Deion Sanders’ roster redo at Colorado could change college football

[BleedGopher]

Per David:

As Deion Sanders attempts to flip Colorado’s roster in one offseason, the stakes have become clear: If he succeeds, he’ll change college football forever.

No one has ever tried to build a roster in the manner Sanders is.

Fan bases and athletic directors have never been less patient, and the familiar refrain of “wait until he gets his guys in here” is no longer a task that takes two to three recruiting classes.

Sanders isn’t adding a few key pieces to build around. He’s retooling the entire engine in one class.

Sanders won’t be at Friday’s Pac-12 media day, but he’s still sure to be a talking point in Las Vegas. He is attempting to build not just a roster but chemistry in one offseason, doing so with dozens of players who weren’t on campus for spring practice and may be contributors on the field this fall. Sanders began spring with 51 scholarship players from last year’s Colorado team. Currently, just 10 remain.

Sanders employs a roster-building strategy he calls his “40-40-20 model,” which is 40 percent graduate transfers, 40 percent transfers and 20 percent high school recruits. No one else in major college football does anything else close to this.

There’s plenty of reason for skepticism, and it’s everywhere. When I talk to coaches and Sanders comes up (which is often), it’s hard to find a coach who believes Sanders’ plan will work in Boulder. Maybe they’re wrong. But Sanders is long on skeptics among coaches and fans alike.

Ubben: If Deion Sanders' roster-building shortcut works, it will be copied across CFB

If Sanders succeeds in bringing successful change to Colorado, he’ll bring about change to an entire sport, too.

theathletic.com

Go Gophers!!

 

[GophersInIowa]

It's either going to be a home run or a colossal failure. Colorado is the perfect place to try out the experiment. They have nothing to lose.

 

[highwayman]

Get out your chemistry books.

4-8 at best. Half the players he has acquired will be gone by 2024.

 

[upnorthkid]

Per David:

As Deion Sanders attempts to flip Colorado’s roster in one offseason, the stakes have become clear: If he succeeds, he’ll change college football forever.

No one has ever tried to build a roster in the manner Sanders is.

Fan bases and athletic directors have never been less patient, and the familiar refrain of “wait until he gets his guys in here” is no longer a task that takes two to three recruiting classes.

Sanders isn’t adding a few key pieces to build around. He’s retooling the entire engine in one class.

Sanders won’t be at Friday’s Pac-12 media day, but he’s still sure to be a talking point in Las Vegas. He is attempting to build not just a roster but chemistry in one offseason, doing so with dozens of players who weren’t on campus for spring practice and may be contributors on the field this fall. Sanders began spring with 51 scholarship players from last year’s Colorado team. Currently, just 10 remain.

Sanders employs a roster-building strategy he calls his “40-40-20 model,” which is 40 percent graduate transfers, 40 percent transfers and 20 percent high school recruits. No one else in major college football does anything else close to this.

There’s plenty of reason for skepticism, and it’s everywhere. When I talk to coaches and Sanders comes up (which is often), it’s hard to find a coach who believes Sanders’ plan will work in Boulder. Maybe they’re wrong. But Sanders is long on skeptics among coaches and fans alike.

Ubben: If Deion Sanders' roster-building shortcut works, it will be copied across CFB

If Sanders succeeds in bringing successful change to Colorado, he’ll bring about change to an entire sport, too.

theathletic.com

Go Gophers!!

because no one else can as parents are still clamoring to send their kid to play for "Prime". I see this being a massive failure and being full of disgruntled players and parents each and every season. They may flash in the pan once in awhile due to talent, but the looking out for me type teams do not work in football. I'd guess between 5-7 and 7-5 but could this team go off the rails and go 2-10 or 3-9, yeah absolutely.

 

[Spaulding!No!]

He will end up with a buncha dudes who don’t go to class. I am not sure that even matters anymore now that they are employees but whatever.

 

[hungan1]

We will soon see if his Kool-Aid tastes as good as advertised.

 

[Full Speed Ahead]

Get out your chemistry books.

4-8 at best. Half the players he has acquired will be gone by 2024.

That's basically Prime's plan. 80% of each team are transfers - 40 percent graduate transfers, 40 percent transfers and only 20 percent high school recruit. His plan is to get experienced players and have a high turnover.

 

[hungan1]

because no one else can as parents are still clamoring to send their kid to play for "Prime". I see this being a massive failure and being full of disgruntled players and parents each and every season. They may flash in the pan once in awhile due to talent, but the looking out for me type teams do not work in football. I'd guess between 5-7 and 7-5 but could this team go off the rails and go 2-10 or 3-9, yeah absolutely.

The student-athlete handbook just got thrown into the trash can.

 

[Gophergrandpa]

That's basically Prime's plan. 80% of each team are transfers - 40 percent graduate transfers, 40 percent transfers and only 20 percent high school recruit. His plan is to get experienced players and have a high turnover.

The 40-40-20 plan works while the NCAA has in place its two-year waiver on the "cap" number of new players a team can bring in during a year. Once that waiver is over, and a lower cap is restored, Deion's method will be outlawed.

 

[hungan1]

The 40-40-20 plan works while the NCAA has in place its two-year waiver on the "cap" number of new players a team can bring in during a year. Once that waiver is over, and a lower cap is restored, Deion's method will be outlawed.

It is winning at all costs at the expense of the student-athletes. Parents should be a bit worried about their kids drinking Prime Time's Kool-Aid. This is so atrocious that they allowed it to happen.

 

[btowngopher]

40 percent grad transfer? I know these guys have multi years of eligibility sometimes, but the roster turn over is going to very high every year if he goes this route.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I remember when people used to scoff at Bill Snyder when he would bring in a truckload of Juco's every year at Kansas State. But he found a way to make it work.

Deion is taking that approach and turbo-charging it to take advantage of recent changes in college FB.

I don't know if such an extreme approach is sustainable - but it does allow a team to turn over its roster a lot faster than was possible in the old days.

 

[Off-GridTNgopher]

Deion will have 0 issues except how fast does fla state come calling... Colorado will beat nebby in week 2 and go to a bowl this year.... 8-5 to end the year

 

[Denver_Gopher]

There are 4 D1 schools in this state and by the end of the year CU may be in the #4 spot behind FCS UNC

 

[btowngopher]

I remember when people used to scoff at Bill Snyder when he would bring in a truckload of Juco's every year at Kansas State. But he found a way to make it work.

Deion is taking that approach and turbo-charging it to take advantage of recent changes in college FB.

I don't know if such an extreme approach is sustainable - but it does allow a team to turn over its roster a lot faster than was possible in the old days.

It helped he was located in prime JUCO country. The new system is not supposed to make it easier for a coach to turn over a roster, it’s just supposed to make it easier to replace those that leave by their own choosing.

 

[btowngopher]

Deion will have 0 issues except how fast does fla state come calling... Colorado will beat nebby in week 2 and go to a bowl this year.... 8-5 to end the year

Probably beat Nebby in week 2 and lose to Colorado St in week 3.

 

[gophernut1]

Prime will bring in Brewster style recruiting classes. High rankings, but no substance. Then it will be about creating a culture that makes kids better and while I think Prime could get there (kids will listen to him) I don't think he is seasoned enough to know what to do with that voice. I think this year will be a roller coaster ride, but think long term he will settle in and things will get better, if he can be patient with himself and his roster.

 

[hungan1]

Prime will bring in Brewster style recruiting classes. High rankings, but no substance. Then it will be about creating a culture that makes kids better and while I think Prime could get there (kids will listen to him) I don't think he is seasoned enough to know what to do with that voice. I think this year will be a roller coaster ride, but think long term he will settle in and things will get better, if he can be patient with himself and his roster.

These are high-star players that play Me Ball. It will be either a major feat or an absolute disaster.

Kim Jong Un is either a master magician or a clown. I mean Prime Time.

 

[Gophers7NatTitlesBadgers0]

Get out your chemistry books.

4-8 at best. Half the players he has acquired will be gone by 2024.

In my opinion, an instant gratification approach tends to have a shaky foundation!

 

[PMWinSTP]

Prime will bring in Brewster style recruiting classes. High rankings, but no substance. Then it will be about creating a culture that makes kids better and while I think Prime could get there (kids will listen to him) I don't think he is seasoned enough to know what to do with that voice. I think this year will be a roller coaster ride, but think long term he will settle in and things will get better, if he can be patient with himself and his roster.

He put together a very good coaching staff.

 

[alaska]

Prime will kill it at Colorado. I don’t know why anyone has such an issue with brining in a ton of kids. He is bringing in very solid players. If Minnesota was doing the same thing we would love it. But because we are not it’s dumb and stupid. Guys, he will be at the top of Florida states radar next year about week 5 when Colorado demolishes Nebby and Fl st is 2-3.

 

[Bobek]

I’m wondering if a 40-40-20 roster makeup make high school seniors reluctant to go to CU. Every year a large percentage of the roster would be new. The recruits wouldn’t know who they would be competing with for playing time next year. After all, not many of the recruits really remember Sanders.

 

[PMWinSTP]

I’m wondering if a 40-40-20 roster makeup make high school seniors reluctant to go to CU. Every year a large percentage of the roster would be new. The recruits wouldn’t know who they would be competing with for playing time next year. After all, not many of the recruits really remember Sanders.

I think things settle down recruiting wise for Sanders after this year. He'll have a core of his own recruits to build on going forward.

 

[akgo4]

1. Prime will apply for Florida State the nano-second it comes open....
2. Not a fan of this (call me a traditionalist) - students were recruited previously to play football, which also provided those students the opportunity to get an education - the real reason they needed to be in school. When a coach is able to crap on previous recruits by doing what Coach Prime is doing, it sets a terrible precedent. Nothing is done to protect the education that some of those student-athletes had already started. I say "some" because being realistic, not everybody is at college for the education. I get it - from Coach Prime's perspective, he is there to win, but what happened to the education piece?

As somebody who works as a K-12 Superintendent, how could I trust the message Coach Prime or his assistants tell one of my students for their greater good? He is showing through this that if he doesnt think you are good enough, you are gone immediately. Some kids are late bloomers. Having a team full of athletes is great, but please remind me how many national championships Kentuck Basketball has won (which this is very similar to)?

 

[alaska]

1. Prime will apply for Florida State the nano-second it comes open....
2. Not a fan of this (call me a traditionalist) - students were recruited previously to play football, which also provided those students the opportunity to get an education - the real reason they needed to be in school. When a coach is able to crap on previous recruits by doing what Coach Prime is doing, it sets a terrible precedent. Nothing is done to protect the education that some of those student-athletes had already started. I say "some" because being realistic, not everybody is at college for the education. I get it - from Coach Prime's perspective, he is there to win, but what happened to the education piece?

As somebody who works as a K-12 Superintendent, how could I trust the message Coach Prime or his assistants tell one of my students for their greater good? He is showing through this that if he doesnt think you are good enough, you are gone immediately. Some kids are late bloomers. Having a team full of athletes is great, but please remind me how many national championships Kentuck Basketball has won (which this is very similar to)?

Off subject… I see your from AK. I am as well. Good to see Alaska Gopher fans

 

[Jack jones]

8 -5. Or even 9 -4. As some else mentioned , Synder at KState followed pretty much the same game plan. While it took him 3 years to win more than he lost, he didn’t have the resources to sell like Prime. Would you rather go to Kansas or Colorado?

 

[PMWinSTP]

1. Prime will apply for Florida State the nano-second it comes open....
2. Not a fan of this (call me a traditionalist) - students were recruited previously to play football, which also provided those students the opportunity to get an education - the real reason they needed to be in school. When a coach is able to crap on previous recruits by doing what Coach Prime is doing, it sets a terrible precedent. Nothing is done to protect the education that some of those student-athletes had already started. I say "some" because being realistic, not everybody is at college for the education. I get it - from Coach Prime's perspective, he is there to win, but what happened to the education piece?

As somebody who works as a K-12 Superintendent, how could I trust the message Coach Prime or his assistants tell one of my students for their greater good? He is showing through this that if he doesnt think you are good enough, you are gone immediately. Some kids are late bloomers. Having a team full of athletes is great, but please remind me how many national championships Kentuck Basketball has won (which this is very similar to)?

I think Kentucky basketball is a bit different. It consistently puts 3-4 in the draft. So that with any seniors and transfers, he can bring in a lot more players each year.

 

[akgo4]

Off subject… I see your from AK. I am as well. Good to see Alaska Gopher fans

Certainly a lot easier for Football. Have no idea what they are doing with basketball.... Throw paint at the wall and hope it sticks mentality....

 

[gopherphil]

Prime will kill it at Colorado. I don’t know why anyone has such an issue with brining in a ton of kids. He is bringing in very solid players. If Minnesota was doing the same thing we would love it. But because we are not it’s dumb and stupid. Guys, he will be at the top of Florida states radar next year about week 5 when Colorado demolishes Nebby and Fl st is 2-3.

I Like Prime but in football you need continuity and there’s none in a roster turnover like he did. Especially with 20 year olds..

 

[PMWinSTP]

I Like Prime but in football you need continuity and there’s none in a roster turnover like he did. Especially with 20 year olds..

Do you think he can go .500 this year?