Colorado fielded 10 players instead of 11 on two separate field-goal block attempts this season, and Deion Sanders confirmed this week the program is actively searching for a special teams coordinator. The errors occurred during live game action. No penalties were called because having too few players is legal—just suboptimal when you're trying to block a kick.
The Buffaloes currently operate without a dedicated special teams coordinator. Sanders has delegated third-phase responsibilities across position coaches, a common structure in programs with constrained support-staff budgets. Colorado's on-field product this season has been competitive—Sanders improved the roster through aggressive transfer portal work—but the special teams miscues suggest organizational strain. When you field 10 men twice on the same type of play, it's not a communication breakdown. It's a personnel accountability problem.
The timing matters. Colorado is 3-9 in Year Two under Sanders, better than Year One's 4-8 but still outside bowl eligibility. The program needs to show structural competence before the December portal window opens, when high-school recruits and transfer prospects decide where to commit. Special teams errors are the kind of granular execution failure that concerns parents and position coaches during unofficial visits. Opponents don't lose games because you fielded 10 men on a block attempt, but they do notice when it happens twice. So do donors.
Colorado's athletic department budget runs lean compared to Big 12 peers, and Sanders has prioritized offensive and defensive coordinator salaries over special teams investment. That's a rational allocation when you're rebuilding, but it creates downstream risk. The coordinator search will likely target a mid-major head coach looking to break into Power Four, or a position coach with prior coordinator experience at a Group of Five program. Salary range will sit between $250,000 and $400,000, based on comparable hires at programs with similar revenue profiles. Sanders needs someone who can manage kicker rotations, return schemes, and substitution packages without requiring constant oversight.
The hire timeline is compressed. Colorado's staff has roughly three weeks before the early December signing period begins, when recruits start making binding commitments. Sanders will also evaluate whether to retain or replace position coaches after the season ends. The special teams coordinator hire could signal whether Colorado is serious about competing in the Big 12 or content to remain a middle-tier program with strong branding. A veteran hire with coordinator experience at a higher level would send one message. A young position coach making his first coordinator jump would send another.
Colorado plays its final regular-season game this week. Sanders will likely make the special teams hire before bowl announcements go out, even though the Buffaloes won't be playing in one. The optics of filling the role quickly matter more than the actual on-field impact for this season. Portal recruiting starts the day after bowls are announced, and Sanders needs to walk into living rooms with a complete coaching staff.
The coordinator search also raises questions about Sanders' willingness to delegate authority. He has run a tight operation since arriving in Boulder, centralizing decision-making and maintaining control over most roster and game-planning choices. Hiring a true special teams coordinator means ceding oversight of roughly 25% of game situations to someone else. The person Sanders hires will reveal whether he's willing to build a staff structure that scales beyond his personal attention span.
One name circulating quietly among staff agents: a Group of Five coordinator with prior Power Four experience who left his last job under clean circumstances and is looking to reenter at a higher level. No formal interviews have been conducted yet. Sanders is expected to move quickly once the regular season concludes.
The takeaway
Colorado's special teams vacancy must close before December portal opens—competent staffing now or watch recruits notice execution gaps.
Editorial & Disclosure Notice: This article was written with artificial intelligence from public sources and is published without individual human review. Artificial intelligence and other digital tools are also used for research, analysis, editing, formatting, and production. Errors, omissions, outdated information, or inaccuracies may occur. References to companies, brands, products, services, organizations, or individuals are for informational and editorial purposes and do not imply endorsement, sponsorship, affiliation, partnership, or approval unless expressly stated. All trademarks and other intellectual property remain the property of their respective owners. Opinions, analysis, estimates, and commentary are informational only and should not be construed as financial, investment, legal, tax, medical, procurement, or other professional advice. Information may be corrected, clarified, or updated after publication. Corrections or removal requests: jenny@pops4.com.
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