It didn’t exactly come as a surprise that Deion Sanders’ arrival at Colorado ignited a media frenzy. A previously struggling 1-11 team became the center of college football conversations. But one question has since lingered amongst another mass exodus from the program — what became of the now former Colorado players who were sidelined to make way for the program’s exciting new transfers?
That question was posed by The Athletic’s Max Olson, who spoke to numerous former Buffaloes players who were part of the biggest roster turnover in modern collegiate football history. Among those who spoke with Olson and The Athletic were Chase Sowell — a sophomore wide receiver at East Carolina — and Xavier Smith, a redshirt sophomore defensive back who recently committed to his third school in three years, UTEP.
There was nowhere to hide for players like Sowell and Smith, who fought for their futures in Boulder. Cameras documenting Sanders’ Amazon series and his son’s Well Off Media YouTube channel were ever-present, creating an atmosphere Sowell described to The Athletic as “a reality TV show.”
Feeling like he was constantly on trial, Sowell found himself overly focused on perfection to earn the new staff’s approval. But he always had to do so in front of the cameras. As the pressure manifested in increased stress and withdrawal — a stark contrast to his usual self — he felt like he was part of a reality TV show.
For players like Sowell and Smith, the Colorado football facilities may as well have been an episode of Survivor.
For Smith, he told The Athletic that he felt like an extra on a reality series. And for him, spring practices felt like a constant battle for relevance amidst the reality show atmosphere. Despite performing well in second-team reps and making plays during the spring game, Smith struggled to capture Sanders’ attention. So, when defensive coordinator/safeties coach Charles Kelly offered him the option to transfer, the frustration was undeniable.
“He was destroying guys’ confidence and belief in themselves,” Smith said. “The way he did it, it could’ve been done with a little more compassion.”
Perhaps compassion isn’t there when everything is being filmed for media consumption. Sure, it could go a long way toward Sanders’ reputation as a coach, but it’s not about that. It’s about building the brand around him, and if players like Sowell and Smityh get caught in the crossfire, so be it.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.