Colorado head coach Deion Sanders returns to his old stomping grounds from more than three decades ago when he was known as “Prime Time.”
Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key made sure to acknowledge that ahead of Thursday’s game against Colorado in Atlanta. Sanders was a star defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons during his Hall of Fame NFL career, and he played baseball for the Atlanta Braves.
“I mean, Deion’s the biggest sports celebrity probably to ever play in the town, in the city of Atlanta. He’s coming back home. I’ve equated it kind of like, ‘Hey, say Tom Brady’s coaching North Carolina and he’ll play BC [Boston College].’ Right? I mean, it’s a big deal,” Key told reporters on Tuesday.
“And, especially for somebody that grew up in the 80s, I mean, golly,” Key added. “He was … the top of the top, the premier guy … that, you know, everybody wanted to be when they were growing up. Baseball, football, … just the persona that was created around him. So all those things are big.”
Sanders, a Florida native, played for the Falcons from 1989 to 1993 and the Braves from 1991 to 1994. With the Braves, he had 22 home runs and batted .277 in 292 games. For the Falcons, Sanders had 24 interceptions and three defensive touchdowns in 70 games.
Deion Sanders Sends Message on New Coordinators
Sanders hired new offensive and defensive coordinators to help turn things around in Boulder this year. The Buffaloes needed a boost after a 3-9 season in 2025, and Colorado ranked below 110 for both points scored and allowed last year.
Offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve will look to flip those numbers into the upper end of the national rankings. Marion has formerly coached Sacramento State in the FCS, and Marve last served on Virginia Tech’s staff.
“They’re not new to this; they’re true to this,” Sanders told reporters on Tuesday. “They’re not going to be blinded by light or enamored with the stage. These guys are ready. I’m telling you. The whole darn staff is good. I’m comfortable. I’m comfortable with what we’re going to Atlanta with.”
Deion Sanders Lays Out Expectations
Despite a two-way Heisman Trophy winner in 2024, defense hasn’t been a hallmark at all for Sanders in his Colorado tenure. The Buffaloes were 42nd in the nation at best in points allowed in 2024, and he’s looking for major improvements right away when the new season kicks off.
“I want to see how we get to the ball defensively because Marve has them flying to the ball,” Sanders told reporters. “I want to see the explosiveness of some of the backs we have because we’ve been seeing it.”
Colorado, meanwhile, needs to get back on track after a down year in 2025 with former quarterback Shedeur Sanders and former wide receiver and Heisman winner Travis Hunter off to the NFL. Deion Sanders expressed his confidence that things are trending in the right direction ahead of the Georgia Tech matchup.
“Our offensive linemen are doing a wonderful job doing in the run as well as the pass game and making the quick decisions to get the ball to these playmakers,” Sanders said. “We’ve got some guys that are really fast, man. They can go.”
“They can change the dynamics of a game instantaneously, we have to get the ball to them and let them do what they do,” he added. “So I’m excited.”
Deion Sanders Receives High Praise From Georgia Tech Coach