In terms of collegiate coaching careers, Deion Sanders remains a relative newbie. Even after his Hall of Fame playing career and his uber-visible stint as an analyst at the NFL Network.
Yet no amount of football experience, on the field or otherwise, could properly prepare Sanders — or any coach, for that matter — for the trials Colorado has faced this week.
On Friday, the Buffaloes’ head coach met the local media contingent for the first time since Sanders’ third season as CU’s leader ended with a loss at Kansas State on Nov. 29. As is typically the case with modern college football, much has changed for the Buffs in the three-plus months since, including a roster overhaul and the addition of two new coordinators.
What hasn’t been typical at all this week has been the Buffs’ emotions as they grieve the loss of quarterback Dominiq Ponder, who was killed in a one-car accident in Boulder County earlier this week.
Ponder never was a name that sprung to mind when discussing the potential fortunes of the 2026 Buffs. But Sanders made a point of relaying a message to overlooked players everywhere as the Buffs mourn the loss of a teammate whose impact went well beyond any highlights or statistics.
“It’s my understanding as a father, that when we send our kids to college, we send our kids to college to mature, progress, to learn who he or she is. We don’t send kids to college not to come back,” Sanders said. “And that’s the most painful thing that I’m dealing with.
“This goes for all walk-ons and people on different rosters that don’t think they make a difference. This is a walk-on kid that was a bona fide leader. Bona fide leader. Ran our quarterback room up until his passing. We’re going to appreciate it. We’re going to celebrate it. And focus on the positive things that he brought to us.”
On Friday, CU announced it will hold a public celebration for Ponder on Saturday in the Glenn Miller Ballroom inside the University Memorial Center. The event begins at noon and doors open at 11:30 a.m., though space will be limited. The service also will be available via a live stream.
Sanders also said the Buffs will don a patch honoring Ponder during the 2026 season.
“He was one of my favorites,” Sanders said.
Now in his fourth set of spring practices at CU, Sanders also discussed several of the football matters that have reshaped his team in recent months, heaping particular praise on a reshaped coaching staff that Sanders declared is “the best staff that has been assembled in my tenure.”
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Sanders already installed a ready-made replacement on staff with the addition of Chris Marve, a former defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech who was hired in December as CU’s linebackers coach before getting promoted to replace Livingston. Sanders hinted that despite the somewhat late timing of Livingston’s move, it was a situation that wasn’t unexpected.
“When you assemble a coaching staff, you’re thinking of several different components. To hit them all is very unusual,” Sanders said. “You’re mainly looking for coordinators that have that head coaching feel. I want them to be the head coach of the offense, the head coach of the defense. Somebody to lead that charge that I don’t have to yell, scream, fuss, cuss. We have those type of men in-house, and I’m truly appreciative.”
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