Deion Sanders insists he ‘most definitely’ was interested in USF
Had it not been for an external factor or two, Deion Sanders’ stampede on the college football landscape might — just might — have been accompanied by Rocky the Bull instead of Ralphie the Buffalo.
In an interview Friday with longtime friend (and WWBA-820 AM radio host) Bubba “The Love Sponge” Clem, Coach Prime insisted USF was a serious contender for his services before he accepted the job at Colorado.
“Oh definitely,” Sanders told Clem. “I mean, those (USF) guys that came down to meet with us, along with (Pro Football Hall of Famer) Derrick Brooks, they did a fantastic job of really highlighting the program, and it was awesome.
“So most definitely. That was no game, that was real. That was authentic. And the plans that they showed me on what’s coming there, shoot, it’s unbelievable. Like, the campus and the new stadium and how that’s going to be, it is strictly unbelievable.”
A Fort Myers native who helped transform Jackson State into a Football Championship Subdivision power (27-6 record in three years), Sanders indicated he and his staff did a thorough analysis of USF prior to his interview with Bulls officials. His “book” on the Bulls included the current roster as well as “what your roster could be, the recruits now, who we know we could get — everything.”
He accepted the job at Colorado early last December. The No. 18 Buffaloes, who host in-state rival Colorado State tonight, have taken the college football world by storm.
The Bulls, still on track to open their on-campus stadium in 2026, hired Tennessee offensive coordinator Alex Golesh, whose team is 1-1 entering today’s nationally-televised contest against Alabama. The Bulls currently possess the nation’s second-fastest offense (3.03 plays per minute), according to 247Sports.
“(The Bulls) were in it,” Sanders said.
“They were definitely in it, because of the location as well, and the opportunity to recruit. But I also knew that the three big boys in the state — being Florida State, Florida and Miami — they would always use the Power Five thing against me recruiting and all of that.”
Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls.
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