Colorado coach Deion Sanders and his son, Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, certainly aren't afraid to get mixed up on social media. The pair have spent a good portion of this week defending their program from outside criticism, some of which has come from former players who transferred out.
It all started when The Athletic published an exposé documenting the experiences of former Colorado players who left the program in 2022 ahead of Sanders' first season in Boulder. Ex-defensive back Xavier Smith told The Athletic that Sanders "never tried to get to know him" and recommended he entered the portal.
That put Shedeur on the offensive.
"Ion even remember him [Smith] tbh. Bro had to be very mid at best," Sanders tweeted in response to The Athletic's story.
Ion even remember him tbh. Bro had to be very mid at best. https://t.co/qwK48Ys0Et
— Shedeur Sanders (@ShedeurSanders) April 30, 2024
Shedeur's post drew wide criticism from fans and some players alike. Eventually, "Coach Prime" joined in to defend his son.
"He will be a top 5 pick. Where yo son going ? Lololol I got time today. Lololol" Sanders tweeted.
Replying to Shedeur's initial comments, Colorado wide receiver Kaleb Mathis uploaded a video in which he apparently beats Smith, who transferred to Austin Peay in 2023, in a one-on-one, routes-on-air practice rep. Eastern Kentucky defensive back Jaheim Ward responded to Mathis' now-deleted post by writing: "Bruh you had 38 yards last year stop trying to down play [sic] somebody."
Ward played with Smith at Austin Peay in 2023 before transferring to Eastern Kentucky during the transfer portal's winter window. A fan account replied to Ward with a screenshot of his stats from the 2023 season, showing he logged 20 total tackles and four pass deflections. That drew Deion back into the mix.
"Lawd Jesus" Sanders wrote.
Lawd Jesus https://t.co/WVIBSUE14X
— COACH PRIME (@DeionSanders) May 1, 2024
Ward fired the last salvo in this seemingly concluded social media beef, quoting Sanders with his own screenshot featuring Colorado defensive back Shilo Sanders' -- another of Deion's sons -- statistics from the 2023 season.
"Damm it's crazy I got more pass deflections then [sic] your son," Ward wrote, with two added clown emojis for emphasis.
Colorado did have another busy offseason, particularly in relation to the transfer portal. Forty-one players exited via the portal through the winter and spring windows, but the Buffaloes bolstered their ranks with 35 new additions from other college programs.
