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WATCH: Colorado fans give Deion Sanders standing ovation after appearance at Thursday basketball game

Wade-Peeryby: Wade Peery12/09/22

The Colorado football fan base is as excited as they’ve been in the past two decades. Since the hire of former Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders, the Buffaloes have enjoyed an overwhelming infusion of excitement and interest from fans and elite football prospects in their program. On Thursday night, the Colorado fan base got their first taste of a public appearance from their new head football coach, when he was shown walking onto the floor and into the stands at the Colorado–Colorado State basketball game. The whole place erupted.

Check it out.

Deion Sanders is already making his mark on the Colorado Buffaloes, as The Coach Prime Effect is in full swing.

Aside from recruits stating their immense interest in joining Sanders’ rebuild, Colorado has seen multiple records set in the merchandise, social media and ticket sale world.

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“On Saturday, Colorado hired Deion Sanders. Since then, the Buffs have: Seen their best merch sales day ever. Added 175,000 social followers. Surpassed 2,000 season ticket interest forms,” tweeted Front Office Sports. “The Prime Effect.”

There’s no other hire Colorado could’ve made that would be having the same effect on the program that Sanders is at the moment.

The Buffaloes have been searching for a coach who can take them to the next level, and it looks like they’ve finally found it in Deion Sanders. The vibes are immaculate at the moment, and expect talented recruits to come rolling in, as The Coach Prime Effect continues to reign.

Deion Sanders sends emphatic message, warning to transfer, high school recruits

The moment Deion Sanders was named Colorado‘s head coach, people around the country began to take notice. Sanders was able to bring eyeballs to Jackson State and now has a Power Five program attached to his name. Players are going to be anxious to get involved with the Buffaloes as the rebuild begins.

Sanders has begun to send out offers to both recruits and NCAA transfer portal prospects. As the process works, offers have been announced via Twitter to let the public know. While Sanders is happy to see the wheels in motion, he wants more movement.

“I keep seeing ‘I’m blessed to receive a(n) offer from @CUBuffsFootball,’” Sanders said. “I’m cool with that but if u know what I know you need to start saying ‘I’m blessed to commit to @CUBuffsFootball‘ because They’re Coming Baby! Get in now before it’s too late. #CoachPrime ‘I ain’t hard to Find.’”

Plenty of five-star prospects, both current and past, have either reached out to Colorado or had the Buffaloes reach out to them since Coach Prime was hired.

Former Alabama running back Trey Sanders was one, sending a message out after entering the transfer portal. Injuries derailed his time in Tuscaloosa and getting to play for somebody such as Sanders out West could rejuvenate what seemed to be a promising career.

Sanders is still trying to up the 2023 class, with National Signing Day just over two weeks away. Apparently, Colorado is going to make a run at Clemson five-star defensive line commit Peter Woods, with Sanders contacting the Alabaster, Ala. native.

Offensive lineman Kaydn Proctor is another one Sanders was quick to send an offer out to, being an Iowa commit. He is currently ranked the No. 2 offensive tackle in the country and No. 12 per the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting services.

Being connected to these big-name players is a good start for Colorado but not for Sanders. He wants people who are going to jump into the wagon and commit to the Buffaloes before spots dry up.

Four-star wide receiver Winston Watkins Jr. did but he’s a 2025 prospect and multiple years away from stepping on campus in Boulder. Sanders is looking to improve on the Pac-12’s ninth-ranked 2023 recruiting class and roster immediately. 

His message was crystal clear on Tuesday.

On3’s Griffin McVeigh and Steve Samra also contributed to this article.