Connect with us

Published

on

BOULDER, Colo. — Colorado coach Deion Sanders reiterated his commitment to the Buffaloes program after the spring game Saturday, saying he had no plans to leave to follow his sons to the NFL.

Sanders made his comments after his second spring game as Colorado head coach, in which his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, played a handful of series during a one-hour scrimmage on a cold, wet day. Shedeur and Shilo are set to play their final collegiate seasons, with Shedeur projected to be one of the top quarterbacks available in the 2025 NFL draft.

Colorado has picked up multiple commitments from prospects in the class of 2025, including two on Saturday. Sanders was asked what he tells players and parents in future classes about questions regarding his long-term future at Colorado.

“I tell them the truth,” Sanders said. “I tell them I’m a father, not a baby daddy. I don’t follow my kids. I pave roads for my kids. I build generational wealth for my kids. I lead my kids. I don’t follow my kids. So I do not plan on following my kids to the NFL. I have work to do here.

“I absolutely love it here, and I would never think a young brother from the South would really love it in this part of the country, but I really do. … The fan base that we have here … I just want to really bless you with a tremendously successful team. I really do. That’s my heart.”

This spring game did not have as much of the fanfare surrounding it as last year’s. Colorado had a sold-out crowd of more than 47,000 people at its spring game in 2023, which was played during a snowstorm.

Following Sanders’ 4-8 debut season, Colorado distributed 28,424 tickets for Saturday’s game, the second-largest crowd in school spring game history. Colorado branded an entire Black & Gold weekend, with a talent show earlier in the week and a concert featuring Lil Wayne later Saturday.

Just before the game started, Sanders took the microphone and thanked the crowd for braving the elements.

He had a special message for 99-year-old Colorado superfan Peggy Coppom, somewhere in the crowd: “Our goal is, we’re going to get you to a bowl game, lady.”

Asked why he felt confident in making that prediction, Sanders said he has seen progress in the players the program has added. For the second straight season, Colorado has used the transfer portal to reshape its roster; more than 40 players have exited the program, while more than 30 have either enrolled or committed since November.

“The progress that we’ve made is it’s another caliber player that’s playing, a player that truly expects to go to the next level, meaning the NFL,” Sanders said. “These young men want to practice. They want to have each other’s back. They want the physicality. They want all the smoke, so to speak.

“I love what we’re building in this locker room, and if you’re not a part of that thought process or that desire, you don’t fit. So now you see the gallop to the portal, you see that, but even with those guys, I wish them the best.”

One of the incoming players, FAU transfer wide receiver LaJohntay Wester, stood out in the handful of series the starters played. The scrimmage portion of the game lasted an hour, with Shedeur Sanders playing three series, mostly targeting Travis Hunter and Wester. Colorado also debuted a completely revamped offensive line, with five new starters after the Buffaloes gave up 56 sacks a year ago — second worst in the nation. Among the starting five was highly touted five-star freshman Jordan Seaton at left tackle.

Sanders went 10-of-14 for 116 yards with a touchdown. Wester had 66 yards and a touchdown. And Hunter and Wester combined on seven of the 10 completions.

Colorado had several recruits and portal prospects in attendance Saturday, with plans to add more players in the coming days and weeks. Coach Sanders said he has no sales pitch to prospects considering coming to play for him.

“I don’t have anything to sell,” he said. “I don’t sell them dreams. I don’t sell them hope. I tell them everything they get, they’re going to have to earn. I don’t promise you a number. I’m not promising you a position. I’m not promising you to start. We don’t sugarcoat anything. We’re not babying you. We’re not going to hold your hand. You have 127 years of NFL experience up under this roof. It’s on you.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Journalism opens as 8-5 favorite for Preakness

Published

on

By

Journalism opens as 8-5 favorite for Preakness

HALETHORPE, Md. — Journalism is the morning line favorite for the 150th running of the Preakness Stakes.

The Kentucky Derby runner-up to Sovereignty opened at odds of 8-5 on Monday night when post positions were drawn for the middle leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. Journalism is again set to be ridden by jockey Umberto Rispoli and leave the starting gate from the No. 2 post.

Post time is set for 7:01 p.m. EDT on Saturday.

No. 7 Sandman is the 4-1 second choice in the field of nine, which does not include Sovereignty after his owners and trainer decided not to run the Derby winner two weeks after his triumph at Churchill Downs. The Preakness goes on without a true shot at a Triple Crown winner for a fifth time in seven years since Justify swept all three races in 2018.

Bob Baffert, who trained Justify and 2015 Triple Crown champion American Pharoah, is entering Goal Oriented looking for a record-extending ninth victory in the race. Fellow Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas can tie Baffert if he wins the Preakness back-to-back, this time with American Promise a year after Seize the Grey ended Mystik Dan’s Triple Crown bid.

There are three Derby horses running in the $2 million Preakness at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore: Journalism, American Promise and Sandman, the latter of whom will be ridden by John Velazquez for trainer Mark Casse. American Promise drew the No. 3 post and opened at odds of 15-1.

New to the Triple Crown trail, along with No. 1 Goal Oriented (6-1), are No. 4 Heart of Honor (12-1), No. 5 Pay Billy (20-1), No. 6 River Thames (9-2), No. 8 Clever Again (5-1) and No. 9 Gosger (20-1).

Continue Reading

Sports

U.S. shut out by Switzerland at hockey worlds

Published

on

By

U.S. shut out by Switzerland at hockey worlds

HERNING, Denmark — Switzerland, last year’s runner-up, shut out the United States 3-0 and handed the Americans their first loss at the ice hockey world championship Monday.

Damien Riat, Jonas Siegenthaler and Dean Kukan scored in the Group B game in Herning. Netminder Leonardo Genoni stopped 23 shots for the shutout.

“Give credit to Switzerland,” U.S. coach Ryan Warsofsky said. “But I know our group has a lot more in them. We’ll regroup and get ready to play Norway.”

Riat put Switzerland ahead with 7:14 remaining in the first period, redirecting the puck into the goal from the air. It was the first goal the U.S. conceded at the tournament.

The second followed 3:13 later by Siegenthaler from the blue line. Kukan’s came halfway through the final period from the top of the left circle.

“After the first goal we did a better job,” Swiss forward Kevin Fiala said. “We got into it more and more, and shut them out.”

Fiala recorded an assist in his first game at the worlds. He joined the Swiss late after his Los Angeles Kings were eliminated from the NHL playoffs in the first round.

U.S. goalie Joey Daccord made 24 saves.

The U.S., which beat Denmark 5-0 and Hungary 6-0 in its first two games, will next face Norway on Wednesday.

In other games, Martin Necas had two goals and David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists as the defending champion Czech Republic used a four-goal middle period to ease past Denmark 7-2.

Nick Olesen also had a goal and an assist for Denmark.

In Stockholm, Sweden topped archrival Finland 2-1 on goals from Leo Carlsson and Jonas Brodin for a third victory in regulation from three games.

Austria defeated Slovakia 3-2 in a penalty shootout.

Continue Reading

Sports

Leafs’ Domi fined $5K for hit to Panthers’ Barkov

Published

on

By

Leafs' Domi fined K for hit to Panthers' Barkov

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Domi was fined $5,000 — the maximum amount allowed by the league’s collective bargaining agreement — for boarding Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov as time expired in Game 4 of their second-round Eastern Conference playoff series Sunday.

Toronto was trailing 2-0 when the final buzzer sounded, and Domi hit Barkov from behind, sending him headfirst into the boards. Domi was given a minor penalty for boarding at the time while several other scrums broke out before officials moved players off the ice.

Florida’s victory evened the best-of-seven series at 2-all. Game 5 is set for Wednesday in Toronto.

Toronto coach Craig Berube didn’t comment on the Domi hit directly Monday, but he did say he thought Dmitry Kulikov‘s hit on Mitch Marner “was way worse”

On that play, the Panthers defenseman caught Marner up high with an elbow, leaving the Leafs forward momentarily dazed. No penalty was called on Kulikov.

It wasn’t the first elbowing incident to draw attention in the series.

In Game 1, Panthers forward Sam Bennett sent an elbow to the head of Leafs netminder Anthony Stolarz shortly before Stolarz left the game. He was later hospitalized for further evaluation and hasn’t been able to resume skating since. There is currently no timeline for his return.

The physical intensity of the series might continue to rise now that it’s down to being a best-of-three. Based on how Game 4 played out, the Leafs are prepared to push back when they host Florida on Wednesday.

“We expected [the physicality], and I think we’re fine with it,” Berube said. “We’re handling it. We’re physical. I thought we were the more physical team [in Game 4].”

Continue Reading

Trending