An old-school approach by the Buffs stars should be applauded
Dec 2, 2024, 4:00 AM
Once the Buffs lost to Kansas, effectively ending their chances of playing the Big 12 title game and the College Football Playoffs, there was a consensus about what their stars would do. Everyone expected Travis Hunter, the likely Heisman Trophy winner, and Shedeur Sanders to shut it down for the season.
Both are expected to go in the top-10 of the 2025 NFL Draft; some mocks have them going Nos. 1 and 2 overall. So with “nothing to play for” the rest of the way, it’d be time for them to turn the page toward their NFL careers.
In the words of Lee Corso, “No so fast, my friend.” The Buffaloes are going old school when it comes to finishing out their season.
On Friday, in the team’s regular season finale against Oklahoma State, both were on the field. And they each had big days.
Sanders completed 34-of-41 passes for 438 yards and five touchdowns. Hunter had 10 catches for 116 yards and three scores, while also picking off a pass.
But that was Senior Day in Boulder. It was one more chance to say thank you to the home fans. It was against a bad Cowboys team, providing a chance to pad stats, giving Hunter one last chance to cement his Heisman candidacy and Sanders another opportunity to prove he’s the best quarterback in college football. Surely, it wouldn’t carry over to the bowl game.
At 9-3, Colorado has already had a great season. Their dynamic duo has been the biggest reason, as they’ve helped overhaul the culture in Boulder in two years, turning a 1-11 team into a borderline playoff contender. Most would argue that their work is done.
But that’s not the case. According to Deion Sanders, they’ll both be on the field whenever the Buffaloes play again.
“Our kids are gonna play in our bowl game,” CU’s head coach said. “That’s what we signed up to do and we’re gonna finish.”
That’s a blast-from-the-past approach. It’s an old-fashioned way of thinking that is a breath of fresh air.
Yes, the reason for being done for the season is understandable. Star players have a lot at stake, putting millions of potential NFL dollars at risk by playing in what amounts to an exhibition game.
But it also sends a bad message. It’s a me-first attitude that has gotten out of hand in recent years.
All season long, Hunter and Sanders have toiled on the field with their teammates. Now, they’re going to effectively tell them that they’re more important than the team, leaving others to play in the game while they turn the page?
That’s now how a winning culture is built. If CU is on the field, they’re doing everything they can to win; that includes a bowl game that would give the Buffs just their third 10-win season in this century.
Plus, the season finale can provide a springboard for next season. Having the Heisman winner and best QB in the country on the field will help that go well. And Coach Prime knows it.
“We’re not gonna tap out,” Sanders added. That throws off the structure of next season. There’s a couple, you take note, they lay an egg in the bowl game and they haven’t recovered since. We don’t plan on doing that.”
In other words, the Buffs stars are thinking about someone other than themselves. Their eschewing a selfish decision in favor of what’s best for the team.
What a concept!
And it’s not just the head coach who is on board with the plan. After all, the players who won’t be in Boulder in 2025 understand it, as well.
“We gotta lead by example,” Shedeur Sanders explained. “We can’t want them to go out there and play hard and we’re sitting back chillin.'”
That’s an honorable decision. It’s something that should be the norm, wanting to be on the field with teammates, but it no longer is in today’s day and age. That’s why it should be applauded.
In addition, it’s an example of fulfilling an obligation. In the past, that amounted to playing all of the games in exchange for a scholarship. That’s a debatable trade off, but still something that should never have been skirted.
With today’s NIL landscape in college football, however, it’s less of an argument. Sanders is earning more than $5 million to play for the Buffs this season; Hunter is north of $3 million. Those checks are for every game, not just the ones that occurred when the Big 12 was still up for grabs.
And finally, the risk of injury is a bit overrated. Yes, the Jake Butt example is always cited; the Michigan tight end injured his knee in the 2016 Orange Bowl, hurting his draft status and plaguing his NFL career, as every Broncos fan knows. But that’s the exception, not the rule.
Literally hundreds – probably thousands – of players participate in bowl games every year without suffering a significant injury. It would have to be something catastrophic for Hunter and/or Sanders to see their draft stock tumble.
That status was established while playing for the University of Colorado. It was aided by the school, the coaching staff and the other players on the team. To bail on them now would be a lame decision.
In a society that is increasingly me-first, that’s not a common opinion. Most will question Hunter and Sanders for playing.
Instead, they should be applauded. They’re honoring their commitments – to the school, teammates, NIL providers, etc.
That’s an old-school mindset. And it’s great to see in Boulder.
