Deion Sanders to Colorado players: ‘I want them to play like their life is on the line’
Deion Sanders wants his players to play like “their life is on the line.” More specifically, he wants his Colorado offense, led by QB Kaidon Salter, to do that.
In an upset bid, the Buffaloes fell short to a top 25 BYU team last weekend, losing 24-21 at home. Salter took an awful sack, losing over 20 yards on the play, in the fourth quarter and threw a game-ending interception as Colorado punted twice and turned it over in the final frame.
Sanders and Colorado have to turn it around fast with TCU coming up this weekend. The team hits the road for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
“Let’s just say the offense,” Sanders said. “Let’s not single anybody out right now. (Pause) Not at a loss for words, just figuring out how to frame it. I want them to play like their life is on the line, like their careers are on the line, like the payment for a car is on the line, the payment for a home is on the line, like have children depending on them; some do. I just want them to play with full intensity and passion.
“And when you walk off that field, I want you to look back and say, ‘I gave it my all.’ That is all any coach wants. That is all I desire. I don’t want you saying, ‘I wish I coulda, shoulda.’ I want you to be able to look back over your shoulder. I asked them this morning in the meeting… just a simple question. It is only one answer or the other. Are you underachieving or overachieving? That’s it.”
Colorado raced out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter, but couldn’t keep the momentum going. So it’s clear why Sanders pointed at the offense to get it together.
Salter was 11-of-16 for 119 yards, one touchdown, one interception, 49 rushing yards and a touchdown. Micah Welch led the team in rushing with just 67 yards and Joseph Williams was the leading receiver with five catches for 56 yards. Sanders was asked about underachieving through five games too.
“Yeah. And I am as well, because I am part of it,” Sanders said. “We are just not making the certain plays. You are at the game, shoot, you know. You write about it and talk about it every day… you know about it. Why are you asking me about it?
“If I had that answer, it’d be worth a lot of money because I think a multitude of us coaches are asking that same question. We know what we need to do, we just gotta do it. We know exactly what we need to do. It is not a mystery.”
