Deion Sanders, son respond to social media criticisms over how coach handled transfers at Colorado
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his quarterback son, Shedeur, have taken to social media in response to a transfer being critical of how players were treated at the school.
Former Buffaloes defensive back Xavier Smith said in a recent article published by The Athletic that Deion Sanders “never even tried to get to know me,” and that he “was destroying guys’ confidence and belief in themselves.”
Shedeur Sanders responded on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, by saying he didn't remember Smith. Sanders posted, "Bro had to be very mid at best.”
Smith was hampered by injuries for the Buffaloes. He earned freshman All-America honors at FCS Austin Peay in 2023 and has since followed coach Scotty Walden to UTEP.
Last fall, Smith told The Associated Press: “We all have expectations of a coach, and I just feel like those expectations weren’t met.”
The Shedeur Sanders post sparked back-and-forth exchanges that amplified Smith's complaints.
Colorado receiver Kaleb Mathis posted a video of himself getting the better of Smith in a practice last spring, and Smith’s Austin Peay teammate, Jaheim Ward, noted that Mathis had just 38 receiving yards last season.
That tweet led to Ward’s career stats at the FCS school getting posted (36 tackles over the past three seasons), prompting Deion Sanders to state “Lawd Jesus” in a tweet above a screenshot of Ward’s stats.
When someone took issue with Shedeur Sanders' social media behavior and the Buffaloes' 4-8 record last season, the coach defended his QB son by saying. "He will be a top 5 pick. Where yo son going? Lololol I got time today. Lololol.”
Deion Sanders Jr., who chronicles the team through “Well off Media,” posted above a comment soon after the Athletic article: "That’s why we run our own media and control our own narrative.”
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
