Former Colorado Buffaloes tight end Christian Fauria did not hold back on his criticisms of Colorado coach Deion Sanders. Here's what Fauria got right and wrong about the 'Coach Prime' era in Boulder.
this week. Fauria ripped current Colorado coach Deion Sanders, saying that he isn’t a fan of “Coach Prime” and his coaching style.Dec 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Legendary football and baseball player and father of Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders, Deion Sanders on the sidelines prior to a game against the Buffalo Bills at Huntington Bank Field.
Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images Christian Fauria played for Colorado from 1990-1994 as a tight end. He had 1,058 receiving yards and 11 receiving touchdowns before being selected in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. His NFL career spanned from 1995-2007.“I just don’t like the way he coaches football. I don’t think he’s very bright. I don’t think he can manage a game. I think there’s a lot of flash but I think there’s no substance…He’s got a lot of people brainwashed,” Fauria said. “I’m not a fan of him. I’m not a fan of his coaching style. Not of fan of his messaging. There’s a lot of things internally that I know about that I’m not a fan of.” Fauria then said that it wasn’t worth his energy to go back and forth arguing with fans who support Deion “regardless of how stupid he is sometimes.” Fauria called out fans who get excited about the Buffs becoming more relevant in the national scene; whether it be with TV ratings, or new stadium amenities."I don't like the way he coaches FB. I don't think he's very bright. There's a lot of flash & no substance. All your victories are hollow. The emperor has no clothes crowd that support him"“If that is what gets you going, then good for you,” Fauria said. “All your victories are hollow in my book if all you care about is relevancy. They are hollow. They mean nothing. Win the Big 12.”Nov 25, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders on the field against the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images In two of Deion’s seasons in Boulder, the Buffaloes has failed to make a bowl game by going 4-8 in 2023 and 3-9 in 2025. Despite this, Colorado has still been one of the most watched and talked about teams in the country. That is without a doubt because of Deion’s draw. Having more attention doesn’t equate to more wins and that’s clearly been the case in 2023 and 2025. Fauria is entitled to his opinion on the style of coaching Deion possesses, but he is correct in saying that claiming a "victory" strictly because of relevancy is hollow.Nov 29, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders hugs Colorado Buffaloes place kicker Alejandro Mata during the fourth quarter after an extra point against the Kansas State Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images Deion Sanders took over a program that was struggling mightily and he injected life into it right away. Having Deion has been a net positive to this point for the school as the interest has resulted in more people enrolling and attending games. Additionally, Colorado had their best season since 2016 with Deion in 2024 so not all of these victories have been “hollow.” If another season or two passes with Colorado being at the bottom of the Big 12 again, then this conversation can be revisited. However for now, the program is in a better spot than it was the day “Coach Prime” arrived.Dec 28, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders walks on the field between plays during the first quarter against the Brigham Young Cougars at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Colorado hired Deion Sanders after a 1-11 2022 season. It was considered by many to be a very outside the box hire, with Deion not having any experience coaching at the FBS level and making the jump to a power conference. The first season was a mixed bag, with Colorado starting off 3-0, but losing eight of their final nine games to finish with a record of 4-8. Year two under “Coach Prime” in 2024 was a massive success. The Buffs won nine games and were right on the cusp of making it into the Big 12 title game. Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy and quarterback Shedeur Sanders won the Big 12 Offensive Player of the year. Both were selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. 2025 was a struggle as Colorado went 3-9, never quite filling the void left by their best players from the season prior. As the Buffaloes enter 2026, they hope to get back to where they were in the 2024 season by hitting on their incoming players in the transfer portal and changes within their coaching standoff.Cory Pappas is sports writer for USC Trojans On SI and Oregon Ducks On SI. Since starting in March of 2024, he has been writing breaking news stories, game previews, game recaps, and more across College Sports, the NFL, MLB, NBA, and Olympics for Total Apex Sports. In addition to writing, Cory is also a sports data scout for Sportradar. He covers live sporting events ranging from college athletics to semi-pro and professional. Before joining the industry, Cory graduated from the University of Oregon in 2022. He ran track for Oregon's club Track and Field team. Before Oregon, he played varsity basketball and track and field in high school in Walnut Creek, CA. Cory is using his lifelong passion for sports and writing together.
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