Colorado Buffaloes Football Team Faces Challenges With Transfer Portal

Not all seems to be rocking in Boulder.

Since early March, 14 Colorado Buffaloes football team players have announced they are leaving to enter the transfer portal. Players transferring and taking advantage of the portal isn’t surprising—much of the college football world faces the same issue. Coach Deion Sanders isn’t ruffled by the current roster news, however.

“We’re good,” Sanders said during a spring practice news conference. “I trust the recruiting team. I trust our coaches, and please have some faith in me.”

Sanders criticized media people who emphasized the Buffaloes having players exit the team via the transfer portal. “I wish you guys would do a little more homework when you start talking about the portal and understand what we’re losing,” he said. “What are we losing? I have time today. What are we losing?”

One high-ceiling player leaving Colorado is last year’s top cornerback recruit, Cormani McClain. In his freshman campaign, McClain only started four games, reportedly due to work ethic problems. Sanders continued to point out that some of these highly-ranked recruits leaving might not be starting-caliber after all.

“When a guy’s a starter, and he transfers, you’ve got to think about that. Is he that?” Sanders said. “I don’t know how many starters have transferred around the country. I think we’ve got some coming in for visits pretty soon, maybe even this weekend.”

Colorado is coming off a highly-publicized 2023 campaign, due to Sanders’ arrival as head coach and massive roster upheaval. The roster additions included Deion’s sons, Shilo (safety) and Shedeur (quarterback), as well as cornerback and wide receiver Travis Hunter Jr.

The Buffaloes started the year strong, with surprising wins against TCU, Nebraska and Colorado State. However, that 3-0 start fizzled after the offensive line faltered around Shedeur, and the secondary ran out of gas against high-octane offenses like USC and Oregon. The team ended up finishing 4-8 and without a spot in a bowl game.

This off-season, the team aims for more depth on defense and the offensive line as they seek a bowl game appearance for the first time since 2020. With the Buffaloes returning to the Big 12 Conference and more roster changes, everything will be slightly different as the regular season rolls around in August. 

Article by Benji Ferraro