Deion Sanders’ cold war with the national media has lived to see another day.
On Tuesday, the Colorado coach was asked during his weekly press conference about Pete Thamel’s reporting. ESPN’s senior college football insider reported that Colorado is expected to start Ryan Staub at Houston on Friday. Thamel noted that Staub was spotted working with the first-team in practice on Monday, and the staff has made clear that Staub will start this week.
Sanders refused to confirm the report. He then claimed he hadn’t made a decision on who his starting quarterback for Friday night would be, despite Thamel’s reporting. Those vying to be under center in the Big 12 showdown include the quarterback he dubbed “Martin Luther Staub,” Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, and five-star freshman Julian Lewis.
“You know, in today’s media, we don’t care about being right anymore,” Sanders said. “We just want to be first. And there’s no subjection to you when you’re wrong. Nobody says nothing. You just go with it. I’m not saying that’s the case, but that’s where we are in the media. Nobody gives a darn about being correct and being right. Everybody just want to be right. That don’t make no sense to me. I would love to [have] the integrity we once had with media. I would love that.”
Sanders did acknowledge that Staub has been taking the majority of first-team reps in practice this week.
Staub came off the bench against Delaware and threw for 157 yards and two touchdowns after Salter struggled, and Lewis couldn’t get much going. When Sanders put Staub in late in the first half, he led a 75-yard touchdown drive in 36 seconds and later hit a 71-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter.
“I saw what I’ve been seeing in practice the last few years,” Sanders said after that game. “This is who he is, who he’s always been.”
And this is also who Sanders is.
For better or worse, he’s been prickly with local and national reporters from the get-go in Boulder. He barred a columnist from asking questions, has started feuds with CBS and On3, and told The Athletic they’re “on that bulljunk” at Big 12 Media Days. He’s also called out what he sees as double standards in transfer portal coverage.
Now he sees a double standard in the media, which rushes to report news without ensuring accuracy. Sanders believes reporters prioritize being first over being correct, then face no consequences when they’re wrong.
Colorado is 1-1 heading into Friday’s game at Houston. Whether it’s Staub under center or not, we’ll find out soon enough.
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.