Everything Deion Sanders said following Oregon's win over Colorado

Colorado coach Deion Sanders met with reporters following his team’s loss to No. 10 Oregon in Eugene on Saturday.

For the better part of 10 minutes, Sanders spoke candidly about the Buffs’ offensive struggles and what the Ducks did well on both sides of the ball. Here’s a full transcript of Sanders’ press conference.

Deion Sanders’ postgame press conference

Opening statement

Sanders: “First and foremost, thank the lord for love and all that’s transpired. That’s a good old-fashioned butt-kicking. No excuses, no nothing. Their coaches did a heck of a job preparing their team. Obviously, we didn’t. That was good — I mean that was a really good old-fashioned butt-kicking. We went into the game wanting to dominate several phases we lost offensively. We lost defensively as well as special teams.

“That fake punt kind of got them really rolling and they didn’t stop. Ever since they secured that first down. Well-coached team. Bo Nix played his butt off. Defensively, they presented some things that apparently we couldn’t get around. We couldn’t move the ball rushing or throwing the ball as well. Seemed like they had our number. But hats off to their coaching staff and their coach; great job. It seemed like they were truly prepared.”

On what Colorado can learn from the loss and if they can wipe the slate clean

Sanders: “You can’t wipe the slate clean. You have to watch the film and evaluate. I’ll do that on the plane but I saw a lot of it live. Just players, when in position just didn’t do the job that we expected. When you evaluate players that way, you evaluate coaches, you evaluate everything when it’s a game of that nature — when you had no opportunity to win from the opening kickoff on.”

Will you hammer home your message to your players after this?

Sanders: “No, you don’t need to hammer home to a player. A player knows. He may trick himself but when he looks in the mirror, he knows what he’s looking at. … People around the country would say ‘This is what they needed to humble themselves.’

We weren’t arrogant or whatever. We were confident people. If our confidence offends your insecurities, that’s a problem with you, not us. We expect to play well. We expect to do well. We expect to win every game that we step out there. We expect to practice to perfection and go out there and execute the things that we practiced. We just didn’t do that today. But it’s not something that was needed

“That’s just like saying you get into a car wreck, ‘Oh, he needed that to slow him down.’ You don’t need that. That’s just stupid. It’s something that happened; they got the best of us today, that’s it.”

Did Oregon do anything you were unprepared for?

Sanders: “No, no, it’s not like we were being tricked. We knew everything that was coming. Even after one of the TV timeouts, we were saying they were going to take a shot, they were going to take a shot. They took a shot, and scored a touchdown. I mean sometimes, your message just doesn’t translate. You’ve got to get on the same page as the youngsters that are out there playing.”

Was the talent gap too big?

Sanders: “No, definitely not. If there was a talent gap, we wouldn’t be 3-1 right now. It’s not a talent gap. You just got your butt kicked. It just happens sometimes. It’s like a fighter — you got caught. It happens. It’s not a huge talent gap. I just thought they played a really concise game.

“Penalties murdered us. I don’t have the statistics but I’m pretty darn sure that we doubled them in penalties. Usually, we’re a sound, fundamentally sound team. We don’t make foolish mistakes and implement harm and danger on ourselves field position-wise. We just kept making mistakes. That’s not indicative of who we are.”

How much was Travis Hunter missed?

Sanders: “Travis is always going to be missed. He’s the best darn player in college football. How’s he not missed? It’s just like saying you were writing an article and your pen was missing. That’s how much he means.”

Did you learn anything from your team today?

Sanders: “I’m not going to say that. You don’t always have to get your butt kicked to learn. You can win and learn. It’s not something to learn, it’s something to glean from. It’s not just the kids, the coaches are accountable too. We’re all accountable, let’s start with me, I’m accountable for this. It’s not just the kids.”

Q: Was there anything that surprised you?

Sanders: “The way we played. That really surprised me. We played like hot garbage. That surprised me. I didn’t expect that.”

Were the sacks that Shedeur took his fault?

Sanders: “I’ll have to watch the film. I mean sometimes he is, sometimes the crowd, sometimes the call, sometimes the blocking. There’s a whole lot that goes into that. You really have to watch film to really dictate and understand what transpired on that specific play. There’s a lot that goes on in every play.”

What is your message to your team after the game?

Sanders: “Get your butt up and let’s go. We don’t have time to have a pity party. There’s no one walking around the locker room with napkins and tissues. Get your butt up, let’s get on that plane, and go. We got work to do.”

Was it good to get some guys who have missed time into the game?

Sanders: “No, because that means you got your butt-kicked if you’re putting in guys in at the end. That means you got your butt kicked. No.”

But a guy like (cornerback) Travis Jay?

Sanders: “Yeah, I mean you wanted them to play. But I mean, no.”

Your thoughts on scoring on the final drive?

Sanders: “Well, we had to score. We had tremendous opportunities all game long but it seems like we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot. Every time we got something going, here we go with another penalty; here we go with another holding; here we go with something. We’ve just got to perform better. In every phase, not just offense. Defense as well, and special teams. We got our butts kicked, again, I reiterate, in all three phases.”

Q: What was the most difficult aspect of Oregon’s defense?

Sanders: “They got to our quarterback. They got to our quarterback. When you get to our quarterback, it’s a wrap. Because it’s not like we’re running the ball successfully. … Let (the reporters ask a couple more questions). I ain’t got nowhere to go.”

Q: What else does the special teams unit need to work on?

Sanders: “Well there were only two things that happened. The fake punt that they ran and then the blocked extra point. How do you block an extra point? I asked (kicker Alejandro Mata) what happened and he put his head up, he didn’t even get the ball up. So he took ownership of that. But, like, come on man, don’t kick yourself. This game is out of reach, don’t ponder that. You’re a great kicker, and you’ll do some great things for us this season.

And this is the kind of opportunity you have as a coach, as a man, as a father, to lift them up. Not just shoot them down. You gotta lift them up.”

There aren’t a lot of teams that have a target on their back after going 1-11 the year before…

Sanders: “I don’t think it’s a target on our back. It’s just, teams are trying to beat me. They’re not trying to beat our team. They keep forgetting I’m not playing anymore. And I mean, I had a great career. I’m talking gold jacket, so that’s what it really is. I don’t think they get any extra satisfaction. It is what it is. But I signed up for it, so let’s go.”

Does that make it tougher on your players?

Sanders: “It doesn’t make it tougher on our team. These are grown men. I’m not out there. If I were out there playing against every coach I played against, we would be totally dominant.”

You said (Colorado) is seven or eight “dogs” away from..

Sanders: “I wasn’t lying. I wasn’t lying. It translates in practice. I don’t say stuff just to say it for a click, contrary to what some may say. Yeah, I keep receipts. But I’m serious; I analyze, and I understand what we’re up against and what we have and what we need. Honestly, and candidly: You better get me right now. This is the worst we’re going to be. You better get me right now.”

Q: Did you see Dan Lanning’s pregame speech?

Sanders: “Oh yeah, I got messengers. But God bless him though, man. Je’s a great coach. He’s done a great job. God bless him. Take their shots; they won, I don’t shoot. I don’t do that. They won.”

Q: How do you try to build up the team after this and find a balance of tough love?

Sanders: “I think the film is going to speak for itself when they watch it with their position coaches as an offense and a defense. But singularly, you can pull some guys aside and pick them up and highlight some of the good things they did. Everybody didn’t play bad. Not everybody played bad. Not every coach coached bad. That’s not the case. But we got some work to do.

“You better get us right now. Because I like what I see. I know I have on shades but I can see the future and it looks really good. So I’m excited about it. I really am.”