Deion Sanders always says the "standard is the standard." But what has that become for the Colorado Buffaloes? After posting five wins since the end of the 2024 season, the Buffaloes faithful are restless. Enough so, Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler has called for Sanders to be fired after three-plus seasons.

There was one name thrown out as a replacement, and he has ties to Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo. "If the CU Buffs don’t make a run soon at Jason Eck, the poor man’s Curt Cignetti, some other Power 4 school looking to turn around its football program will snap him up," Keeler wrote.

"Sanders has three-and-a-half seasons left on a five-year, $54-million contract. If I’m Lovo, as my Buffs are getting ready to host No. 11 Utah late Saturday night, what have I seen from the past two years of The Coach Prime Era to convince me that Sanders is going to right this ship?"

Lovo hired Eck before leaving New Mexico in 2024. But would he do it again in Boulder? The former Idaho coach is 13-5 since taking over the Lobos from Bronco Mendenhall.

Winning Isn't the Only Thing in Boulder?

Sanders has never been afraid to demand more from his players. At Colorado, Coach Prime has built his message around discipline, accountability and representing something bigger than yourself. But when adversity strikes, the challenge becomes proving those principles can translate into a winning culture.

Following the disappointing loss to Northwestern in September, 41-7, Sanders confirmed that several players had been dismissed from the program because of a pattern of behavior he believed was cancerous to the team. He insisted the decision wasn’t simply about one defeat, but about preventing problems from growing into something bigger.

For Sanders, individual freedom cannot come at the expense of collective responsibility.

When Talent Isn’t Enough

Colorado’s struggles have made the distinction between individual ability and team discipline increasingly important. Recruiting talented players can raise expectations, but talent alone cannot guarantee execution, consistency or chemistry.

Sanders acknowledged that he had not intervened firmly enough when problems emerged during the previous season, when Colorado finished 3-9. Now, he wants to address the situation before it becomes even more escalated. The admission matters, leadership is not only about holding players accountable. It also requires a coach to recognize where his own decisions have fallen short.

Sanders has built his reputation on confidence and demanding standards. The next step is ensuring those standards are reflected in the team’s preparation, composure, and performance when the pressure rises.

The Culture behind the Spotlight

The attention surrounding Sanders often focuses on his personality, celebrity, and ability to turn Colorado into a national conversation. Yet the foundation of any successful program exists beyond the cameras. It’s built through daily habits, relationships and a shared understanding of what teammates owe one another.

Colorado’s defensive back Ben Finneseth publicly apologized for comments mocking the Wildcat’s temporary stadium. Sanders stood beside him as Finneseth acknowledged his mistake and promised to handle himself more maturely.

That moment offered another perspective on accountability. Correcting behavior doesn’t have to mean abandoning a player. It can mean demanding that the player acknowledge the mistake and learn from it. The challenge for Sanders is creating an environment where that accountability becomes part of the team’s identity, rather than something that only emerges after controversy.

Can Prime’s Principles Produce Progress?

Ultimately, Sanders will be judged by more than his speeches or disciplinary decisions. His culture must help Colorado become more competitive and consistent. This doesn’t mean every loss should reflect a broken locker room. However, it means the program must show progress in how it prepares, responds, and ultimately performs.

Sanders has made it clear that he won’t tolerate behavior that puts individuals' interests ahead of the team. Coach Prime has spent years teaching athletes to believe in themselves. Moving forward, his next challenge is getting an entire program to believe in the same standard. The culture isn’t about how loudly a coach demands accountability, it’s about whether the team lives by it when nobody is watching.

Colorado hosts No. 11 Utah on Saturday night (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN). 

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