Joel Klatt says Deion Sanders keeping Colorado roster together would have been 'coaching suicide'

Joel Klatt is firmly in the Deion Sanders camp at Colorado and fully supported the coach’s moves in the transfer portal for a total roster makeover.

In fact, if Sanders kept it status quo, Klatt called that hypothetical move “coaching suicide.” Using the team’s history and performance in 2022, the Fox Sports analyst explained why Sanders had to instantly makeover the roster and do it quite dramatically.

Realistically, Sanders had no other choice at Colorado but to attack the portal in aggressive fashion.

“What was he supposed to do,” Klatt said on his podcast. “I actually think that that would be coaching suicide for Deion Sanders. Let’s just go through the data. Deion Sanders gets hired in Colorado, and just like every new head coach, he’s gonna go in there and evaluate what’s on the team. Whether it’s prior to spring ball or during spring ball, you have to evaluate what’s on the team. Guess what he evaluated? Guess what he saw? Guess what he looked at when he turned on the film?

“He saw a 1-11 team but it wasn’t just a 1-11 team because we’ve seen teams go winless and, you know, be a one win team before. He saw a team that lost 10 games by at least 23 points. 23 points in 10 games. Not five, not four, 10. 10 of the 11 losses by 23.”

Klatt doubled down on his point how Colorado was pretty much non-competitive in 2022 based on the team’s losses.

“One of the 11 was a single digit margin,” Klatt said. “Arizona. They lost five eight. Did you know that in the Arizona game, Colorado trailed by 22 going into the fourth quarter? That means that their point differential was the worst in the FBS and certainly the power five worst in the FBS, but just in the Power Five. that doubled the next closest team; their point differential was 29.

“They lost by an average of 29 points. The next closest team was Northwestern, they lost by an average of 14.6. That’s basically double. That’s crazy. Basically double. So again, like I’ll just go back to this what was he supposed to do?”

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It’s fair to say Sanders and Colorado will be vastly more competitive in 2023 with his bevy of new players, including his son Shedeur Sanders at quarterback and defensive back, wide receiver Travis Hunter.