Deion Sanders claps back at criticism from Pitt head coach: ‘I don’t know who he is’
Sanders was hired by Colorado in December
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The University of Colorado hired Deion Sanders to change the culture of a program that has finished the year with a winning record just once in the past 17 years.
"Coach Prime" has overseen a massive overhaul since becoming the head coach, with around 70 players entering the transfer portal, according to The Athletic.
Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi walks on the sidelines during an college football game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the University of Miami Hurricanes on Nov. 26, 2022 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
While Sanders has the support of those at Colorado, not everyone in college football is impressed with how he is going about it, including Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi, who was critical of Sanders methods in an interview with 247 Sports last month.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Sanders said he is not bothered by the criticism.
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"What was his situation when he came to Pitt? He had a different situation than me," Sanders told 247 Sports when asked about Narduzzi’s criticism of his roster overhaul.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"He is not mad at me, he is mad at the situation in football now that allowed his best player to leave a year ago. He’s not mad at me, he’s using me to shoot bullets at another coach who he has an issue with. I don’t know who he is; if he walked in here right now I wouldn’t know him."
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Narduzzi said Sanders' overhaul looks bad on all college coaches.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"That's not the way it's meant to be," Narduzzi told 247Sports at the ACC's spring meetings in May. "That's not what the rule intended to be. It was not to overhaul your roster. We'll see how it works out but that, to me, looks bad on college football coaches across the country. The reflection is on one guy right now but when you look at it overall – those kids that have moms and dads and brothers and sisters and goals in life – I don't know how many of those 70 that left really wanted to leave or they were kicked in the butt to get out."
Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Deion Sanders speaks to members of the media about National Signing Day during a press conference at the Dal Ward Athletic Center in Boulder on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. Sanders spoke about signing new players to the football team for the upcoming season. (Matthew Jonas/MediaNews Group/Boulder Daily Camera via Getty Images)
The roster flip has been helped by an NCAA rule that allows first-year head coaches to cut players from the roster, though the university must honor the players' scholarships.
Narduzzi was not happy with the way Sanders is using the rule.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi watches the players practice on the field before a college football game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the University of Miami Hurricanes on Nov. 26, 2022 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
"I grew up in a profession that you can't tell a guy that he has to leave based on athletic ability," Narduzzi said. "I think he'll be shocked that he probably had some pretty good football players in that room. When I got to Pitt back in 2015, I didn't kick anybody off. Zero. Those are your guys. When you become a head coach you inherit that team and you coach that team. If someone wants to leave, that's great. You don't kick them out. I disagree with that whole process. That's not why I got in the game."
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Despite some questioning his methods, Sanders does have Colorado back in the spotlight as he approaches his first season at the FBS level.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Buffaloes will open the 2023 college football season against TCU on FOX as part of the network’s "Big Noon Saturday" telecast.