LAS VEGAS – The phenomenon of Deion Sanders started early Wednesday morning at Big 12 Media Days. Before a network interview began in the bowels of Allegiant Stadium, Sanders directed a cameraman.
“Turn the [monitor] around for me and let me see the shot real quick, please” he directed.
Properly satisfied and situated in a sports jacket and hoodie on a 116-degree day (outside), Coach Prime then began using his inside voice to own the day, even if not the conference just yet.
You may not have gotten the memo, but until further notice, the face of the new Big 12 is a bankable brand endorser coming off a 4-8 season.
“Man, I love Deion,” gushed Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire, who coached Sanders’ son, Deion Jr., in high school. “He doesn’t make any excuses, and he doesn’t take anything back. He’s going to say what he believes in and say what he thinks.”
When Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy was asked who the new face of the league is without Texas and Oklahoma, he told CBS Sports, “It would probably be me, right?”
A case could be made. Along with Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz and Utah’s Kyle Whittingham, Gundy (19 years with the Cowboys) has the most seniority of any FBS current coach at a single school. Gundy has won 166 games and a Big 12 title.
Then it was suggested to Gundy that Sanders might be that face.
“He’s Taco Bell, Aflac, he’s got so many other things going on,” Gundy said of Sanders’ endorsements. “When it comes to just that football aspect of it, [I] would probably be an accurate answer.”
Gundy was speaking tongue-in-cheek for half that answer; the coaches mutually admire each other.
But he may be right. Don’t call Deion the face of the best team — or even the best program — in the Big 12. Think of Coach Prime in…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/deion-sanders-may-be-the-big-12s-top-entertainer-but-year-2-at-colorado-will-test-his-coaching-chops/
Author : Dennis Dodd
Publish date : 2024-07-10 22:04:37
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
