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FRISCO, Texas -- In the wake of Colorado's 3-9 season in which Deion Sanders admitted Colorado got its "butts kicked," the coach declared confidence in the Buffaloes' ability to turn things around in 2026.
In his mind, they already have.
"It's already turned," he said Tuesday.
"You just ain't seen the fruit.
It's already there." Colorado is coming off a dismal season in which it lost seven of its final eight games, went 1-8 in league play and finished No.
112 in the country in total offense and No.
121 in total defense.
Sanders accepted blame for some of that, pointing out that his cancer diagnosis took him away from the team from May last year until training camp.
He also said he wasn't the best version of himself as he recovered from bladder cancer surgery.
He said that even though he was with the Buffalos, he didn't have the "quickness" of "being free of thought" because of the sickness.
"And that's where I was," he said.
"So, I'm putting that on me.
I'm putting that on me, that it was some holes that I saw that I didn't make the adjustments on.
I should have shot some things early on." When asked if he felt healthy enough to keep coaching for a long time, Sanders said he did, then added: "Let's not talk about tomorrow.
We got today at hand.
Yeah.
I'm going to focus on it now.
When I'm [at] my best, I focus on it now and I dominate the now.
Then I deal with the next day." Colorado struggled through last season with unreliable quarterback play and a run defense that ranked No.
133 out of 134 teams in major college football.
Another roster overhaul -- 66 new players are aboard -- and changes at both offensive and defensive coordinator have given Sanders optimism that the results will be much different in 2026.
He was dismissive of no Colorado players making preseason All-Big 12 from the league, calling the list "little bull jack" and declaring that preseason accolades "don't mean nothing." Sanders said there's not pressure coming off a dismal season.
"I apply pressure, man, I don't subscribe to it," he said.
He noted that many of Colorado's games came down to a few plays going the wrong way.
"I feel as though we have the personnel as well as the staff to make those adjustments that we could have been victorious," he said.
"So, we have that now.
I'm happy about it." Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion comes from the head coaching job at Sacramento State, and defensive coordinator Chris Marve got promoted when Robert Livingston left for the Denver Broncos.
Both bring a track record of success, but there's uncertainly on what to expect because of the personnel overhaul.
The key for Colorado on offense will be second-year quarterback Julian Lewis, a former blue-chip recruit who enrolled early and started two games last season -- losses to West Virginia and Arizona State.
Sanders expressed optimism about Lewis' future, saying the quarterback has "a ceiling that's unbelievable." To get there, consistency will be important, and the coach expressed optimism that San Jose State transfer Danny Scudero, who led the nation in receiving yards last year, can emerge as a reliable target.
(Sanders called former New England Patriots star Julian Edelman to connect him with Scudero, as he is a player Scudero has tried to emulate.) Colorado could end up with 11 new starters on defense, which is likely a positive.
Sanders did express concern about the stoutness of Colorado at defensive tackle, which could loom large when the Buffaloes open against Georgia Tech.
The Yellow Jackets feature a strong commitment to the run game and one of the country's top tailbacks in Michigan transfer Justice Haynes.
Sanders said he is looking forward to the opener, which will be Thursday, Sept.
3, in Atlanta.
"I can't wait to get to Atlanta," he said.
"We have curfew on the coaches, not the players.".