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What Deion Sanders said about Colorado football’s Week 1 matchup vs NDSU

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium.

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium.

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders speaks to the media during the Big 12 Media Days at Allegiant Stadium.

Deion Sanders is fully aware of the challenge that awaits the Colorado football team in Week 1.

North Dakota State is one of the most successful college football programs in the nation, winning nine NCAA Division I FCS national championships and exactly 90% of their games (172-19) since 2011. The Bison are ranked No. 2 in the FCS coaches poll to start the 2024 college football season.

“They’re good,” Sanders of NDSU at Big 12 media days in July. “They’re really darned good. And I’m mad at (athletic director) Rick (George) right now for putting them on the schedule, to open up with them. Like can you give me a layup or something? Those guys are wonderful. Their staff has always been amongst the best. Many people have matriculated from that staff to go to higher levels. Those kids play their butts off. They play tough. They don’t make many mistakes.

“They’re accustomed to winning. They don’t give a darned about being at home or on the road. That doesn’t faze them whatsoever. We just can’t wait to see it. It’s going to be a phenomenal game. Phenomenal matchup. But that program is second to none.”

NDSU went 11-4 and lost in the FCS semifinals last season after losing in the national championship game the year before, but the Bison are now led by an offensive-minded head coach for the first time in 20-plus years. Former Wyoming offensive coordinator Tim Polasek was named the head coach at NDSU in December, taking over for Matt Entz (2019-2023), who is now the linebackers coach at USC.

More: NDSU football assistant coach finds preparing for Colorado to be ‘super challenging’

Bison running game coordinator/offensive line coach Dan Larson was complimentary of Sanders and the Colorado football program ahead of next Thursday’s nationally televised (ESPN) matchup in Boulder.

“It’s been really impressive just how much positive attention he’s (Sanders) brought to the program,” Larson recently told the Coloradoan. “I think when you have people who have winning backgrounds, whether it’s been as a player or as a coach at Jackson State, there’s energy that comes with it. There are guys who come in with a different perspective and their perspective is never not about winning.

“You’re always impressed when you have guys who believe in what their vision is, go out and attack it the way that he’s attacked it in terms of putting his plan, staff and players together. He certainly came in with a belief system, his own identity, doesn’t back down from it and you have to respect anyone who goes about it in that manner.”

Here’s what Sanders had to say about the NDSU matchup when talking to local media on Saturday morning.

Deion Sanders on NDSU football coach Tim Polasek

“Coach Polasek is a wonderful coach,” Sanders said Saturday. “I have the utmost respect for he and his program and what he’s accomplished throughout his coaching career, coming over from Wyoming. This team (NDSU) will be prepared, disciplined and they will come to play.”

Deion Sanders on NDSU’s run-heavy offense, Colorado’s defensive line

“That’s why we revamped the roster to stop the run,” Sanders said. “The No. 1 thing was to be able to run the ball, protect Shedeur as well as to stop the run defensively. That’s what we sought out to do and we feel like we’ve done that.

“We don’t know how it’s going to play out. We figure we think we know how it’s going to play out but don’t underestimate the depth that we have at those positions. You never know from practice to practice who’s going to start. We have two phenomenal defensive line coaches (Damione Lewis, Warren Sapp) and you throw in Coach Dancy with the rushing ends and you have three phenomenal guys with a wealth of knowledge as well as experience. I’m excited about what I’ve seen in practice. I’m excited about what we’re going to see next Thursday because right now, these guys are tired of hitting each other. They want to hit some other colors right now.”

More: Deion Sanders says Colorado defense has ‘7 to 8’ future pros. Here’s who they could be

Deion Sanders on if NDSU’s history motivates Colorado football players

“I don’t think that (NDSU’s winning history) encourages them (Colorado players), I think who we are encourages them,” Sanders said. “Everybody knows that everybody wants to beat us and we want to beat everybody. That encourages them tremendously. They know they’re on national television and they know the world is watching. I think we had maybe five scouts out there today. Scouts are out there everyday watching practices so they see that kind of stuff.

“Regardless of who you place on the schedule, these guys want it. They want to go out there and dominate.”

Follow Colorado Buffaloes sports reporter Scott Procter on X.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: What Colorado football coach Deion Sanders said about matchup vs NDSU

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Publish date : 2024-08-24 07:17:00

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