Colorado Daily

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Colorado Daily – Spring Practices

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March 20th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Robert Livingston on DJ McKinney: “When you watch DJ walk in the room, your like ‘Oh my God, that a (top) guy'”

From the Daily Camera … Before DJ McKinney even steps foot on the field, he makes a good impression.

“When you watch DJ walk in the room, you’re like, ‘Oh my God, that’s a (top) guy,’” Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston said.

Watch McKinney play and there’s no doubt.

A rising junior, McKinney is aiming to be a leader for the Buffaloes this season in a cornerback room that has to replace the best player in the country from the 2024 season.

Last season, McKinney started all 13 games at cornerback for the Buffs (9-4). Although overshadowed by Heisman Trophy winner and Big 12 defensive player of the year Travis Hunter, McKinney had an exceptional season, posting 62 tackles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups.

“One of the biggest things I learned about myself is I gotta always stay on myself more,” said McKinney, who transferred to CU from Oklahoma State a year ago. “I’m my biggest critic, so I just want to make sure that I keep stacking every day, each day, getting better and everything.

“Another thing is just don’t get too high on the highs, don’t get too low in the lows. Like I said, just got to keep a constant mindset, a pro mindset, really, every day.”

… Continue reading story here …

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March 18th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Warren Sapp: “Oh my God, do I love it and the babies react to it. And we’re having fun”

From the Daily Camera … Long hours required in coaching aren’t for everyone, and Warren Sapp certainly didn’t think it would suit him.

A year into his coaching career, however, the Pro Football Hall of Famer said he is “addicted” to this new phase of life.

“I never thought I wanted this job,” said Sapp, 52, an assistant defensive line coach with the Colorado Buffaloes. “I never thought I’d want to be here the amount of hours I’m here, but oh my God, do I love it and the babies react to it. And we’re having fun.

“Trust me, I wake up every morning and drive over Table Mesa and look at them mountains and I get my motivation. It’s magical to me every morning I get to drive over that thing and come in and do what I do. I’m enjoying it.”

Coaching was never on his radar, though, until CU head coach Deion Sanders – also a Hall of Famer – enticed him to join the staff last year. Now, Sapp is fully enjoying mentoring the young men in CU’s program.

“The kids are really attentive, because they understand that what we’re teaching is for the betterment of them,” Sapp said. “We want them at the next level, because that’s our reputation. I tell them all the time, my (Hall of Fame) bust in Ohio doesn’t get chipped, my gold jacket don’t get dirty. None of that happens to any of that. No, I’m here for you. So whatever you need me to do for you, I’m willing to do for you and meet you more than halfway.”

If players – Sapp calls them his “babies” want to meet and watch film at 6 a.m., Sapp said he’ll show up at 5:45.

“I think my babies understand I’m just here for them,” he said. “I’m here strictly for them and Prime (Sanders) over the top of it. So let’s go.”

… Continue reading story here …

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** Warren Sapp and Andre Gurode talk with the media **

Women’s basketball coach JR Payne, defensive line coach Warren Sapp, special teams coordinator Michael Pollock, offensive line coach Andre Gurode, offensive line coach George Hegamin, and men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle … (If you only have a few minutes, watch Warren Sapp’s talk – from 11:00 to 22:30 on the video – definitely worth your time!) …

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March 17th

… CU in a few minutes … 

**Coach Prime’s first spring press conference**

Quotable quotes …

On coaching updates: “We have a couple more huge moves this week or next week that you are really going to appreciate”

On coaching without his kids: “I love it because I only have to wear one hat”

On running backs coach Marshall Faulk: “He was one of the best running backs to play the game. He’s not just a friend, that’s my dog”

On CU’s Pro Day in April possible being televised by the NFL Network: “All 32 teams will be represented here”

On retaining Robert Livingston as defensive coordinator: “Rob was on everyone’s list. … We still lost a lot of great coaches.”

On the status of his contract extension: “I don’t know .. Let’s get everyone straight first. I’m good”

On Isaiah Hardge potentially playing both ways: “I love this young man. … He is coming into his own and he’s playing slot receiver”

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Offensive lineman Jordan Seaton … 

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Defensive back DJ McKinney … 

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March 16th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Denzel Washington to team: “You are going to the national championship”

From ESPN … The Colorado Buffaloes received words of wisdom from an impressive speaker Wednesday: legendary actor and director Denzel Washington.

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders boasting an impressive Rolodex of A-list talent is nothing new. But Washington offered the Buffaloes squad plenty of insight as spring practices get underway.

“When you pray for rain, you got to deal with the mud too,” he says to start off the video clip. “But eventually, good things grow out of that mud.”

Washington ended the speaking session with a bold request — for the team to invite him to the national championship game when it reaches it.

“I’m going to say this now, if y’all don’t send me a ticket to the national championship when you get there, then don’t ever go to none of my movies ever again,” he said. “I don’t want to know you. Because I know you [are] going to be there.

“Now you remember that Denzel Washington said it: ‘You are going to the national championship.'”

The actor clarified further that even if the players never necessarily ended up in the College Football Playoff national title game, they will be “going to the national championship in life anyway.”

… Continue reading story here …

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March 13th

… CU in a few minutes …

RB coach Marshall Faulk: “We’re going to be better. I can guarantee you we are going to be better”

From the Daily Camera … Opportunities to jump into coaching have come up in the past for Marshall Faulk.

Every time, the Hall of Fame running back would say no. When Colorado head coach Deion Sanders came calling this winter, however, Faulk was finally ready.

Now, he’s in his first week of spring practices as the running backs coach for the Buffaloes.

“I’ve been saying no to coaching since I left football,” said Faulk, who retired after the 2005 season and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2011, along with Sanders. “For the past, like, three, maybe four years, coach (Sanders) has been grooming me. He’ll call me and ask me certain stuff. He’ll ask me about a player, and we’ll talk about this and that. ‘Hey, come up and watch us practice.’ So he’s been grooming me.”

In the past, Faulk often rejected coaching opportunities in part because he didn’t want to miss his kids’ activities. Now that his kids are older, the timing is right.

Hired last month, Faulk is brand new to being a coach but is leaning on his tremendous wealth of knowledge, as well as his history with coaches.

“The reality is realizing the age gap between myself and these kids,” said Faulk, 52. “That’s the difference. Because, I mean, I still remember myself as a player sitting in the room, and for me, it’s good, because I think about how I wanted to be coached, the things I liked about coaches, the kind of coach I wish I had. Now I’m trying to be that for them.”

… Continue reading story here …

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**Press Conference: New Coaches**

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March 11th 

… CU in a few minutes … 

**First Spring Press Conference**

Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, and CU’s quarterbacks expected …

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March 10th

… CU in a few minutes … 

The Athletic: Confirmation from recruits that they turned down extra money to play for Coach Prime

From The Athletic … The Buffaloes’ overall class ranked second in the Big 12 and 27th nationally, per 247Sports. The high school class ranked fourth in the Big 12 and 37th nationally, per the 247Sports Composite. The top two prospects behind Lewis are offensive linemen. Carde Smith of Mobile, Ala., was committed to Auburn and then USC before flipping to Colorado a week before the early signing period. Fellow four-star Chauncey Gooden, from Nashville, Tenn., committed to the Buffaloes on the same day.

The Buffaloes’ class features six four-star high school prospects, more than any other Big 12 team but Texas Tech. That’s up from four high school recruits four-stars or better in each of CU’s previous two classes. The 2025 class featured prospects from Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Texas and Michigan.

How is Colorado doing it, beyond coming off a 9-4 season?

While Sanders hasn’t changed his stance on taking visits — “I don’t go to nobody’s school or nobody’s house. I’m not doing that. I’m too old to be going to somebody’s school, somebody’s house,” Sanders, 57, told talk show host Tamron Hall in December — that strategy doesn’t extend to his staff.

Sanders left untouched a $200,000 allowance in his contract for private air travel for recruiting purposes, per USA Today, but the Buffaloes spent $943,504 on recruiting in the 2024 fiscal year, according to Colorado’s NCAA financial forms obtained by The Athletic, which puts Colorado in the same ballpark as what is reported by many of its peers.

Former Colorado offensive line coach Phil Loadholt, who left for Mississippi State after last season, visited Smith in person four or five times, according to Smith’s high school coach, Antonio Coleman.

“(Loadholt) was always in constant contact with Carde, and they built a relationship that made him feel like he was at home,” Coleman said. “If (Sanders) showed up on campus, he’d probably get bum-rushed. Safety is a big deal in that also. Nick Saban came to campus, but he was always well-protected and well-surrounded.”

Sanders began his second season at Colorado with new coordinators. This year, both offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and defensive coordinator Robert Livingston are back. They have been fixtures on the road in recruiting, high school coaches said.

Many coaching staffs around the sport assign assistant coaches to build relationships in specific geographic areas and later put prospects in touch with the program’s position coaches. Colorado largely leaves position coaches to recruit their position, wherever the players may be.

And though Sanders doesn’t travel to recruit, he does frequently FaceTime prospects, usually from his office in Boulder. Players — and more importantly in some cases, players’ parents — are familiar with Sanders’ persona and playing days, which can allow Sanders to make an impression on prospects’ families long before he makes contact.

“These days, you’re dealing with a lot more people and kids where NIL is the biggest thing, and it’s the biggest topic of conversation,” said Jamie Graham, who coached Gooden at Lipscomb Academy. “Colorado didn’t forget about NIL but understood the relationship part of this and what is going to make Colorado special and stand out to someone like Chauncey.”

Coleman said Smith and his mother kept private the amount of an NIL offer Smith had been promised by Colorado but said it was less than what USC had offered.

Willie Gaston, who coached four-star wide receiver Quanell X Farrakhan Jr. at Galena North Shore in Texas, said Farrakhan — who signed with Colorado in December and enrolled last month — didn’t take the highest offer given to him by other schools.

“I know that for a fact. It was a pretty big gap. But he was going somewhere he felt comfortable,” Gaston said. “All these kids want to play at the next level, and the biggest thing for him was who could develop him to play on Sundays. That was the biggest thing for him.”

… Continue reading story here …

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Tickets for Black and Gold game on sale

From CUBuffs.com … Be there as Coach Prime and the Buffaloes take the field for the first time in 2025 at our annual Black and Gold Day event. All seating will be general admission. Please note that seating in the club areas does not include complimentary food and beverage for this event.

Tickets can be purchased here.

For information on premium seating options for Black & Gold Day in the Loge and East Side Suites, fill out our interest form by clicking here!

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March 8th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Julian Lewis named National High School Quarterback of the Year

From Sports Illustrated … Colorado Buffaloes quarterback JuJu Lewis had been named High School Quarterback of the Year by the National Quarterback Club. Lewis joins legends like Texas Longhorns’ Vince Young, Florida Gators’ Tim Tebow, Alabama Crimson Tide’s Bryce Young, Oregon Ducks’ Bo Nix and various others to have won the prestigious award.

… National Quarterback Club list of high school national award winners …

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March 7th

… CU in a few minutes …

CU raises $463,793 during “Buffs All In” fundraising campaign

From CUBuffs.com … A total of 636 donors gave $463,793 (including the $200,000 from the anonymous donor, who agreed to kick in $200K if CU reached 200 new donors).

The big winners … 

— Athletic Director’s Discretionary Fund … 61 donors … $214,209 donated

— Student-Athlete Excellence Fund … 117 donors … $68,983 donated

— Football Excellence Fund … 144 donors … $45,677 donated

Lagging behind … 

— Ski Excellence Fund … 7 donors … $412 donated

— Women’s Golf Excellence … 9 donors … $1,246 donated

— Lacrosse Excellence Fund … 9 donors … $1,630 donated

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Two CU games moved to Friday night

Press release from CUBuffs.com …

Two Colorado Football games will be moved to Friday, the Big 12 Conference and its television partners ESPN and FOX jointly announced Friday morning.

The Buffaloes season opener against Georgia Tech will move to Friday, August 29, while CU’s conference opener at Houston two weeks later will move to Friday, September 12.

The Buffs and Yellow Jackets will meet on the football field for the first time, but the two are forever linked by a split national championship in 1990, when CU was named champions by the AP, FWAA, NFF and USA Today/CNN and the Yellow Jackets were named champions by the UPI Coaches poll.  The game is the first of a home-and-home that will see the Buffs head to Atlanta on Sept. 5, 2026.

Originally a non-conference game, the Buffs and Cougars will meet for the first time as Big 12 foes in Week 3.  The two have previously met once in football in the 1971 Bluebonnet Bowl when the seventh-ranked Buffaloes beat the No. 15 Cougars 29-17 on Dec. 31 at the Astrodome in Houston, to cap a 10-2 season.  The win propelled the Buffaloes to a final ranking of No. 3 in the AP poll behind No. 1 Nebraska and No. 2 Oklahoma, the first time one conference has occupied the top three spot in the poll.

The two games were part of 10 games league wide that were announced in conjunction with television partners. Network designations and kick-off times for these games will be announced at a later date.

CU has already signed 31 players via high school (14) and the transfer portal (17) for the 2025 season, headlined by a CU record 13 players who were either 4- or 5-star recruits. Headliners include 5-star QB Julian Lewis, MaxPreps National Player of the Year WR Quentin Gibson and transfers QB Kaidon Salter and DL Jehiem Oatis, among others.

That class will join a talented list of key returners that include four true freshmen who started on offense including OT Jordan Seaton, C Cash Cleveland, WR Drelon Miller and RB Micah Welch.  The Buffs also return key contributors to a big-play defense including DBs Preston Hodge, DJ McKinney, Carter Stoutmire and Colton Hood and edge players Taje McCoy, Samuel Okunlola, Keaten Wade and Arden Walker, among others.

Times and television for the first three weeks will be announced in late May or early June when FOX and ESPN announce their initial TV selections.  After the third week, times and television will be selected 12 days ahead of gameday with the exception of four six-day selections the TV partners can engage contractually.

2025 Big 12 Football Friday Night Selections
Friday, Aug. 29 – Georgia Tech at Colorado
Friday, Aug. 29 – Auburn at Baylor
Friday, Sept. 12 – Colorado at Houston
Friday, Sept. 12 – Kansas State at Arizona
Friday, Sept. 19 – Tulsa at Oklahoma State
Friday, Sept. 26 – TCU at Arizona State
Friday, Oct. 3 – West Virginia at BYU
Friday, Nov. 7 – Houston at UCF
Friday, Nov. 28 – Arizona at Arizona State
Friday, Nov. 28 – Utah at Kansas

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March 6th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Julian Lewis NIL valuation over $1 million (but still one-sixth of Shedeur’s valuation)

From Sports Illustrated … Four-star quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis was the highest-rated commit of the Colorado Buffaloes’ 2025 recruiting class, and according to On3, Lewis’ name, image, and likeness (NIL) valuation of $1.1 million is the highest of any Colorado signee.

Clearly, the quarterback position at Colorado has become one of the most lucrative roles in all of college sports as Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders led the country with a $6.5 million NIL valuation in 2024, according to On3. Per the same rankings, Colorado wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter had the second-highest NIL valuation at $5.7 million.

As a high school athlete, Lewis signed NIL deals with multiple companies, including athletic apparel brand Alo and men’s jewelry brand Jaxxon. Lewis became Alo Yoga’s first high school athlete, joining stars J.J. McCarthy and Caleb Williams as ambassadors for the brand. Lewis is repped by Athletes First with one of the quickest-rising marketable players.

Most recently, Lewis inked an NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards that was reported six-figure deal. Lewis joins an elite group of college athletes who have also worked with Leaf including: USC Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Caleb Williams, LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne and UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers.

… Read full story here …

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March 4th

… CU in a few minutes … 

Coach Prime delivers message to team about discipline; penalties

From USA Today … Colorado football coach Deion Sanders delivered a stern message to his team Monday about penalties, Band-Aids and earrings – a lecture designed to grab his players’ attention about something they’ve sometimes lacked in his first two seasons.

Discipline.

The Buffaloes committed the third-most penalties in the nation in 2023 (107) and the most in the Big 12 Conference in 2024 (100). He reminded his team about it Monday after returning to campus in Boulder following some time away in Texas.

“Last in the conference in penalties, right?” Sanders said to his team, as documented on Well Off Media, a YouTube channel run by his eldest son Deion Jr. “So that means no discipline, right?”

Sanders then singled out an unidentified player who apparently had showed up for the team workout wearing bandages over his earrings. Sanders has prohibited earrings while in uniform and during meetings.

FIXING ANOTHER PROBLEM: Colorado increases investment in offensive line coaching under Deion Sanders

“We got one cat out here with Band-Aids over his ears,” Sanders said. “What that mean? That means `I’m gonna wear my earrings, but I’m gonna put a Band-Aid over them, because I ain’t gonna listen to y’all because I ain’t got no discipline.’ Does that mean that? What that mean? What that mean? That mean you gonna do you right? Forget us. Anybody else out here with earrings in? Anybody else besides one dude?”

Sanders gave the player a warning, telling him he’d be on the “first thing smoking” if he did it again – a reference to transportation out of town.

“Come out here like that again, please,” Sanders told him. “I promise you you’ll be on the first thing smoking. You got that?”

“Yes sir,” the player replied.

… Continue reading story here …

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Current NFL stars see Travis playing both ways: “Be a better Deion Sanders!”

From The Athletic … It should come as no surprise then that he ranks as the No. 1 prospect on our draft guru Dane Brugler’s top 100 big board.

As he prepares to join the NFL ranks, Hunter’s unparalleled two-way success has captured the imagination of more than just fans; NFL players spent the season watching him in awe and wondering how he would best be deployed in the NFL. Should he play cornerback? Wide receiver? Could he possibly keep playing both at a high level in the NFL?

While none of the players we spoke with outright dismissed the notion of the 6-foot, 181-pound Hunter trying to play both ways in the NFL  — Hunter is officially attending the combine as a defensive back, but that doesn’t preclude him from working out as wide receiver, too, if he chooses — the consensus among the group was that cornerback should be Hunter’s primary position

Why?

“His ceiling as a corner is a lot more rare than his ceiling as a receiver,” Giants wide receiver Darius Slayton told The Athletic.

While Slayton thinks Hunter could thrive at both positions, he pointed to the chasm between what it takes to be an elite receiver and an elite cornerback.

“There’s a big gap between the first corner in the league and the 20th corner in the league, a massive gap,” Slayton said. “So, (on) ball skills alone, Travis Hunter would probably automatically become one of the 1-2-3 most dangerous DBs in the league, just off his ability to pick the ball up. Most corners can’t even track the ball and pick it up. I think he’d be really, really rare as a corner.”

Just about every player we spoke with highlighted Hunter’s elite ball skills as what will make him a special NFL defensive back.

“The fact that he can turn his head real quick and can locate the ball — he picked off an in-cut this year … and I was just like, ‘There’s not too many NFL DBs who are making that play.’” Giants receiver Wan’Dale Robinson said. “That’s really special to see, especially out of a college corner.

“I don’t think you see DBs with his ball skills in the league very much. There are probably three. Like (Houston Texans CB Derek) Stingley. Somebody that has like really, really good ball skills. But I even think (Hunter) probably has better ball skills than him. (Hunter) is really unique, and especially having the perspective of a wideout and then going over to that side of the ball, I think would do him justice. … At DB, he would be one of one for sure.”

… Continue reading story here …

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This post, about the Spring Practices game, from the 2025 Season, is filed under Article.
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