Colorado Spring Game Raises Concerns Over Buffs' Physique

Deion Sanders' transfer-heavy approach under scrutiny as Colorado players appear undersized compared to typical college football standards.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 12:35pm

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a Colorado Buffaloes football game, with the players' bodies broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and form, visually emphasizing their small stature compared to their opponents.The visual fragmentation of Colorado's players highlights the team's physical limitations, raising questions about the sustainability of Deion Sanders' transfer-heavy approach.Boulder Today

A recent analysis of footage from the Colorado Buffaloes' spring game has raised eyebrows over the apparent lack of size and physicality of the players, contradicting the narrative of a program built on transfers and star power under new head coach Deion Sanders. The author suggests this issue goes beyond just a bad day on the field, questioning whether the Buffs have the proper strength and conditioning program in place to transform their roster and compete at the highest levels of college football.

Why it matters

The Colorado situation highlights broader concerns about the transfer portal era in college football, where programs may be prioritizing quick talent acquisition over long-term player development. If teams continue to chase short-term gains without investing in physical and tactical foundations, it could lead to more spring game performances that expose cracks in the system.

The details

Footage from the Colorado spring game showed Buffaloes players who appeared significantly smaller and less physically imposing than typical major college football rosters. This contradicts the narrative pushed by new head coach Deion Sanders, who has heavily utilized the transfer portal to quickly rebuild the program. The author questions whether Colorado has an effective strength and conditioning program, noting that simply having a strength coach is not enough if the program does not prioritize physical development.

  • The Colorado Buffaloes held their spring game in April 2026.

The players

Deion Sanders

The new head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, known for his aggressive use of the transfer portal to quickly rebuild the program.

Andreu Swasey

The strength and conditioning coach for the Colorado Buffaloes.

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What’s next

The author suggests that if Deion Sanders can marry star power with physical development, Colorado may be able to prove the critics wrong. However, the author believes the writing is on the wall, and the Buffs need to stop treating transfers as a shortcut and start treating them as part of a cohesive strategy focused on long-term player development.

The takeaway

This situation in Colorado highlights broader concerns about the transfer portal era in college football, where programs may be prioritizing quick talent acquisition over long-term player development. If teams continue to chase short-term gains without investing in physical and tactical foundations, it could lead to more spring game performances that expose cracks in the system.