Deion still believes CU has ‘right guys’ on line

Deion Sanders has confidence in Colorado’s offensive staffplay

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Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff WriterSep 10, 2024, 03:34 PM ET

Covers college football.Joined ESPN in 2014.Attended Washington State University.Three days after criticizing the play of his offensive line in a 28-10 loss to Nebraska, Colorado coach Deion Sanders reaffirmed his belief the unit will improve.

“I feel like we got the right guys,” Sanders said. “You may see us shake something up a little bit. Phil Loadholt is a wonderful offensive line coach. [Offensive coordinator] Pat [Shurmur] does a tremendous job in calling pays as he did in the first game [against North Dakota State].”

“So, you just can’t take a snapshot of one game and not understand the first game. What, we have over 500 yards of offense? I ain’t hear all these questions, but I understand it comes with the territory.”

The Buffaloes went for 504 yards of total offense against their FCS opponent in the opener, with 445 yards through the air. However, they managed just 2.6 yards per carry and finished the game with 59 yards rushing.

Against Nebraska on Saturday, Colorado was even worse rushing the ball — finishing with 16 rushing yards on 0.7 yards per carry — and was also unable to protect quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who was sacked five times. Sanders threw for 244 yards and a touchdown, but also threw a crucial pick-six early in the game. The Buffs’ inability to run the ball or protect Sanders was reminiscent of last year’s offense, which ranked last in FBS in yards per carry (2.31) and allowed 56 sacks, the most among Power 5 teams.

“Protections were a problem,” Deion Sanders said after the game. “You know, I’m trying to be polite and say it, because you know I can say the same thing you’re thinking, but if I say it, you’d say I’m throwing my guys up under the bus. I’m not doing that whatsoever. Protections were a problem. We got to figure out a way to prevent that and do a better job with that.”

Asked what it would take to get the run game going, Sanders said the game dictates certain things.

“We try to run the football. It’s an attitude. It’s a straight attitude,” Sanders said. “You got to whoop your guy on that particular play. And I think we’ve committed to it on a certain plays. We just got to do a better job in getting the first down.

“We got to do a better job running the football. That takes a lot of pressure off your quarterback and make things easier for Pat.”

Colorado’s 71 rushing yards ranks last in FBS among teams that have played at least two games this season. The Buffs also expect to be without leading rusher Dallan Hayden (14 carries, 52 yards), a transfer from Ohio State, for this week’s game against in-state rival Colorado State.