The Evolution of Coach Prime

Even if you're not a Deion Sanders fan (or a University of Colorado football fan) I'd invite you to explore lessons in leadership based on his coaching journey over the last two years.

In 2022, the University of Colorado Buffaloes were not just the worst team in college football - they were historically bad.

The Buffs were the first team in college football history to lose their first four games by 25 points or more. Then the next week they became the first team in college football history to lose their first FIVE games by 25 or more. It's a bit of a miracle that they finished with a 1-11 record, actually (I think Cal would like to have that game back).

Enter Deion Sanders (also known as Coach Prime) as the University of Colorado Head Football Coach in December 2022.

Many knew Deion Sanders as the professional baseball player and Hall-of-Fame NFL defensive back who became the only athlete to ever play in both a Superbowl and a World Series.

Years after his playing days were over, he began his Division 1 football head coaching career at Jackson State in Mississippi in 2020, before being hired at CU.

The splash of Coach Prime's hire as the University of Colorado's head football coach was undeniable. It seemed to be all that the sports media could talk about, until anybody who wasn't a CU fan became sick of it. And when the Buffs won their first three games in the 2023 season, it seemed that the Buffs were on track for success with their new coach.

Around that time, I wrote a series of LinkedIn posts about the Coach Prime phenomenon (links at the bottom) and my observations about his approach to leadership. His impact - social and financial - on the University of Colorado and the town of Boulder was profound.

Then the Buffs lost seven of their next eight games. Despite orchestrating the biggest turnaround in Division I college football last year by reducing CU's margin of loss from over 30 points to 6 points and increasing total wins from one to four, Coach Prime's inaugural season in Boulder was roundly labeled a failure. Meanwhile, new coaches who oversaw less progress in their first seasons were identified as successes.

2024. A new season: Eight games into this season, The University of Colorado Buffaloes boast a 6-2 record, are nationally ranked, and have earned a trip to a bowl by winning their sixth game of the season last Saturday night.

What changed?

In my observation, Coach Prime shifted the focus from himself, and committed to building team and culture.

Before the 2023 season, Coach Prime frequently said, "We Coming!" boasting to our opponents that CU was a program on the rise. After the Buffs shocked defending Big 12 champions, TCU, in the first game of last season, Coach Prime famously announced "We ain't coming - we here!"

If my bias isn't clear already, I'll be up front that I'm a huge supporter of Coach Prime and a long-time fan of The University of Colorado. And yet, I remember feeling unsettled when Coach Prime announced the The Buffs were "here". From a coaching and leadership development perspective, I don't believe that we ever arrive - there is always opportunity to grow.

Also before the 2023 season, Coach Prime stated that he didn't care about culture. Now the context of the remark was perhaps more nuanced than it appeared on the surface, but I remember being concerned about any statement which might dismiss the value of culture.

A football player in a class I taught last year acknowledged that - though he loved and respected Coach Prime - he had observed him playing favorites with some players.

Coach Prime himself was ubiquitous, seemingly appearing on every radio and TV show and every commercial - direct and brash. I believe it's possible to be humble while also being confident and bold, and I think Coach Prime balances that better than most. Even so, I found myself wondering last year if maybe he wasn't a bit out-of-balance in the direction of in-your-face-confidence over humility. I dismissed my concern, because - if nothing else - Coach Prime is unapologetically direct, which is a trait I admire.

In sharp contrast to the 2023 season, Coach Prime has now comparatively faded far more into the background (commercials aside). Of course as a head coach he is required to conduct press conferences and appear at media events, but I've noticed that when he does, he is somewhat understated.

Initially criticized for encouraging players to leave the 1-11 team he inherited in 2022, Coach Prime now celebrates those players that stayed with the team. Those players wear "OB" on their jerseys, signifying "Original Buffs". In an emotional moment, Coach Prime awarded one of those Original Buffs - Charlie Offerdahl - a scholarship (he was formerly a walk-on) to honor his hard work and commitment.

In the off-season, the Buffs focused on bonding as a team. Even as many new players were brought in, team-focused activities like training with a Naval Special Warfare group and Marines, as well as nature-based retreats, demonstrated a shift in priorities to team culture.

As an observer, it appears to me that the Buffs have transitioned from a collection of individuals to a cohesive team that has created a culture of sacrifice.

Some examples:

• The appointment of a team player spokesperson (known as "The Governor")
• More focus on the whole player beyond just their athletic contribution. In a recent address to the team Coach Prime called football a "silly game" when addressing a player's health in front of the rest of the team
• Inclusion of linemen with the skill players in press conferences
• Shedeur Sanders (Coach Prime's son and the Buffs' quarterback) by all accounts should be a Heisman Trophy contender. He sits near the top of all national QB rankings with nearly 2600 yards passing and 24 touchdowns through eight games. However, he redirects all Heisman discussion towards his teammate Travis Hunter
• On Saturday, immediately after achieving bowl eligibility, Coach Prime and the entire team called Peggy, a 99-year-old lifelong CU fan, to share the news with her (she was sick at home with COVID). I'm almost certain that Coach Prime would have done this last year too (he really loves Peggy), but I wanted to slip that story in.

What's next?

We can't know how the remaining four games on the Buffs' schedule will play out. But CU will likely be favored in all of them.

Evolution and Leadership

My biggest takeaway as an observer is that the turnaround of the CU football team is nothing short of remarkable.

Coach Prime showed up as a powerful and inspirational leader when he took the job nearly two years ago. However, I believe that - perhaps more than any other quality - his willingness to evolve, grow and change as a leader is what enabled the Buff's amazing progress. By focusing on his own growth as a leader, he has created critical improvements on the field, and even more importantly, in the lives of the players he coaches.

Previous Coach Prime Leadership Posts:

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_primetimeleadership-activity-7109959960200974338-3lzG?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_coach-prime-walks-98-year-old-superfan-on-activity-7110267822714363904-WVM0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_primetimeleadership-activity-7110587770967912448-RK0G?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_primetimeleadership-activity-7110958662734553088-AcAu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_primetimeleadership-activity-7112088442804568064-Vt6L?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_tiktok-tanner-phifer-activity-7112443485374337026-2-iC?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_coach-prime-taking-it-all-in-thank-you-activity-7112843892286242816-oSMZ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_primetimeleadership-activity-7115777064242188290-UgOn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

https://www.dhirubhai.net/posts/walt-morgan_david-talks-buffs-on-x-activity-7119496929146785792-j4x3?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop