Deion Sanders officially named head coach at Colorado

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After long speculation, Deion Sanders is officially the new head football coach at the University of Colorado.

Sanders had reportedly informed his Jackson State players of the decision, and the school made the announcement shortly after.

"There were a number of highly qualified and impressive candidates interested in becoming the next head football coach at Colorado, but none of them had the pedigree, the knowledge and the ability to connect with student-athletes like Deion Sanders," Colorado athletic director Rick George said in a statement. 

"Not only will Coach Prime energize our fan base, I'm confident that he will lead our program back to national prominence while leading a team of high quality and high character."  

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JSU's Deion "Prime" Sanders talks with his team after the conclusion of the annual spring football game. (Aron Smith/University Communications/Jackson State University via Getty Images)

"Deion Sanders' stature transcends sports, and his hiring elevates not only the football program but the university as a whole," said CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano.

"I'm thankful Deion has chosen to join our Buffalo family and I applaud Rick George for a truly inspired choice. This is an exciting new chapter in the long, storied history of Colorado football and I look forward to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our students, supporters and fans to cheer on "Coach Prime" and our student-athletes next fall," DiStefano added.

Jackson State head football coach Deion Sanders talks with ESPN commentators during the pre-game show prior to JSU's NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision game against Southern University at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on Oct. 29, 2022 in Jackson, Miss. (Aron Smith/Jackson State University via Getty Images)

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Prime Time - now known as Coach Prime - revitalized the Jackson State program, leading the Tigers to a record of 27-5 in his three seasons as head coach of the FCS program. His final game as their head coach was a 43-24 win over Southern in the SWAC Championship on Saturday, completing a 12-0 season. It was their second consecutive conference title.

Sanders and his team were making calls to potential staff members and one player in the transfer portal before he took the job.

Of course, Sanders made a name for himself as a Hall of Fame cornerback - he also played in a World Series.

Now, he's a two-time SWAC Coach of the Year and will almost immediately be put to the test - his first game as the Buffaloes' head coach will be against TCU, who entered Saturday ranked third in the country.

Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders speaks to media and fans after defeating Florida A&M 7-6 during the Orange Blossom Classic at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 5, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Daniel A. Varela/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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The Colorado program has fallen on hard times, and it fired head coach Karl Dorrell after an 0-5 start to the season.

The Buffs ended their 2022 campaign 1-8 in the Pac-12 and were blown out by Utah in their final game, 63-21. 

Fox News' Joe Morgan contributed to this report.