Colorado head coach Deion Sanders knows Saturday’s matchup against undefeated BYU won’t be easy.
On his weekly show, Sanders identified two areas where his team must improve while showing tremendous respect for Cougars coach Kalani Sitake’s character and program-building abilities.
Deion Sanders Reveals What Scares Him Most About BYU
Sanders was straightforward while discussing the challenges BYU presents to his Colorado team. The Coach Prime clarified that two areas worry him most heading into Saturday’s Big 12 showdown.
“The physicality and consistency. They’re going to come. They’re well coached. They’re not going to make many mistakes and they’re going to be physical,” Sanders explained during his appearance on “Coach Prime’s Playbook“.
This isn’t just coach speak. Sanders noted that Colorado must match BYU’s intensity at home. “We got to out-physical them at home. We got to, we must, and we can’t make mistakes,” he said.
His message to his players was clear: “And all those guys that want to be dogs. It’s time to stand up in your cage and bark.”
Deep Respect for Kalani Sitake’s Leadership Style
Sanders genuinely admired his coaching counterpart when discussing Sitake’s character and leadership approach. The Colorado coach went beyond typical pre-game pleasantries.
“He’s a God fearing man. He’s a good man. He’s a leader amongst men, and I just respect him so much with what he’s done with that program, what he’s doing with those young men,” Sanders noted.
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Sanders particularly appreciates coaches who have played at their current school and reached the professional level. “And I always extra care about those coaches who played, you know, in those situations at that school and just went on and had an opportunity to play in the next level. I respect the heck out of him,” he said.
Sitake played fullback at BYU from 1994 to 2000 before returning as head coach in 2015. Under his leadership, the program has compiled a 75-43 record.
Numbers Back Sanders’ Concerns
When looking at the statistics, Sanders’ worries about BYU’s physicality make perfect sense. The Cougars lead the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 5.3 points per game.
BYU enters Saturday’s contest with a perfect 3-0 record and is placed at No. 25 in the latest rankings. They were terrific against Portland State, winning 69-0, and dominated Stanford 27-3.
Colorado faces this test as 6.5-point home underdogs. The Buffaloes are 2-2 this season with wins over Delaware and Wyoming but losses to Georgia Tech and Houston. Saturday’s kickoff on ESPN represents Colorado’s chance for its first Big 12 victory.
The mutual respect between coaches is clear, but Saturday will determine which team can execute better when it matters most.
