Just when we thought Colorado was starting to turn the corner under new offensive play-caller Pat Shurmur, the Buffaloes crapped the bed on Friday night in Pullman. They were roasted alive vs. a Washington State team that everybody thought quit on head coach Jake Dickert. Wazzu crushed CU to the tune of 56-14. This dropped Colorado to 4-7 on the year. Now they cannot even go bowling...
While Washington State is one Apple Cup victory away from getting to 6-6 and achieving bowl eligibility, Colorado only has regional rival Utah left to play this season. After going undefeated in the non-conference, Colorado has won one game since. That came over Arizona State, a team that might actually be in worse shape than what Deion Sanders inherited at Boulder. Kenny Dillingham is trying...
But because of the social media exploits put forth by Sanders and his team all offseason and well into September, the Buffaloes went from being on top of the college football world to getting toppled on. Sanders' son in starting quarterback Shedeur Sanders sustained an injury in the game, and that is when the wheels really fell off the Buffaloes' wagon. All that momentum has evaporated into thin air.
As expected, college football social media had a field day at the expense of Sanders' Colorado team.
College football world crushes Deion Sanders, Colorado after Wazzu loss
What hurt Colorado the most this season was a lack of depth, particularly in the trenches. At times, they were fairly explosive in the passing game, especially outside the numbers. However, injuries and attrition rendered the Buffaloes largely useless once conference play commenced. Given that the final year of the Pac-12 gave us one its best seasons to date only added insult to injury for Colorado.
There are three things that Sanders needs to do this offseason to prepare Colorado for life in an expanded 16-team Big 12 conference. First, they must recruit, recruit, recruit, especially in the trenches and at the high school level. Second, they need to dip heavily into the transfer portal once again to flip the roster more. And third, they may need to get better continuity with the coaching staff.
The first two points of emphasis are self-explanatory and ones that Sanders should have no problem achieving. As for the third, he needs to accept the fact that he is every bit a CEO-type of head coach and surround himself with the best coaches possible. While I applaud him for being able to poach former Kent State head coach Sean Lewis to be his offensive coordinator, Lewis is so gone now...
If Sanders wants to keep Shurmur on as offensive coordinator, I would not hate that. He did a great job for years calling plays on defense-driven NFL teams, such as the Philadelphia Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings. However, Sanders must look inside himself and figure out what he is doing wrong as a leader, as well as what it will take for the Buffaloes to start playing some complementary football.
The worst part in all this is Colorado will not have extra bowl practices to get better as a program now.