a tough 29-7 home loss to Texas Tech, pushing Deion Sanders’ record with the Buffaloes to a sobering 18-24. Now sitting at 2-3, the question everyone’s asking isn’t easy to answer: why aren’t the wins following the hype that Coach Prime brought to Boulder?
The Coach Prime Effect Is Real
Look, the wins might not be piling up, but you can’t deny what Deion Sanders has done for the Colorado program since he rolled into town before the 2023 season. He put them back on the map, no question. Just ask Rob Wilhite, the official personal injury attorney for CU athletics and a massive booster. This dude was out at “Ralphie’s Corral” before the Texas Tech game, pointing to hundreds of people milling around, sipping drinks, waiting for Ralphie to make her pregame appearance. Wilhite said, “Before he came, there was no one out here. It was like half this crowd.” This man grew up watching Sanders play for the Cowboys, saw Eric Bieniemy lead the Buffs to their 1990 national title, and fell in love with CU football back in ’96 watching Rick Neuheisel play guitar at the Cotton Bowl. He’s poured serious cash into the athletic department and his firm even sponsors the replay reviews on those massive scoreboards inside Folsom Field. Generous as he is, Wilhite loves Sanders, and he’s not talking about firing him. He’s talking about getting him “more help.” The energy on campus? It’s electric, impacting how people spend and think.
The NIL Arms Race Is Biting Hard
But even with that kind of fan loyalty and renewed buzz, Colorado is clearly in a battle. Wilhite, who understands the game better than most, knows the new era of name, image, likeness payments is hitting Colorado hard. He’s candid about the problem: “at Colorado, as soon as we have a player who does really well, they get bought.” He even ticked off some names: Dylan Edwards split for Kansas State, Jordan Seaton went to LSU, and DJ McKinney is now at Notre Dame. More bankroll could have helped Sanders keep those guys. Wilhite believes CU could use 10 or 20 more donors like him just to stay competitive in this college sports arms race. It really makes you wonder if Coach Prime and his staff, despite all the fanfare, are truly “up to the task of winning big” when there’s mixed evidence for it and they’re bleeding talent to other schools who can outspend them.
The Buffs are at a crossroads right now. Sanders has brought the spotlight and the fans, igniting a new passion around the program. But to turn that energy into consistent wins, they’ve got to figure out how to navigate the money game and keep their best players in Boulder. It’s a tough road, but the faithful, like Wilhite, are still holding out hope that they’re a young program that needs to “develop it more.”
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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