Former Ohio State and Florida head coach Urban Meyer says the real story at Colorado isn’t the diamond watches or sports-car entrances—it’s the discipline hiding behind the dazzle. Speaking on The Triple Option podcast after a recent visit to Boulder, Meyer urged skeptics to “look past the flash,” insisting that Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders has built a tightly run operation that reminds him of championship programs he’s seen up close.
Meyer admitted that the social-media glitz initially put him off. Yet once inside Colorado’s practice facility, he witnessed a two-hour workout he described as “all business.” Fast, efficient position drills, strict time management, and a visibly demanding head coach convinced him that Sanders is “tough on them” in the ways that matter—accountability, effort, and attention to detail. “I’ve walked out of other practices thinking, ‘This is awful; quit wasting time,’” Meyer said. “That wasn’t the case in Boulder.”
The early returns back up Meyer’s impression. Colorado stumbled to a 1-11 finish in 2022 under a previous staff, but Sanders’ first season produced a 4-8 record—respectable progress for a roster rebuilt by 50-plus transfers. The bigger leap arrived in 2024: a 9-4 campaign capped by the school’s first Alamo Bowl appearance and only its fourth bowl berth since 2006. Meyers pointed out that such a turnaround in just two seasons “doesn’t happen without structure.”
Sanders’ impact extends beyond the win column. Colorado hauled in a top-25 recruiting class in February, headlined by five-star quarterback Julian Lewis and former Liberty signal-caller Kaidon Salter. Meyer believes that influx of talent is drawn less by Sanders’ celebrity than by the “competitive, pro-style environment” he has installed. “Players talk,” Meyer noted. “They know when a locker room is serious.”
Critics continue to fixate on Sanders’ social-media presence and sponsorships, but Meyer’s endorsement underscores a growing consensus in coaching circles: behind the viral moments is a coach obsessed with maximizing practice reps, demanding punctuality and reinforcing fundamentals. If those habits persist, Meyer argues, the Buffaloes’ revival could be “built to last”—and the noise, for once, would match the substance.
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