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Colorado Daily – Postseason
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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.
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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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March 3rd
… CU in a few minutes …
CU’s “Buffs All In” Campaign: $200K match if CU gets 200 donors
… Big push is for Thursday, March 6th. If CU can get to 200 donors, an anonymous donor will give CU $200,000 …
… Current tally (4:30 p.m., Monday) … 39 donors …
From CUBuffs.com … Colorado Buffaloes fans, mark your calendars! March 6th is your chance to make a real difference in the lives of CU student-athletes. Buffs All In, CU Boulder’s annual giving day campaign, is fast approaching, and this year, the impact could be bigger than ever.
Purpose of Buffs All In
Buffs All In is more than just a fundraising event—it’s a celebration of CU Boulder’s thriving athletic community. From February 1 to March 6, supporters come together to donate, ensuring that the Buffaloes continue to excel in both academics and athletics. The Buff Club, the fundraising arm of CU Athletics, channels donations to support over 350 student-athletes. Whether it’s for scholarships, state-of-the-art facilities, or student-athlete wellness, every dollar raised goes towards creating a stronger Buffs future.
What the Buff Club Means for CU Athletes
The Buff Club’s mission is clear: to provide CU student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed both in the classroom and on the field. Athletic Director Rick George emphasized the significance of these contributions: “On behalf of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff, I would like to take this moment to sincerely thank you for your life-changing support. We are grateful for your generosity as it sets the foundation for our Buffs to achieve academic and athletic excellence.
How You Can Get Involved
This is your moment to show your Buff pride. Donations begin at just $100 per year, or as little as $8.33 per month. Your participation in Buffs All In will directly benefit the student-athletes who bring pride to CU Boulder. Whether you’re an alum, a current student, or a dedicated fan, now is the time to invest in the champions of tomorrow. Support Colorado Buffaloes football by donating at buffs.me/BuffsAllIn25
Join the movement and give back to the Buffs on March 6th. Together, we can create a lasting legacy for CU Athletics!
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March 1st
… CU in a few minutes …
Shedeur to NFL: “If you ain’t trying to change the franchise or the culture, don’t get me”
From the Daily Camera … Shedeur Sanders has no idea where he’s going to land in the NFL Draft in April.
He is quite confident, however, in what he will bring to whichever franchise picks him.
On Friday, the former Colorado quarterback, who is projected as one of the top picks in the draft, spoke to media at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, leaning on his track record of turning around struggling programs.
“If you ain’t trying to change the franchise or the culture, don’t get me,” Sanders said. “So you should know, history repeats itself over and over and over. And I’ve done it over and over and over. It should be no question why an NFL franchise should pick me.”
In the NFL, Shedeur is likely to land with a team needing the same type of spark. In order, Tennessee (3-14 last year), Cleveland (3-14), the New York Giants (3-14), New England (4-13), Jacksonville (4-13), Las Vegas (4-13) and the New York Jets (5-12) own the top seven picks.
“We went from Jackson State to Colorado and changed two programs back to back,” Shedeur said. “So you don’t think I could come to an NFL franchise and change the program again? It’s history. We’ve done it again. It’s always gonna repeat itself.”
… Continue reading story here …
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February 28th
… CU in a few minutes …
NCAA Rules Committee recommends assessing time out/delay of game penalty for faking injuries
From NCAA.com … The NCAA Football Rules Committee on Friday proposed modifications to the injury timeout rules for the 2025-26 season.
Committee members, who met in Indianapolis this week, recommended that if medical personnel enter the field to evaluate an injured player after the ball is spotted by the officiating crew for the next play, that player’s team would be charged a timeout.
If the team does not have any timeouts remaining, a 5-yard delay-of-game penalty would be assessed.
Before becoming official, all rule changes must be approved by the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel, which is scheduled to discuss football rules proposals April 16.
The injury timeout proposal was made after many in the NCAA college football community raised concerns about strategies in which players fake an injury to stop the opposition’s momentum or to avoid using an allotted timeout.
This has been a topic of discussion for the NCAA Football Rules Committee in recent years. Before the 2021 season, a framework was instituted that allows a school or conference to request a postgame video review headed by Steve Shaw, the NCAA secretary-rules editor/national coordinator of officials, regarding questionable actions involving injuries.
If it is determined that a player faked an injury to manipulate the rules, the offending team’s conference is notified, and any possible disciplinary action can be made by the conference office.
The impetus for recommending this change is to provide an in-game mechanism that can curtail the faking of injuries because committee members think these actions negatively affect the overall perception of the game.
“The committee identified the time period after the ball has been spotted as the most egregious violations of the injury timeout rule and is addressing the issue this way,” said Kirby Smart, co-chair of the committee and coach at Georgia. “Having a set time frame of when the game is stopped for an injured player should hopefully help curtail the strategy of having players fake injuries.”
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February 27th
… CU in a few minutes …
Travis Hunter on being the No. 1 overall pick: “That’s super important. That was one of my dreams, to go No. 1”
From ESPN … Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter said Thursday it is “super important” to him to be the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL draft and that he is ready, willing and uniquely able to play on both sides of the ball in his professional career.
Simply labeled as “DB 15” at the NFL scouting combine this week, the University of Colorado cornerback/wide receiver said the possibility of being the first overall pick has certainly crossed his mind.
“That’s super important,” Hunter said. “That was one of my dreams, to go No. 1.”
Hunter was a must-see performer as college football’s most prominent and proficient two-way player in decades, especially this past season when he won college football’s highest individual honor. On offense, Hunter had 92 catches for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns.
And on defense, he had 33 tackles, four interceptions, 10 pass breakups and a forced fumble. In Colorado’s regular-season finale against Oklahoma State, Hunter became the only FBS player over the past 25 seasons with three scrimmage touchdowns and a defensive INT in a single game, per ESPN Research.
“I’ve been doing it for a long time, so I feel like I can keep doing it,” Hunter said. ” … That’s not my job to figure it out. I’d like to play both. If they give me the opportunity to play both sides of the ball, I’ll play both sides.”
… Continue reading story here …
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February 26th
… CU in a few minutes …
Several veterans (including QB Ryan Staub) looking to impress this spring
From the Daily Camera … This spring, there will be 30 newcomers on the practice field, including 17 transfers and 13 prep recruits who enrolled early. Many of those newcomers are looking to make an impression as they fight for starting jobs.
There are also 44 returning scholarship players this spring, several of which will be aiming to make a bigger impact than last year. With spring around the corner, here are five returning scholarship players with a chance to grab a bigger role.
QB Ryan Staub: The redshirt sophomore is one of three scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. The other two – Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and five-star freshman Julian Lewis – are grabbing the headlines, but Staub is the only one with CU experience. He’s been with the Buffs for two years and he has the advantage of knowing the offense installed by coordinator Pat Shurmur. Although Staub has thrown just 44 passes in two seasons as a backup to Shedeur Sanders (projected as a top-five pick in the April draft), Shurmur has often spoken highly of him. This spring is an opportunity for Staub to prove whether or not he’s ready to compete for a starting job.
… Continue reading story here …
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February 24th
… CU in a few minutes …
Jordan Seaton: “I don’t think nobody can (mess) with me this year. That’s just how I feel”
From the Daily Camera … From the moment he got to the Colorado campus in January of 2024, Jordan Seaton has been as good as advertised.
A five-star recruit coming out of high school, Seaton had a great freshman season for the Buffaloes in 2024, while displaying maturity on and off the field.
As the Buffs gear up for the 2025 season, Seaton appears to be taking a leadership role.
“I’ve got to step into the leader role,” he said during a recent video posted by Well Off Media. “I’m not too much of a talker, but I feel like if I lead by my example and how I carry myself day to day, other people will tag along and start taking on some of the things I do and the way I work.”
During Seaton’s first year, the Buffs were loaded with veteran leaders, including quarterback Shedeur Sanders, cornerback/receiver Travis Hunter, safeties Shilo Sanders and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig and more.
That group is now preparing for the NFL Draft, with Shedeur and Hunter projected as top-five picks.
There are plenty of veteran players left at CU, including on the offensive line, yet Seaton is the top dog.
CU’s left tackle, Seaton was one of only two players – along with Shedeur – to start all 13 games on offense for the Buffs last season.
Seaton earned freshman All-American honors and was All-Big 12 honorable mention.
… Continue reading story here …
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February 22nd
… CU in a few minutes …
Shedeur and Shilo haven’t hired an agent
From NBC Sports … Some NFL players choose to represent themselves. For many, they’re better off being handled by a good agent. Only two in the incoming class have a Hall of Fame father who is also an accomplished college football coach.
In the list of new players and agents distributed by the NFL Players Association, two names don’t appear: Shedeur and Shilo Sanders. This means they’ve yet to hire agents. Which also means that, with the Scouting Combine days away, they currently don’t plan to.
The belief in league circles is that their father, Deion, will advise them. Which makes sense, for several reasons.
First, when it comes to rookie contracts, there’s not much to negotiate. Even if/when Shedeur goes early and Shilo (who wasn’t invited to the Combine) goes late, the labor deal has simplified the process of hammering out entry-level contracts.
Shedeur is expected to be one of the first quarterbacks drafted. He joins the likes of Caleb Williams and Lamar Jackson as high-end quarterbacks who opted not to hire an agent.
For Williams, not having an agent didn’t matter because he was the consensus, no-brainer, No. 1 pick. For Jackson, not having an established agent to fend off the pre-draft nonsense (e.g., he should change positions) might have contributed to Jackson — a two-time league MVP — sliding all the way to No. 32.
Shedeur will have a hype man and a defender in Deion. If anyone starts spreading about Shedeur what Deion would call “bulljunk,” Deion will engage. And he’s got the platform and the voice to register.
In the end, every player has to decide whether his interests are best served by hiring an agent. For some, the right move is to go it alone. For those looking simply to avoid paying a percentage to an agent by lining up a team of unlicensed (by the NFLPA) agents, bookkeepers, and/or lawyers to send and receive dummy emails, there might be a better approach.
For Shedeur and Shilo, they’ve decided the smart move is to do it themselves, with Deion’s help. Which means that, for them, their interests will be protected, and advanced.
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February 21st
… CU in a few minutes …
ESPN: Julian Lewis a “strong fit” for CU’s “quarterback-friendly scheme”
From ESPN … In the 2025 recruiting class, there were 17 pocket passers and nine dual-threat quarterbacks ranked in the ESPN 300 who signed with Power 4 programs. For quarterbacks, it is imperative they make smart decisions for their own success and the future success of their programs.
The perfect harmony between skill and scheme can lead to production and wins on the field. Here’s how the top 10 from 2025 crop of QBs could fit at their new schools:
Bryce Underwood, Michigan | 2025 ESPN 300 No. 1
Keelon Russell, Alabama | 2025 ESPN 300 No. 2
Tavien St. Clair, Ohio State | 2025 ESPN 300 No. 10
Julian Lewis, Colorado | 2025 ESPN 300 No. 12
Former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was often criticized for holding on to the ball too long and taking too many negative plays. Lewis will be more decisive. He will likely see more RPO plays. This is an RPO-based, horizontal screen scheme, which combines with the run game to set up deep shots downfield.
Quarterbacks in this system need to change their arm angle and release points considering how quickly they are asked to make decisions off token fakes in the backfield. Lewis is a strong fit because it’s a quarterback-friendly scheme, and he might not need to play right away with the incoming transfer of Kaidon Salter.
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February 19th
… CU in a few minutes …
Bill to allow schools to pay student athletes passes Colorado State House
From the Daily Camera … A bill that would allow the University of Colorado and other in-state institutions to provide financial compensation for student-athletes cleared another hurdle on Tuesday.
House Bill 1041 on student-athlete name, image and likeness (NIL) was adopted by the Colorado House of Representatives on Tuesday by a vote a 59-5.
The bill, which was co-sponsored by Rep. Lesley Smith, a former CU-Boulder regent, still needs to be passed by the Senate before going to Gov. Jared Polis for final approval to become a law. Senators Judy Amabile and James Coleman also sponsored the bill.
Passage of House Bill 1041 would allow CU, Colorado State and other schools to provide NIL compensation for student-athletes. Under current Colorado law, schools and athletic associations are not allowed to pay student-athletes directly.
NCAA rules have prohibited schools and athletic associations from paying student-athletes as well, but in October, a judge granted preliminary approval of a settlement in the House vs. NCAA antitrust case. That will allow schools across the country to compensate student-athletes. Final approval is expected at a hearing on April 7.
Once the House vs. NCAA settlement is approved, NCAA schools that opt in may distribute up to about $20 million during the 2025-26 school year to their student-athletes through revenue sharing. The Big 12 Conference has mandated that all of its schools, including CU, opt in to the settlement.
In order to comply with the House settlement, CU and other in-state NCAA institutions need House Bill 1041 to become a law and it is now well on its way. As of Wednesday, the bill has not been scheduled for the Senate, but Smith is hopeful it will move quickly.
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February 18th
… CU in a few minutes …
DC Robert Livingston: “We want to be the hardest playing team that we can”
From the Daily Camera … During his first season as a defensive coordinator, Colorado’s Robert Livingston orchestrated one of the most impressive leaps the program has ever seen.
It’s why Livingston was recently rewarded by head coach Deion Sanders with a new two-year contract and hefty raise.
Under Livingston’s guidance, CU allowed just 23.1 points and 351.9 yards per game in 2024. The total defense drop of 101.4 yards from 2023 was the best year-over-year improvement in program history, while the points per game drop of 11.7 was the best for a CU defense since 1985.
For 2025 to be a great ride, Livingston and the Buffs will rely on a lot of new players.
“Next year’s version (of the defense) probably won’t look like this because we’ll have new players,” he said. “People are going to come, people are going to go, so you have to have the ability to adapt. I think that’s a huge part of what we’ll do is look at the guys we have, look at how we did this year. A lot of it will be the same, but there will be some changes as well.”
Eight of the 10 players that started at least 10 games in 2024 are gone, including Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter, a cornerback who was the Big 12 defensive player of the year.
Defensive linemen Shane Cokes and Chidozie Nwankwo, defensive end BJ Green, inside linebackers LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green, and safeties Shilo Sanders and Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig are also primary starters who are moving on through graduation or the transfer portal.
Livingston said his standard on defense won’t change, even if the players are different.
“If we can play great situationally – so that’s third down, that’s red zone – and we keep the points low, then that’s what we want to do,” he said. “In terms of the standard, you want to be able to feel us. That’s what we’ve always talked about. I think we’ve all watched a game where the defense is flying around, and you find yourself almost cringing when somebody cuts back. That’s who we want to be. We want to be the hardest playing team that we can. Then you are going to have five or six players that can impact the game.”
… Continue reading story here …
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February 17th
… CU in a few minutes …
Big Ten/SEC pushing for expansion of College Football Playoff field; ACC/Big 12/Group of Five conferences resisting
From YahooSports.com … Last spring, during intense and, at times, heated negotiations over the future of the College Football Playoff, leaders of the Big Ten and SEC threatened to create their own postseason system if they were not granted a majority of CFP revenue and full authority over the playoff format.
In the end, executives of the 10 FBS leagues and Notre Dame signed a memorandum of understanding handing control over to college football’s two richest conferences.
Soon, they are expected to exercise that control.
Within the SEC and Big Ten, momentum is building to further expand the playoff to 14 or 16 teams, assign multiple automatic qualifiers per league — as many as four each for themselves — and finalize a scheduling arrangement together that may fetch millions in additional revenue from TV partners, sources told Yahoo Sports.
The playoff format change would clear the way for SEC administrators to, finally, make the long-discussed move to play nine regular-season conference games and would trigger, perhaps, all four power leagues to overhaul their conference championship weekend.
These ideas and concepts, previously reported by Yahoo Sports as possibilities, are now serious agenda items within the highest governing bodies of the SEC, Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC, according to officials from each of those leagues. The 11 members of the CFP Management Committee — the 10 FBS conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director — were contacted for this story, many of them confirming the existence of these potential ideas but declining specific comment on the matter.
Final decisions are expected in the coming weeks.
According to most who have viewed the memorandum of understanding from last spring, the SEC and Big Ten hold sole discretion on the future CFP format starting in 2026, the beginning of the CFP’s new six-year television agreement with ESPN that runs through the 2031 playoff.
The agreement grants the leagues decision-making powers over the format but directs them to have “meaningful consultation” and collect “input” from the other conferences before making their decision.
Leaders in each conference have spent the last several weeks evolving a format idea — multiple automatic qualifiers per league — into a more realistic proposal. The 14- or 16-team model would grant four automatic qualifiers each to the SEC and Big Ten; two each to the ACC and Big 12; and one to the highest-ranked Group of Five champion. It includes one or three at-large spots, one of those intended for Notre Dame if it finishes ranked inside the top 14 — a guarantee specifically designated for the Irish that is part of the CFP memorandum.
Officials describe the 14-team format as a 4-4-2-2-1+1 model in which the top two seeds receive first-round byes. There would be no byes in a 16-team structure. In either, the CFP selection committee’s role is greatly diminished. The committee, its future — as the memorandum stipulates — also controlled by the SEC and Big Ten, would presumably seed 1 through 14 or 16 based directly on its top-25 rankings.
Many administrators in the Big 12 and ACC are not in support of a format with so many automatic qualifiers designated for the SEC and Big Ten, and many of them have, at least subtly, taken aim at the format over the last several months.
Earlier this week, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips told Yahoo Sports the ACC has not cemented a position on a format but “there needs to be fairness and access to the championship,” he said. “It needs to be a true championship, not artificial and not an invitational.”
Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark says his conference has been exploring “predictive analysis” on what different playoff models would mean for conference participation if applied in the recent history of the postseason. “I’ll be armed with data,” he told Yahoo Sports.
Meanwhile, Group of Five leaders are prepared to fight to potentially expand upon their one automatic access spot, according to comments from American Athletic Conference commissioner Tim Pernetti to Yahoo Sports.
“College football is stronger than ever,” Pernetti said. “As the CFP evolves, we have a responsibility to student-athletes, the integrity of the game and our fans to build a future that includes expanded access for every conference.”
… Continue reading story here …
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February 16th
… CU in a few minutes …
Early guess on CU’s Week One Kickoff: Big 12 After Dark
From Matt’s College Sports …
For Weeks 0 & 1, I’m accounting for a few things and assuming some as well:
Big 12 game in bold …
Week 0
Games in italics are games that I’ve moved from the Saturday date. They are not confirmed to have moved from their existing Saturday date. Games in a green font are confirmed for time and TV.
At this moment, I’m assuming the CW will continue as the rightsholder for Oregon State and Washington State.
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42 Replies to “Colorado Daily”
off topic but I just read about a frantic QB musical chairs in free agency. Geno Smith the the Raiders, Justin Fields to the Jets, Darnold to Seattle etc.
The “football gurus” at the NY Times has Ward going #2 in the draft with Shedeur barely making the first round at #28 to the Jets. Dart then goes at 34 to the Giants. I know I got tired of hearing the same ol thing from the other draftnits but what do they know that we dont? (nothing….a rhetorical question)
Salter isnt going to be happy if Lewis wins the starting job. Downside is if Lewis that good we still may not have a running game. Odds are long on that anyway
Maybe a good run game will make Lewis look better, or at least take some pressure off of him. The Buffs relied on Shedeur to bail them out on 3rd & long and with more commitment to the run game it could’ve been better, but did they have the O-line to be that good last year?
With the development of the young guys from last year and the new additions, hopefully the Buffs will find a good run game. And Salter being a dual threat will need the O-line to step it up too, so your favorite OC will need to work with that too.
My “favorite” OC will have to work on it first and foremost
Feelings and happiness are irrelevant. It’s a competition. May the best man win.
WOW $1.1 mill… Damn I would have worked my ass off for 1/20th of that when I was in high school. Seriously, $50K in 83 would have been a lot of money and no where near the same money, time value wise. Point being any high school kid that can will try for the money when it’s that large.
It’s a new day for the gladiators in today’s world. WOW!
Good for you kid!
I love it! Attention to details & discipline, the team had too many personal fouls, a few came because of the way the players were flying around and playing fast with passion, a times too much passion, but with discipline those same players could have played that way and not committed the personal fouls.
There were times where passion and poor judgement resulted in unnecessary 15 yard penalties, extending the other team’s possession or negating a first down and ultimately losing possession. In the day of NIL and the portal, it’s great to see a coach who’s not afraid to make an example of a player and hold them accountable.
One could argue that this should have been cleaned up earlier, but it’s an ongoing process and this is the kind of press that is going to show Prime in a positive light, so I’m OK with it. Clean those up and the Buffs end some of the other team’s drives and extends some of their’s.
Keep teaching and keep demanding excellence and the team will get there.
It seems like a simple solution to the “fake injury” conundrum would be to make the injured player sit out for the rest of the series/possession. If they’re truly hurt, it wouldn’t be an issue, and if they’re faking it, the team runs the risk of losing a valuable player for what could be an important stretch of the game.
I would love to see Staub win the job. Can’t wait to hear how the spring unfolds.
Go Buffs
Looks like you have to be a subscriber now to read the Buffzone. Thin I will pass
It’s hard to believe that ESPN would disenfranchise all those GT fans in Atlanta by starting the game at 10:15pm for them.
I hoping that this is not set in stone yet. CU/Prime is the biggest draw for the B12. That 10:15 game-time just sucks–perhaps ESPN in just trying to screw CU and the B12.
Play it on Friday, Sunday or earlier Monday (it is Labor Day). Even move it to week 0 and force Kansas and Fresno State to Week 1 forcing them to move their next week games against Wagner and Georgia Southern. Another alternative is giving CU/GA Tech a 3:30-5pm week 0 slot.
These tv companies, specifically ESPN give me fits. For CFB TV is supposed to be King. However, they should not be permitted to abuse it. The major networks should have something in place, whereby if there is an open slot for a great game, if ESPN does not want it, it goes to the highest bidder and ESPN gets 10-15% for releasing it. Then they do the same for other games during the season. It is about getting the most meaningful games on TV in a decent time slot.
For what it is worth. Go Buffs!
I have no doubt that CU has the money to pay Coach Prime’s salary, what I don’t believe is that CU has the support to get Deion the kind of NIL money he needs to win a natty. We just don’t have that billionaire who wants to do that, and Coach Prime wants to win a championship. All this means is that his days are numbered here at CU.
It is easy to forget how great Dizon was. If I’m remembering correctly he was kind of lost in the whole Hawkins tenure debacle. Similar to Landman was with Tucker /Dorrell COVID timeline. Good to see Dizon is doing well.
I want there to be a great competition between Salter and Lewis. I hope that if Salter wins out that Lewis will take it as a learning step and niot get his ego hurt and move on.
Getting Livingston a raise and an extension is great and makes me think Prime is getting his assistant(s) handled before his own extension. I don’t think a coach who is planning on moving on would do that first. Prime does have a contract and he’s probably going to sign an extension, but putting Livingston first is a sign of true leadership.
And Prime doesn’t need it as much, except to show his value in the market, but his needs are handled and he doesn’t have to rush his own extension.
Feel a little better about the season after watching the recruit video. Still need an o line coach.
Me too, thanks for the heads up on the video. I was planning on watching it, but your comment made it happen sooner than later.
There are going to be teams that can automatically attract and/or pay 5 star players, but Prime’s staff is getting guys they want who fit their culture and discipline while being highly rated or experienced with the production that they’re looking for; nice. They won’t get them all, but after campus visits the odds go up.
Just think if CU had the NIL monies some school have.
Be nice if Shedeur was the No. 1 pick but all this endorsement prior to the draft is smoke or leverage for a position trade. If he can get on a team with a decent run game and O line there is no telling how far he will go
I stumbled on to this last night. It’s pretty funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebOlPcPSRYE
Just out promoting season 3 of coach prime. And of course, CU gets a little love along the way.
Go Buffs
The best part about the finances of CU athletics? That doesn’t even include the 2024 season. And the Alamo bowl payout of $8mill was it?
Go Buffs
The Alamo Bowl money goes to the “Pac-12”.
CU doesn’t get any more out of the revenue than if Washington State or USC had gone to San Antonio.
Bummer. I thought I read somewhere that due to the massive ticket sales and viewership, each school got a nice bump too. Must have misread it. Oh well.
Go Buffs
I feel like we are getting a little too ahead of our ski’s in this case. The schools can’t pay athletes and now we are recruiting, I think we need 5430 until the settlement is signed…..
I moved to Colorado from NZ in December, 1981. I adopted the Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies (Rocky Hockey now the NJ Devils) and CU fan.. I stuck with them all and have been a fan ever since. Coach Mac was the first one to win a championship and I absolutely loved him for it. I was fortunate to be able to watch the team grow under his leadership. I was saddened to hear this news and wish his family well. God Bless you Coach Mac!
RIP Coach
I showed up to Boulder in the fall of 1985, CU footbal became and still is one of great things in my life.
So many good quotes in the read, thanks Stu of posting
Interested in Primes comments about man and wonder whether next season will be devoted to him in some shape or form
RIP Bill. Alzheimer’s is a tough way to go. It is cool seeing TC progress through his coaching career.
Go Buffs
This from another on line source:
“When I was on the football team. I disagreed with some of his views, but it did not change how I felt about him because he always respected you,” Brown said. “It’s very different than the times we live in today. His ability to bring people together, to help them overcome adversity for a common cause, it is what made him such a great man.”
RIP Coach. I hope I’m blessed to see you in our Lords Kingdom. Prayers to the McCartney family and his friends.
Bummer, Coach Mac died today.
Forget where I saw it (SI?) but Prime said the only way he would coach in the NFL is if he could coach both his sons. Do I hear a LeBron-Bronny type thing?
I saw the clip on a local good morning show (local somewhere, not where we are). It was a follow on to his Good Morning America piece. He’s promoting the third season of Coach Prime.
He modified his response to the same old question about NFL coaching opportunities, to say something like “The only way I’d entertain coaching in the NFL is if I could coach my sons.” After a pause, he added “my sons. Plural.” Does that also mean Travis? It very well could.
The way I see it? He ain’t goin’ anywhere. Not yet, at least. At some point? Probably. Whether to retire, or take on his next challenge. But, I think he’s about to get comfortable, and accomplish some things, first.
I can probably dig up the clip and post the link here, if anyone’s curious.
And yeah, we know every coach everywhere says “I ain’t going nowhere” but I think Deion’s more into his mission in Boulder and loves the place more than people realize. Hopefully I’m right.
Go Buffs
That didn’t take long to find after my post below. It was actually from buffstampede, 247sports that linked to the piece:
https://247sports.com/college/colorado/article/watch-deion-sanders-reveals-the-only-way-hell-leave-colorado-for-the-nfl-243800696/
Go Buffs
The receivers should continue being a dangerous bunch, as long as the qb can get three seconds.
Really curious about the next offensive line, and their coach.
Go Buffs
I got it! What we need is an offensive coordinator who runs a bit of the west coast offense. But modified. Probably should include a little bit of spread concepts. But maybe out of the pistol. With a twist of the triple option. And of course a lot of pro style two tight end sets. We’ll kill it once we get that.
Happy new year, people.
Go Buffs
Mike Shanahan is available, so is Gary Kubiak! 😉
After watching these college games, it is apparent CU did not have a college (or pro) offense This year.
I don’t know what to call it. Backyard ball. It was fun, kinda
There were only like 7 plays. With the best being. Travis go get open I’ll find you.
Ya ok but
Really
were there actually 7?
Coach Prime should go after Stink to coach the OL.
Would immediately bring an attitude of nastiness to the group and I guarantee the run game would see a nice bump as well.
Eric B. for OC (can’t be any worse than Pat) and his rep. for being too hard, demanding too much, may be good for this team (Prime is the good cop). And of course it’s a ‘natural fit’ for CU.
No thank you.
Go Buffs
Agreed, went down that road once before and it was a disaster