Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Deion Sanders in attendance before the CFP national championship game between the TCU Horned Frogs and Georgia Bulldogs at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports Jan 9, 2023; Inglewood, CA, USA; Deion Sanders in attendance before the CFP national championship game between the TCU Horned Frogs and Georgia Bulldogs at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Say this much about new Colorado Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders… he has a unique way of doing things.

Sanders created headlines last week by kicking a player out of practice for wearing the wrong types of socks. With Sanders, how players carry themselves in every facet of the game is important—right down to the socks.

Sanders believes that everything must be earned inside his program, which apparently extends to the numbers his players wear.

Sanders’ latest innovation is forcing his players to wear blank jerseys for practice.

“For the numbers you desire, and a lot of you guys desire numbers that ain’t you,” Sanders said. “What I mean by that, a lineman is not wearing a single digit. That’s not going to happen up under me. That’s not going to happen. And if you ain’t that guy, you’re not wearing a single digit. Back in the day, when we came up, [those that wore] single digits was that guy. Right? It was Him. It was who he was. How can you ask for Number 1 and you ain’t the one?”

Sanders then asked specific players which number they wanted. If another play also desired that number, Sanders made it clear that those players were now in direct competition for the number.

Only time will tell how the motivational tactic works for Sanders’ Buffaloes. But his track record bodes good things.

[Barstool Colorado]