Shedeur Sanders says the Buffs have upgraded “at every position”

At Big 12 media day, the Colorado quarterback sees a big step in the right direction this season at Boulder, thanks to an improved roster

BY JAMES MERILATT

Jul 10, 2024, 1:40 PM Updated: 1:54 pm

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Last year, the Buffs garnered a lot of hype. The arrival of Deion Sanders as CU’s head coach, plus a 3-0 start to the season, had everyone looking toward Boulder.

Then, it all fell apart. Colorado went 1-8 in their last nine games, finishing with a disappointing 4-8 record.

Given that the Buffaloes were coming off of a 1-11 season, that should’ve been seen as progress. But after the attention-grabbing start, it felt like a letdown.

That’s why season No. 2 of the Coach Prime era is so interesting. It’s hard to know if the Buffs will finish in the top 20 or they’ll languish at the bottom of the Big 12 standings.

Why? Because in the NIL and transfer portal era, teams change every season. And the Buffs are the biggest chameleon in the country.

Colorado had 40 players enter the portal, departing Boulder. They also had 32 arrive via the same path.

It’s made for a roster that is hard to recognize. A year after having 50-plus players come and go, the Buffs once again had a high turnover.

That could lead to one of two extremes. One, it’ll help upgrade a roster that gave up the most sacks (56) amongst Power 5 schools, had the worst rushing attack in the nation (827 yards) and posted a bottom-10 defense, both in terms of averages yards allowed (453.3) and points allowed (34.8). Two, it could create an issue, with a lot of new faces trying to gel in a short amount of time.

One key player sees it as a positive. Shedeur Sanders thinks it’ll make a difference during his second season as the Buffs QB.

“This a new team,” Sanders said at Big 12 media day. “So whatever happened last year doesn’t matter.”

In other words, this season is a fresh start. And the quarterback thinks it’ll lead to more wins.

“We’re better at every position,” the quarterback added on Wednesday.

On paper, that’s certainly true. One of the best transfer classes in the country, plus some marquee high school recruits, have upped the talent level in Boulder.

Now, what’s on paper needs to translate to the field. That’s the ultimate litmus test.