The spring buzz in Boulder wasn’t just about fresh schemes and new faces; it came with a vintage Coach Prime twist. After the Colorado Buffaloes wrapped up their spring camp with the annual Black and Gold game, Deion Sanders held court with the media and the conversation briefly veered away from football and somehow to roaches.
Coach Prime Shares Throwback Story After Colorado’s Black and Gold Game
During the Black and Gold game, Colorado’s offense looked sharper and more explosive, even if the playbook stayed basic. Defensively, young pieces flashed, with freshman corner Maurice Williams catching the attention of Sanders.
Speaking postgame, Sanders kept it real, saying this group looked faster, more versatile, and far more connected than last season.
Then came the moment that went viral. While discussing development and toughness, Sanders casually rewound to his playing days and dropped a story that sounded straight out of a movie.
He revealed that during his basketball days, he once dropped 36 points with four roaches in his shoe. “I took my shoe off after the game and roaches fell out,” Sanders said, adding that his teammates gave him a hard time about it.
Sanders was a talented basketball player at Fort Myers High, earning all-state honors. In fact, his Prime Time nickname actually originated after a dominant basketball performance, not a football game. Once a kid grinding for a shot, he has turned that journey into massive success, now boasting an estimated net worth of $60 million as one of sports’ most iconic figures.
“I’d already earned ‘Prime Time’ in high school. I dropped like 37 that night, had two dunks back to back, curl was wet, looked dry,” Sanders once explained on “The Tonight Show.” “We were on our way home on the bus, and my homie says, ‘You know what, man? You’re Prime Time.’ I said, ‘You’re right.’ So, it was birthed then.”
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This isn’t the first time that Sanders has had a viral moment involving roaches. When he had his own show on Tubi, “We Got Time Today,” Sanders was once asked a hypothetical as part of a game: live with your worst ex for a year or share a house with roaches. Before the question even landed fully, he walked off the set, joking he wasn’t coming back. When he did return, smiling, his answer was instant.
“You gotta be with your ex for one year or live with roaches?” Sanders said. “I grew up with them roaches. There ain’t nothing wrong with the roaches.”
After the roach story, Sanders pivoted back to talking about his current roster. Wide receiver Danny Scudero earned high praise, with Sanders comparing his mentality to that of Julian Edelman, a three-time Super Bowl-winning slot receiver known for toughness and clutch plays. Behind the scenes, Sanders even connected Scudero with Edelman, doubling down on development beyond just reps.
He also raved about his new coordinators for their detail and ability to connect with players, calling that their real strength. And he didn’t leave special teams hanging, either, officially naming freshman Elliot Arnold as the starting kicker despite a narrow miss from 50 yards.
