Report: Deion Sanders, Colorado hiring Oklahoma analyst, former NFL player Phil Loadholt as OL coach
As the coaching carousel continues this offseason, reports reveal that Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has made the latest addition to his coaching staff.
Buffaloes beat writer Brian Howell reported Wednesday that Sanders has added Phil Loadholt to his staff to coach the offensive line, bringing a combination of experience as a former player and an analyst to the table with him to Boulder.
Loadholt’s playing experience is hard to deny, starting his college career off at Garden City Community College before transferring to Oklahoma where he’d heard First-Team All-Big 12 honors and was named an All-American honorable mention by Sports Illustrated. In his senior season with the Sooners he was a key piece to one of the most prolific offenses in the modern era, protecting 2008 Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford and paving the way for a duo of 1,000 rushers in the run game, DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown.
In the 2009 NFL Draft Loadholt was selected in the second round with the No. 54 overall pick by the Minnesota Vikings, spending seven seasons with the franchise where he played and started in 89 games before eventually retiring in the summer of 2016.
Loadholt has spent the last two seasons as an offensive line analyst on Oklahoma’s staff under Brent Venables, and prior to that served as an analyst for two seasons at Ole Miss as well. And he now makes the transition to coaching for a unit that could surely use some improvement this offseason.
Bill O’Boyle coached the offensive line for Colorado last season but accepted the job as San Diego State‘s offensive line coach this offseason after just one year with the Buffaloes. This past season Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the most sacked quarterback in college football, and hopefully, Loadholt can do his part in changing that ahead of 2024.
Sanders spoke about the addition of Loadholt to the staff on ‘Thee Pregame Show‘ Wednesday before the official announcement, not speaking of him by name, but giving high praise to Colorado’s newest assistant coach.
“Offensive line position has already been filled,” Sanders said. “A guy with plenty of experience, plenty wherewithal, able to communicate to all the kids from top to bottom. Track record is wonderful. Where he derived from is a tremendous Power 5, and I love everything about it. When he interviewed with me, he knocked it out of the park. He’s ready and prepared. As a matter of fact, he’s already in house.”