Colorado Buffaloes Football

Deion Sanders just took over as head coach at Colorado, and he appears to already have his starting quarterback for the 2023 season.

At his introductory press conference after being named to the position, Sanders indicated his son, Shedeur, will join him in Boulder, Colorado, and suit up for the Buffaloes.

Chris Hummer of 247Sports noted Shedeur Sanders hasn't officially entered the transfer portal, which opens Monday, but that his transfer from Jackson State is considered a foregone conclusion.

Shedeur has thrown for 3,383 yards and 36 touchdowns while running for 174 yards and five touchdowns this season. It's unclear whether he intends to play in the Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17, which pits Jackson State against North Carolina Central.

His transfer could have a domino effect for Colorado's quarterback situation.

J.T. Shrout, who transferred from Tennessee in 2021, just finished up his first year under center for the Buffaloes. With 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns, he was the team's leading passer.

Sanders' imminent arrival might have Shrout evaluating all of his transfer options.

True freshman Owen McCown already announced his intention to enter the portal, and there's seemingly no chance he'll walk back that decision now. McCown finished with 600 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions in his four appearances in 2022.

Sunday's press conference illustrated how Coach Prime intends to hit the ground running.

Colorado, which has five 10-loss seasons since 2006, is a massive rebuilding project. In the era of NIL and the one-time transfer rule, a program can be rejuvenated with just one offseason. And that's what the Buffaloes intend to do with Sanders.

There may not be a program that hits the transfer portal harder than Colorado, and it has a coach who can potentially bring elite talent to Boulder.

At least Sanders can cross off the quarterback position for now.

Wide receiver Robert Lockhart III, offensive tackle Jordan Hall and defensive back Twan Wilson announced they have decommitted from Jackson State amid news of Deion Sanders taking the head-coaching position at Colorado.

All three players made their announcements on social media:

Sanders closed out an undefeated 2022 season Saturday with a SWAC Championship Game win over Southern and was then almost immediately introduced as Colorado's next coach. The Hall of Fame cornerback went 27-5 over three seasons at Jackson State while bringing national media attention to football at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

The national cache helped Sanders land a number of high-profile recruits who otherwise would have attended FBS powers. 5-star cornerback Travis Hunter committed to Sanders and was dominant in his freshman season at Jackson State. It seems likely Hunter and quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion's son, will lead a class of players who will follow Coach Prime from Jackson State to Colorado.

Wide receivers Kevin Coleman Jr. and Quaydarius Davis, defensive lineman KaTron Evans and cornerback De'Jahn Warren are among the other high-profile names currently on the Jackson State roster who could become notable transfers.

Sanders had not locked in a single 4-star or better recruit in his 2023 class, but that will likely soon change as he makes the transition to the Pac-12.

Wide receiver Isiah Kendall and linebackers Kofi Taylor-Barrocks and Jace Ward are the top players remaining in Jackson State's 2023 class at the moment.

Deion Sanders is heading to Colorado.

The University of Colorado athletic director Rick George announced Sanders will be the next head football coach for the program.

Per The Athletic's Bruce Feldman, Sanders told his Jackson State players after their victory over Southern in the SWAC Championship Game on Saturday he was leaving for the new job.

Sanders did say during his address to the Tigers he will "finish what we started," which would seem to indicate he will remain with the team through the Celebration Bowl against North Carolina Central on Dec. 17 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

The move has been rumored for most of the week leading up to Saturday's game. Sanders even confirmed he had been offered the Colorado job on Monday during a teleconference call with reporters.

Sanders also said other programs had contacted him to express their interest, but he declined to name them.

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Sanders spent most of this week "making inquiries to both potential members of his on-field staff and support staff at Colorado" about joining him at his new job.

Thamel also noted Sanders placed a call to a "prominent player in the NCAA transfer portal" and encouraged him not to make any decision until Sanders could recruit him to Colorado.

Getting Sanders is a huge boon for a program that has had five head coaches since 2018. Mike MacIntyre was fired after a six-game losing streak after starting the 2018 campaign 5-0. Quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper served as interim head coach for the final game of the year.

Mel Tucker went 5-7 in his lone season at Colorado in 2019 before resigning to take the same position at Michigan State. Karl Dorrell made it through two full seasons before being fired this past October after an 0-5 start.

Mike Sanford replaced Dorrell on an interim basis for the final seven games in 2022. The Buffaloes finished this season 1-11, tied for the worst single-season record in program history.

Colorado has only made two bowl appearances since 2008. It has only played for a Pac-12 title once since moving to the conference in 2011.

Sanders is wrapping up a successful three-season run at Jackson State University. He was hired by the program in September 2020 and has led it to a 27-5 record with back-to-back SWAC championships.

The Tigers' 12 wins this season broke the previous record of 11, set in 2021 (11-2). They can complete the first perfect season in program history with a win in the Celebration Bowl.

Colorado inside linebackers coach Mark Smith said Thursday that "every material possession" he and his family owned was destroyed in the wildfires raging in the Denver area. 

"Just got word that every material possession we had today is now gone. Our home, cars, and everything we had in our home lost to the fires that ripped through our community. Thank you to those who reached out. Processing how to completely start over and grateful for our health," Smith tweeted.

More than 30,000 people have been evacuated, and hundreds of homes have been destroyed in wildfires across Boulder County. 

Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said wind gusts of over 100 miles per hour make it impossible for emergency crews to fight the blaze.

“The end won’t come until the wind subsides,” Pelle said. “This is the kind of fire you can’t fight head on.”

The areas of Superior and Louisville in Boulder County have been placed under mandatory evacuation.

No deaths nor injuries have been announced. However, Pelle said he would "not be surprised" if people had been injured or killed by the fires. 

Being the son of arguably the greatest NFL player ever certainly casts a long shadow, but Colorado wide receiver Brenden Rice clearly has some of the same skills his father possessed.

Rice returned a punt for an 81-yard score and caught a 61-yard touchdown pass in the Buffaloes' game against Utah on Saturday:

Aside from having Jerry Rice as a father, Brenden created his own expectations coming into college because of his raw talent. The Arizona native was rated as a 4-star prospect and the No. 57 wide receiver in the 2020 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings.

A true freshman, Rice has been used sparingly by Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell. He entered this week with five receptions for 59 yards and one touchdown.

Rice's 61-yard touchdown reception marked his only catch against Utah. His 81-yard special teams touchdown was his first punt return of the season.

Bryan McGinnis, Colorado football's director of football operations, has been issued a summons by the city of Boulder after violating public health orders for organizing a hike involving more than 100 Buffalo football players at Mount Sanitas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

McGinnis also received a ticket for failing to obtain a large group permit.

Per Mitchell Byars of the Daily Camera, a total of 108 people were in the group on the Mount Salinas trails, with observers telling the reporter that many players were not wearing face coverings.

Those are required on city trails and public spaces in Boulder County where six feet of separation is not plausible. In addition, groups of 10 or more people are "discouraged" on the trails, per Byars.

CU athletic director Rick George issued a statement in response to the news:

"Our athletic department has been diligent in ensuring COVID-19 health and safety protocols are in place and followed by our staff and student-athletes. All student-athletes are tested for COVID-19 frequently to ensure they are healthy while training. As noted in the county’s self-quarantine directive for students, intercollegiate athletic training is an allowable activity. Our football team took a team hike on Thursday for training purposes. All players who took part had recently tested negative for COVID-19.

"All of this said, we acknowledge the lapse in judgment and apologize for our football team partaking in a group activity like this on public open space amid the current COVID-19 climate. We share in the community’s concern and anxiety about the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, and we do not tolerate actions that are contrary to public health orders. We will address this with our football program, and continue to educate our coaches, staff and student-athletes about the importance of complying with public health orders, including wearing masks and physical distancing at all times while in public."

The news comes amid reports that the Pac-12 may be playing football this year.

The Colorado football team was initially planning to postpone the season through the 2020 calendar year amid the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the rest of the Pac-12.

However, it appears the conference is gearing up for a potential return on Oct. 31, per Jon Wilner of the Mercury News, although obstacles, such as getting approval from local health officials relative to all 12 teams, still remain.

The University of Colorado announced Tuesday it has made PointsBet its official betting partner, becoming the first NCAA school to sign an agreement with a sportsbook.

The two sides agreed to a five-year deal, which covers sports betting, fantasy sports, casino games and free-to-play contests. 

"We're thrilled to have PointsBet as a partner and for the benefits this sponsorship will provide for our student-athletes for years to come," CU Athletic Director Rick George said. "We are impressed with their commitment to raising awareness around responsible gaming. And we're particularly excited whenever we can partner with sponsors who call Colorado home."

The partnership will provide financial support for Colorado's new Scripps Leadership and Career Development Program which "helps prepare student-athletes for success beyond their playing days."

"This isn't a deal just to get PR, this is a long-term view for both parties, and both parties had to get very comfortable with one another," CEO of PointsBet's U.S. business Johnny Aitken said, per Eben Novy-Williams of Sportico. "It is centered around education and those career pathways, and being in-state, the trust factor is heightened because we're just miles away, not a plane flight away."

The deal comes after the state of Colorado legalized sports betting in May. The Denver Broncos have also taken advantage with three sponsorship deals with sportsbooks before any other NFL team even had one, per Ryan O'Halloran of the Denver Post.

PointsBet, which is building its North American headquarters in Denver, will have advertising at the Colorado Buffaloes' football stadium and basketball arena, sponsor promotions during games and be featured on radio broadcasts of games.

Fort Collins, Colorado police have arrested Colorado wide receiver La'Vontae Shenault and booked him on misdemeanor offenses of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, driving without headlamps at night and a driver's license violation. 

Per Kelly Lyell of the Fort Collins Coloradoan, police records indicate that Shenault was arrested in the Campus West neighborhood near Colorado State University at 12:41 a.m. MT on Sunday.

Shenault was released from Larimer County Jail after posting $1,250 on a personal recognizance bond, per jail and court records that Lyell cited.

Police pulled over Shenault after they saw a vehicle being operated without headlights, per Fort Collins police spokesperson Kate Kimble.

The officer reported seeing signs of impairment before arresting Shenault, who played his first season at Colorado in 2019.

Shenault, a 3-star recruit out of DeSoto, Texas, was ranked as the No. 48 wideout in the class of 2019, per the 247Sports Composite rankings. He had 135 receptions for 1,717 yards and 12 touchdowns in two seasons for DeSoto High School.

Shenault appeared in four games for the Buffaloes last year and preserved his redshirt status. He's listed as one of three backups on the wideout depth chart for 2020, per Ourlads.

Shenault is the younger brother of ex-Colorado wideout Laviska Shenault, who is a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars after going 42nd overall in the 2020 NFL draft.

Defensive lineman Antonio Alfano, a former Alabama transfer, has left the Colorado Buffaloes football team. 

Per Brian Howell of BuffZone.com, the University of Colorado confirmed that Alfano is no longer a member of the football program because he's no longer enrolled in school.

Alfano was regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2019 recruiting class. He was a 5-star talent, the top-ranked strong-side defensive end and No. 5 overall player, according to 247Sports composite rankings. 

Prior to his senior season at Colonia High School, Alfano committed to the University of Alabama in May 2018.

Alfano's parents, Frankie and Hilda Alfano, tweeted in September 2019 their son requested to enter the transfer portal because his grandmother was on life support: "He is very close with her. Since this illness took effect, Antonio has taken it very hard. He has not attended classes and practices."

Two months later, then-Colorado head coach Mel Tucker tweeted Alfano committed to the Buffaloes. He was indefinitely suspended by new head coach Karl Dorrell in March for a violation of team rules. 

Alfano didn't appear in a game for either Alabama or Colorado.

The University of Colorado has decided on Miami Dolphins wide receivers coach Karl Dorrell to be its new head football coach, the school announced Sunday.

Colorado athletic director Rick George has proposed a five-year, $18 million contract for Dorrell, which must be approved by the Board of Regents. The proposed deal would provide Dorrell with a $3.2 million salary in Year 1 and a $200,000 annual raise in the subsequent years.

Dorrell would also have a $3.8 million pool to work with for assistant coaches.

The position became vacant Feb. 12 when Mel Tucker left to take the job at Michigan State following the retirement of Mark Dantonio.

Dorrell, 56, was hired as the Dolphins wide receivers coach last season after spending the previous four seasons as the New York Jets wide receivers coach.

While Dorrell has also been an assistant for the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, he is perhaps best known for his collegiate coaching resume. Most notably, Dorrell was the head coach at UCLA for five seasons from 2003-07.

Dorrell went 35-27 and led the Bruins to a bowl appearance in each of his five seasons at the helm. His best campaign came in 2005, when UCLA went 10-2 and won the Sun Bowl.

In addition to coaching at UCLA, Dorrell was an assistant at Colorado, UCF, Northern Arizona, Arizona State, Washington and Vanderbilt.

Dorrell was a wide receivers coach for the Buffaloes from 1992-93 and then offensive coordinator from 1995-98.

He was present for some of the glory days of Colorado football, as the Buffaloes went 10-2 in both 1995 and 1996 when he coached under Rick Neuheisel.

Colorado was known to be looking to its past as part of the head coaching search, with the primary target being Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who played running back for the Buffaloes from 1987-90.

However, ESPN reported Friday that Bieniemy had withdrawn himself from consideration for the job.

Dorrell will have his work cut out for him at Colorado. The Buffaloes have finished 5-7 in each of the past three seasons and have just one bowl appearance in the past 12 campaigns.

With quarterback Steven Montez graduating and wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. entering the NFL draft, it could be another rebuilding year for Colorado in 2020, especially since Dorrell will have to put together a coaching staff and finalize a recruiting class on short notice.