"He Needs to Win": Deion Sanders' Friend Sounds Alarm Over His Future at Colorado

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Just three wins. Last season’s 3-9 record was a warning sign for Deion Sanders and Colorado. The Buffs head coach admitted his team got their “butts kicked” and accepted blame for what went wrong. Fate wasn’t on his side either, since his cancer diagnosis kept him away from the team from May last year until training camp. But the sad truth is the clock stops for no one.

Colorado has spent recent years fighting to stay afloat, and eventually, the only thing that may quiet the noise is winning. Sanders’ friend, Mark Schlereth, understands that pressure, and he has already warned the coach about what could happen if the wins don’t come.

“By telling the truth? He needs to win; otherwise, he won’t retain his job,” former NFL player Mark Schlereth wrote on X. “How is that being a bad friend?”

It started during an appearance on 104.3 The Fan, where Schlereth and former NFL player Brandon Stokley discussed the pressure on Sanders to keep his job. That did not sit well with one fan, who questioned Schlereth’s friendship with Sanders on X:

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“He may be a friend of yours, but you’re not being a friend to him right now.”

And Schlereth defended himself. Schlereth’s warning makes sense. Several big-name college football coaches were fired last season, and another losing year could put Sanders in the same spot.

Even coaches with years of success at their programs were shown the door, including James Franklin, Brian Kelly, Billy Napier, Mike Gundy, Hugh Freeze, and Mark Stoops.

That puts even more pressure on Sanders. Colorado lost dozens of players to the transfer portal, forcing him to rebuild the roster again. Now the challenge is simple: turn another new-look team into a winner.

Sanders is 16-21 at Colorado, and another losing season could push him closer to the edge. He is also rebuilding without key players such as edge rusher London Merrit, DT Brandon Davis-Swain, OT Jordan Seaton, and WR Omarion Miller, all of whom left through the transfer portal.

Colorado still has a real shot to rebound in 2026. Sanders brought in 42 transfers, including Texas wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr., Tennessee safety Boo Carter, and San Jose State receiver Danny Scudero, giving the Buffs a much-needed roster reset.

Plus, the coaching staff has changed too. Brennan Marion takes over as offensive coordinator with his “Go-Go” offense, built around multiple formations and more options for the attack, while Chris Marve steps in as defensive coordinator.

Marve’s biggest job is fixing the run defense. Colorado gave up 222.5 rushing yards per game in 2025, ranking 133rd out of 134 FBS teams. He will now have new pieces like Santana Hopper, Dylan Manuel, and Ezra Christensen to work with.

Colorado’s athletic director has also backed Sanders and the direction of the program.

“The belief is there. I can feel it when I’m around the program, and I hear the coaches talking and the players talking,” Fernando Lovo told The Denver Gazette in June. “A lot of times, that’s where it starts.

“Do you believe you can win at a high level? I can say, from my short time being here and being around the program, that they feel that way. There’s always growth. It’s not always linear, as they say.”

But the real question is, will these changes turn out the way Deion Sanders expects them to?

Fernando Lovo could pull the trigger on Sanders

Love has made it clear that he believes in both Sanders and the team. But there’s an important detail worth remembering: he wasn’t the one who hired Sanders or handed him the contract that keeps him in place through 2029 (former athletic director Rick George had hired him).

That support could change quickly if Colorado stumbles again. Love has the power to make a move, and Sanders’ buyout, which is a bit over $26 million, wouldn’t make it an easy call. It’s a hefty price tag, but for a program in need of a turnaround, it’s hardly an impossible one.

All that said, Sanders believes things are going to get better. And having quarterback Julian Lewis under center gives the Buffaloes another reason to stay hopeful.

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