Apr 11, 2026, 07:28 PM ET
BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado coach Deion Sanders changed into fingers-on as he watched his crew scrimmage Saturday on the spring game. He’s going to be that map going ahead, too.
That’s one thing he wasn’t ready to enact spherical this time a year within the past when he changed into recognized with bladder most cancers and targeted on his health.
At Folsom Field on Saturday, he changed into all over the discipline giving the defensive backs advice for the length of the hourlong scrimmage. He stood within the stop zone now and then, too, arms folded and taking stock of his crew.
“Everybody inside these doors can tell you, it’s different when I’m here,” Sanders stated. “I’m going to take my breaks, like every other coach, but I love to be here.”
Sanders not too prolonged within the past left the crew this spring for about a days as he handled blood clots. He reiterated over and over, though, “I’m good, I’m good,” when asked about his health.
While away, he leaned on his workers. That integrated a brand new pair of coordinators — Chris Marve, the defensive boss, and Brennan Marion, who’s overseeing the offense. Marve takes over for Robert Livingston — now with the Denver Broncos — and Marion steps in for Pat Shurmur.
The process is to assemble the Buffaloes again to their profitable systems after a season in which they went 3-9.
“We’re going to make it better,” Sanders stated. “We already have with the staff as well as the players that are inside the locker room. I love it. I love that everyday grind of it.
“Things certainly are, I’m not going to thunder 100%, but things are vastly better on the discipline as successfully with the staff.”
Marion brings the high-octane “Lunge-Lunge” offense to town. It wasn’t on full display Saturday, only because the Buffaloes didn’t want to divulge too much of the system.
The Go-Go scheme emphasizes creativity and pace. Quarterback Julian Lewis looked sharp early, throwing a 13-yard TD to Danny Scudero, a transfer from San José State, who had 88 catches for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago.
“I’m enraged to sight how correct this connection can gather,” Scudero said.
Sanders reached out to longtime New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman in an effort for him to give some tips to Scudero. The receivers are working on a time to chat.
“Absolute most practical the root of being ready to study with such a story love him is unquestionably noteworthy,” Scudero said.
The final play of the scrimmage ended with defensive back Mojo Williams Jr. intercepting a pass from Isaac Wilson, a transfer from Utah. It was a play near and dear to Sanders, the Hall of Fame defensive back.
“We have some correct things occurring,” Sanders said. “It is seemingly you’ll maybe presumably presumably discover the fruit thereof.”
Remembering Ponder
On the roster, the gold team listed No. 7 — Dominiq Ponder. The late quarterback was killed in the early hours of March 1 when he lost control on a curve and hit a guardrail. The car he was driving, a 2023 Tesla, struck an electrical line pole and rolled down an embankment.
The Buffaloes remembered him with a video tribute. His family started a foundation to help others, including student-athletes, and to “promote responsible choice-making.” Ponder’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit, according to the autopsy report from the Boulder County Coroner’s Office.
An opponent in a spring game?
Sanders wouldn’t mind setting up some sort of scrimmage or practice session with another team like, say, Colorado State. It would be a way to gain national attention for a spring game.
“No one’s valuing spring anymore,” Sanders said. “It is seemingly you’ll maybe presumably presumably have got quite so a lot of main faculties not even having spring games. The fully ingredient that can carry that again is we compete in opposition to one more college. I have been asserting that for the final quite so a lot of years, but …
“Glad I didn’t say what I was thinking. But I can’t be the first one to say it. That’s what’s needed. … People get tired of the same old, same old, at a certain point. You want more.”
The scrimmage changed into free and 27,772 tickets had been claimed. The fans had been on the east side of the stadium.
Deion’s plans
Sanders intends to enact a great deal of fishing in his downtime, “at the crib,” he stated. “Lake Prime and Lake Time. I like to go catching. I don’t go fishing.”
