Colorado expects Deion Sanders to formally be part of this system as its subsequent head soccer coach Saturday night following the 2022 SWAC Championship Game, sources near the hiring course of inform CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd. A forthcoming determination by Sanders had been anticipated for weeks as a number of FBS provides got here his approach, however “Coach Prime” has chosen to not make his intentions identified till after Jackson State faces Southern for the SWAC title.

Sanders has spent the final three seasons teaching Jackson State, going 26-5 total and 11-0 this season. The Tigers posted a 21-40 report throughout the six seasons previous to his arrival. Sanders took JSU to a 4-3 report throughout the COVID-19 pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the identical variety of wins it achieved in 2019 (4-8). Jackson State is 22-2 over the past two seasons with an ideal 16-0 mark in SWAC play.

While at JSU, Sanders recruited among the nation’s prime expertise — together with the No. 1 recruit within the Class of 2020, cornerback Travis Hunter — whereas revitalizing this system. Some of expertise that might observe him to Colorado; Sanders has already been recruiting highschool prospects and switch portal entrants earlier than formally taking the Buffaloes job, in accordance with a number of reviews.

CBS News Colorado reported Friday that Colorado supplied Sanders a contract with a beginning wage of “more than $5 million” with incentives that might see the annual pay improve “by roughly 40%” if met.

The Buffaloes fired coach Karl Dorrell in October after beginning 0-5. Dorrell took over this system in 2020 after Mel Tucker unexpectedly left for Michigan State. Dorrell’s tenure began properly sufficient with Colorado going 4-2 in a shortened season, but it surely misplaced 13 of its subsequent 17 video games below his management.

Interesting determination by Sanders

While it is unknown if Cincinnati or South Florida formally supplied Sanders — not to mention the worth of these potential offers — Colorado feels just like the oddest match of Sanders’ three most outstanding choices, a minimum of on the floor. Coach Prime is from Fort Myers, Florida, roughly a two-hour drive south of Tampa the place USF is situated. He performed college football at Florida State and is a well-recognized title in not simply the Sunshine State however all through Georgia given his time taking part in for the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta Braves. He additionally spent 4 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds throughout his MLB profession and is accustomed to that metropolis as properly.

But Sanders has no earlier connection to Colorado or the Pac-12. Of course, he’s “Deion Sanders.” It’s not as if individuals of Colorado have by no means heard of him. However, when handicapping the three gigs as “best fits” for Sanders, Colorado seemed to be the least seemingly.

It’s clear Sanders feels in a different way. Perhaps the enchantment of teaching a longtime Power Five program performed a job in his determination. Cincinnati will be part of the Big 12 in 2023, and whereas that is an incredible transfer on the floor, it additionally presents an unknown future for this system in a brand new league. It’s most likely a part of why Luke Fickell left for Wisconsin regardless of main the Bearcats to the College Football Playoff in 2021.

Sanders may also see a chance with the Buffaloes in a new-look Pac-12. When USC and UCLA depart to hitch the Big Ten in 2024, it is going to depart an unlimited energy vacuum on the prime of the league. Perhaps Sanders feels that his skill to attract expertise to Boulder, coupled along with his teaching talent can set up Colorado as a dominant program out West.

Colorado wants Sanders’ assist

When Sanders took over at Jackson State, he discovered himself on the helm of a program that had produced some nice gamers however hadn’t skilled a excessive stage of success. Jackson State hadn’t received the SWAC since 2007, which then was its first convention title since 1996. Sanders received the league in his second season and did it once more in his third.

Colorado hasn’t received a convention title because the 2001 season, when it was nonetheless a member of the Big 12. It’s solely been to 2 bowl video games within the final 15 years, and a type of appearances got here in 2020. Since becoming a member of the Pac-12 in 2011, the Buffaloes have gone 48-94 total, 27-76 in convention play.

If ever there was a Power Five program in want of a jolt of electrical energy to carry it again to life, Colorado is it. The program has had mediocre outcomes on the recruiting path as properly; it hasn’t had a recruiting class ranked within the prime 30 since 2008 and has routinely discovered itself exterior the highest 50.

Sanders’ skill to draw expertise was a major consider Colorado’s curiosity.