Deion: Need more time, but Buffs have 'right man'

Colorado coach Deion Sanders wants more time to prove he is the right man for the job despite the team's struggles this season.

Sanders, who will post his second losing season in three years with the Buffaloes, said Tuesday he hasn't forgotten how to coach. Colorado is 3-7 following its second open week and hosts Arizona State this week before finishing the season at Kansas State.

"You've got the right man," Sanders told reporters. "I promise you, you do. And I'm going to prove that to you. Just give me an opportunity and a little more time and I'm going to prove that to you."

Sanders' future beyond 2025 has been in question following a series of health-related challenges, including a bladder cancer diagnosis this spring that led to bladder removal and reconstruction surgery. Also, the athletic director who hired him, Rick George, announced last week he will step down from his position at the end of the academic year.

Sanders said he and George "talked extensively" about George's decision, and that he's confident Colorado will find a strong replacement. George responded Tuesday to a post on X about Sanders' job security, writing, "The seat is not hot. We believe in what is ahead for this program.

Sanders, 58, is 16-19 overall at Colorado and 9-16 in conference games. In March, he finalized a five-year, $54 million contract extension with Colorado that runs through the 2029 season. Sanders admitted Tuesday that the coaching staff "did some things that we shouldn't have done" with parts of the roster this season but wants the chance to fix the situation.

"This is what I do," he said. "This is who I am."