Everything Deion Sanders said after Colorado's upset win over TCU
Colorado went on the road and shocked No. 17 TCU 45-42 on Saturday to open the Deion Sanders era with a victory.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders threw for a school-record 510 yards and four touchdowns. Freshman running back Dylan Edwards scored four times to lead the Buffs. Two-way star Travis Hunter had 11 catches for 119 yards on offense while posting a touchdown-saving pass breakup, a touchdown-saving tackle, and an interception on defense. Hunter was one of four CU receivers who cleared 100 yards receiving.
After the game, Sanders met with reporters to recap things.
Here’s everything he said.
Opening statement
“Wonderful game. Wonderful beginning. Intriguing. Passionate. Purposeful. It was all of that. We had some guys that singled themselves out with their playing and their playing ability.
“A lot of guys you doubted, one of them from an HBCU. I think he had 510 yards passing in a Power Five football game and he happened to be my son and I’m proud of him.
“Defensively, we had some letdowns but the guys came and made some plays when we needed it.
“I think we broke a record — everything we do seems like a record — four receivers with 100 yards. We didn’t run the ball greatly but we threw the heck out of the football. Sy’Veon, another back who played a great game. All the guys contributed. Dylan (Edwards) as well as (Anthony) Hankerson. The line did their thing, fought their butts off.
“We’ve got to fix some things on defense, especially on special times. I think we gave up three or four turnovers. We gave up the kickoff. We had a fumble. A couple other things happened in the first half.
“Hat’s off to the opposing team. Their head coach, I love what he did turning the program around at SMU as well as here last year. Good man. I had a moment with him in the middle of the field when one of their guys was injured just to let him know how much I appreciate him, how much I respect him for what he’s accomplished. I really look up to him. He’s a good man, and his team was well-coached today.”
On how fun the day was
“I’m not gonna say it was fun. It was satisfying at the end. You’ve gotta understand when the time ticks off the clock, I’m ready for the next. I’m thinking, OK, we’ve gotta fix this, fix that because we’ve got to be much more dominant next week in all phases, not just one phase.
“Offensively, we did it. Defensively, we’ve gotta fix some things. And special teams was horrendous. We had a kick blocked as well as darn-near gave up a touchdown. That was horrendous.”
On Shedeur Sanders breaking a Colorado record
“Shedeur Sanders? From a HBCU? The one that played at Jackson last year? The one that you asked me why would I give him the starting job? I’ve got receipts. I know who they are. I’ve just got to say it.
“When I was in the training room getting my foot worked on, he and Shilo just came and of course Junior was filming it. So, we had a dad moment. They were really happy, elated. Shilo came in there being apologetic because he knows there were a couple tackles he missed and I’m on his butt right now.
“I was just Dad in there moments ago, and I’m proud of both of them. I really am. And junior. Because his work is why some of you are here.”
On Travis Hunter being able to keep playing both sides of the ball at a high level
“I tried to tell you but you didn’t want to believe me. I’m just a lofty, old coach. I don’t know nothing about football. I just played in the NFL for 14 (years). Played at a high level in college for four (years). Been coaching youth all the way up for a long time. How do you think we got Dylan Edwards? I coached him when he was seven years old. That’s how we got Dylan Edwards.
“Travis is him. Travis is it. I really think we’ve got a couple guys who should be frontrunners for the Heisman right now. That’s how I feel. I want to promote my kids at all costs. We’ve got a couple of them.
“Who did what they did today?”
On RB Dylan Edwards
“Dylan Edwards is phenomenal. I’ve been saying that since he was four years old. We’ve seen that all the time in practice. Don’t let the size fool you. When he looks in the mirror, he sees a 215-pound man that’s probably about 6-4. That’s the way Dylan addresses life.
“I think he had a little injury of his ankle early on and he thought it popped and I’m like, ‘Nah, God would not have brought you this far for that. Not right now. Watch the impact you’re gonna have on this game.’ And he had a tremendous impact.
“Dylan is a dog, man. But you’re gonna consistently see what he does on a weekly basis because this is how he practices. This is how Travis practices. This is how Shedeur practices. This is how those receivers I’ve been talking about and talking about that you didn’t believe, this is how they really go to work.”
On his message to those doubting CU
“Turn on the film. I tell them to turn on the film. We’re gonna continuously be questioned because we do things that have never been done. And that makes people uncomfortable. When you see a confident Black man sitting up here and talking his talk, walking his walk, coaching 75% African-Americans in a locker room, that’s kind of threatening. Oh, they don’t like that. But guess what, we’re gonna consistently do what we do because I’m here and I ain’t going nowhere. I’m about to get comfortable in a minute. I’m about to get comfortable in a minute.
“Guess what. These young men in there right now, they believe. Not all of them believed before. But right now, they came up one by one, two by two, ‘Coach, we believe.’ Now they believe. Now Boulder believes. People in the front office, people in the building, the fans, the students, now everybody wants to believe.
“I’m good with that. We’ve got room.”
On what was going through his mind at the end of the game
“I deflect a lot of things, but I’m human so I feel some things. And I’m a natural giver, so I give and I give and I give. Every once in a while, I have one of those moments that I’ve got to reflect on.
“These coaches are so good, (athletic director) Rick George for giving me the opportunity, what we accomplished out there today, ain’t none of y’all believed that. Maybe a couple of y’all that knew me and know how I get down. They know I’m a winner. We’re gonna end up winning.
“Ain’t none of y’all thought we’d be sitting up here. You was supposed to be on the other side interviewing them and coming and asking me, ‘Well, what happened? You said this and you said that.’
“Yeah. And now what? Now what? Everybody quiet now. Now what?”
Directed at a reporter before a question was asked
“What’s up boss? Do you believe now?
“Hold on. Hold on. Oh, no. Do you believe now? Huh? I read through that bull junk you wrote. I read through all that. I sifted through all that. Oh, no.”
Reporter: “Can I ask my question?”
“Do you believe?”
Reporter: “Believe what?”
“You don’t believe. You just answer it. You don’t believe. Next question.”
On the defense getting a stop at the end
“That’s all we were preaching, man. Just one stop. Just one darn stop. That’s all we were preaching. I always had confidence. I knew as long as we had the ball, I knew Shedeur was gonna get us down the field. But we just needed a stop.
“They kept running those darn crossing routes and they’re picking and we wouldn’t communicate and the guy comes free when he comes across the hash and that just got on our last nerve. The coaches did a great job of calling the right defenses. We just didn’t execute. But we’re gonna fix that.”
On the offensive line
“I think they were 510 yards worth of good today. And then we missed some big ones. We missed Travis a couple times earlier that Shedeur has to hit.
“But the offensive line, man, I’m proud of them. I had a tremendous moment with Big Tank in the locker room moments ago and I’m really proud of him. Both of those big fellas on the end. Both of them are 6-9, but they said we’re too small.”
On how his foot feels after the day
“Not good. Not good, but I’m thankful that God gave me what I needed to finish. I’m thankful that I finished. That’s all we want to do, is start and finish.”
On his comments about keeping receipts, and whether he’ll keep the same mentality all season
“I’m not vindictive like that. I just like them to know that I know that you really ain’t with me, you really ain’t with us. You really don’t believe. You really don’t want to see me win. You don’t want to see me in victory or at peace and have joy. I know you don’t want to see that.
“But I love you. It ain’t nothing different. Why would I expect something different? It was like that when I played, right? So, I’m just playing another game. I’m just off the field. I’m not on the field now. But I can affect what’s on the field, and I’m thankful for that. I really am.”