Colorado-Colorado State Quotes
vs
Wyoming
Sep 20 (Sat)
8:15 p.m.
Postgame Quotes
Colorado State vs. Colorado, Sept. 16, 2023, Folsom Field, Boulder, Colo.
Colorado Head Coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders
Opening Statement
“Great game. We played like garbage in the first half. We tried to get it right in the second half offensively and gave up some wounds defensively. It didn't go well, we mixed one field goal as well. The time of possession in the first half was unbelievably one-sided. We barely touched the ball. I think it was only nine minutes in the first half. In the second half, we showed that we were resilient. We showed that we could fight and that we had no surrender or give up in us. And that's a lot for a team that's relatively new. As you say, we just got together, so I'm also genuinely proud of our men, coaches, staff, etc. I'm not happy with how we play, but I'm happy with that win. You have to be happy with a win no matter how it comes. Truthfully, at one point in the game, I said we can't let this dude win. There is no way we let this due win. The Press Conference is going be unbearable if we let this dude win with it now, but I knew even if we got the ball on a two, three, or four-yard line, as long as the ball is in Shedeur’s hands, we're going to get down this field. I knew that without a shadow of a doubt. And when we went to center field to talk about overtime until we won the ball. I want you to have the ball. I want you to pressure him to get them out of their comfort zone. That's how transparent an excellent day for Colorado was a great day for the Buffalo fans. It's a great day that we got to win.”
On Travis Hunter's injury
“I think Coach Ray is going to the hospital to check it out. The first thing I heard is that he would be out for a few weeks. I heard that for sure. But we will do what we must to take care of him. I know Travis probably will want to be out for two weeks. But we got to make sure he is okay. His health is more important in this game.”
On Shedeur Sanders
“Sheduer has been there, you guys just haven’t seen him. Because he was at an HBCU. And we were secluded, I guess no one had TVs, and they didn't they didn't work out here. But that's who he is, no matter where he came from. That's who that guy is. His passion, study habits, and commitment to excellence show every weekend. I know many people who wait for him to fail as if he can't keep this going. But he can keep going because this is who he is.”
On Michael Harrison
“If a guy isn't starting, he's contributing on special teams. So we don't allow many starters to play special teams unless they're seniors or inspiring juniors getting ready to go pro So he got in there and did his thing and called some key balls for us to move the chains and model. I give everybody Micael don’t Miss, and I know that. So, I will allow Everybody to do what they're gifted to do. So when it comes back around and he's up, he's going to nail it.”
On Dad moment with Shilo
“I mean? You know, I'm a coach. But every now and then, during the game, I have a dad moment. And that was a dad moment just running down the sideline as he was running down the sideline. That's the most I've run in years. Seeing his joy and seeing him just atone for some things because he studies so much. And he's like, I'm going to stop playing passive. I'm going to jump it, I'm going to jump it. And he did it. So that was the moment of what he put into his work ethic and in film study, and just being aggressive. And he's capable of that. I don't know how many tackles he made, but I also saw a lot of tackles throughout the game. He made plays that count and help us win us over here.”
On tonight's satisfaction
“Tonight we showed resilience. I mean, the guys had every opportunity to give up they had every opportunity in. And they never doubted themselves on the sideline. I mean, we were upset with some of the things not being executed that we're called. But these young men never, they give up, and everyone in total, and that's it, guys. We just need six plays. He's given six plays, six plays, we'll score, we can export six plays, just give us six challenging plays in, and that's what they did.”
On conversation with Jay Norvell:
“There was nothing meaningful. I know that Shedeur kind of got in between in, but no. I don’t hold any of that - I don’t have time for any of that. I’m on to bigger things. I'm happy for the brother, I really am, and I’m happy that they thought they played a good game. I’m happy that he’s a head coach. I’m truly happy for any brother that’s doing it in a successful manner - I truly am. I don’t know where all of this stuff came from, but I have to respond. You aren’t going to just attack me and I’m gonna sit back and not say nothing - but I’m happy for that dude. I mean, I don’t know him, but I’m happy for him. I wish the best for him. My success doesn’t have anything to do with his, so why would I want him to succeed? I don’t know how people get down like that. My blessings ain’t got nothing to do with his blessings.”
On slow starts:
“That everything - that’s an “I gotta figure it out” thing. That’s what it is - and I’m getting tired of that thing. That’s what that is, we have to stop. We’re better than that, we really are. As coaches, as a team, as the offense - we’re better than that. We’re better than that silly stuff. How many times are we going to give up on the road? I know you guys got tired of that. How can you not wish to be here? They need to stop playing the conversation on the headset on television and ask what’s really going on.”
On if this is an “adjustment thing”:
“No, that’s the thing. It’s an “somebody needs to do their job” thing. Just do your job, and we’re straight.”
On his decision to go for two in the second overtime:
“Points. The way the numbers come out the - points. I mean, it's a chart, but you know, we have so many smart guys around there. They just tell you: Coach, you gotta go for the two - cool, let’s do it then. Let's do it. And I understand why. That's what it was. Only thing I kind of second guessed in the end with the two or the three outliers, you know, I wanted to go and get points because it's a tremendous letdown if you don't score right there. And you turn over the ball, but then you have to think they'll still be on the two yard line and they have to drive 98. You're thinking all these thoughts, but you never go wrong with getting points - and we have to feel good.”
On true freshman starting center Hank Zilinskas:
“It’s hard. I was watching how everything floats. I haven't watched the film to see how he really performed, but he stepped up in this. This business is the next man up type of business, so I'm proud that he stepped up. I haven't watched the game film to really give you a true evaluation on how he did it to try and help you, sir.”
On the drive at the end of regulation and how “those moments make quarterbacks”:
“I don't think that moment makes him because he's had a lot of those moments - you just haven't seen those moments. You just get an opportunity to see those moments - that's who he is, I've never doubted the fact that he gets the ball in his hands and what he's going to do - no one on offense, no one in the stadium doubted the fact that we don't doubt him. That's who he is. So we just have to make sure the ball is in his hands - the key thing - he fourth down plays third and short plays, we love the ball to stay in his hands and allow him to make the decision. Now, if we don't succeed and he made a decision, I can live with that - but it's hard to live with something when the ball is not in his hands.”
On what is different about him in those moments:
“I think he was 38 for 47. I think was pretty locked in all game, but he's just doing for this season at 80%, some crazy numbers like that - you guys are taking this stuff for granted. This is not normal. Like this kid can flat out play. Forget the name Sanders. It can't get flat. He played his game. I don't know his completion percentage for the season.”
On Favorite Moment From Today
“That is so tough. That's a great question. The Rock could be our president if he wants to be; 390 million followers I mean, if he just asked everybody to give $1 to the university, I think we’d have no problems with the NIL. The conversations I just had in my room with Key Glock and some of those guys from Memphis and he had the camera on. I love Lil Wayne like he's my son and I was speaking to his mother before the game as well. There's so many different moments of being on different sets and seeing these beautiful wonderful fans all congregating together. Campus was electric today. I don't know if some of you got a chance to witness it but I don't know how it's been in the past but campus was electric today. Don't dismiss the fact that we’re always recruiting. So when those high school kids who do our recruiting trips see this kind of stuff it's great. One of the big fellas just said hey man it’s different. This is straight up different here. And we had some dogs here on recruiting trips today. So there were so many wonderful moments. I don't know when we're going to put it out, but my mother was pretty much the pregame speech today, her and Rock so it's gonna be good when you hear what she had to say in the pregame speech. I didn't have to fire them up, she did her doggone thing. I'm proud of her.”
On The Offense
“We're not running the ball. We can’t do something we can’t forcefully do. I mean, we're not successful in running, we got it. That's the attitude. That's the attitude. That's just the straight attitude that we're gonna run the ball and you're not gonna stop us. That's a darn attitude. We got to develop that attitude sooner or later, and preferably more sooner than later.”
On Being America’s Team
“Well first of all these kids weren't even born so they don't understand that Dennis Thurmon and some of the older coaches like myself we understand that and that dynamic and how much of a blessing that is to even be mentioned in those likes. It's tremendous. It's not a burden whatsoever, it’s a blessing and we’re thankful for that. But I don't think our young men inside the locker room understand the moment. I told them on the last series guys, this is a moment you will never forget and let's maximize this moment and they went out and did it. But when you're that young and you know all of us were young one day some of us are still young and naive. We don't understand these moments are just slipping by slowly but surely. And we got to grasp them because it's incredible. What happened, what transpired today was incredible, it really was from the start to the finish of the day.”
On If Shilo Moved Up In The Kid Rankings
“That's good. You know what, he is moving up. He is moving on up like the Jeffersons. But Shedeur was straight out balling. Bossy, she came in and gave me the biggest hug and kiss and appreciation for Daddy that she could ever give me at the end of the game. So that was great. And Junior has been balling. What he does on social media is fascinating. So it's tough. My kids rankings are tough. It's a serious run right now. It really is a serious run right now. I'm the only one that’s honest about ranking my kids. You guys act like you love all of them the same and yeah, I don't know why y’all act like that.”
On The Team Believing
“I didn't say bought in. I never used the word bought because they would think like we’re selling something. They believe. They believe. Probably 85%. We've still got another 15% that truly believe no matter what. And oftentimes, it's not some of the pivotal and key guys, it’s some of the staff that's distant from helping and having influence on what we do on the field. And there's some guys that probably ain't even dressing out, but you know, they want to be a part of it, but they don't want to truly be in it. And they don't have any influence on the outcome of the game but honestly, they do during the week when serving on the scout teams in preparing us and making sure we are straight. So we got to keep elevating that number week in and week out. I think it’s around 85% that truly believe that we have something special inside of the locker room.”
Colorado Players
Shilo Sanders, Gr., S
On Losing WR/CB Travis Hunter
“The bad thing about losing Travis, is you lose such a crucial piece of our team. He's on offense and defense so it’s like you’re losing two players in one so that was pretty rough.”
On if he was trying to “high step” after his pick-six
“I was going to high step just like Coach Prime did because I got the Coach Prime cleats on. I was really thinking about it, but then I was like, aw, this isn't the NFL so I can't do that or I'm going to get a flag. I was just like, hurry up and just let me score.”
On what was working for the CSU offense
“I'm not sure exactly what it was but we’ll see in film, but Coach (Charles) Kelly put us in great positions. He gives us good calls, we just have to execute at the end of the day. I'm not trying to take credit away from them but most of the touchdowns were self-inflicted. It really wasn't anything they were doing that was that special at the end of the day. They want to talk on their interview, then I’m going to talk on my interview. It wasn't really anything they were doing, it was just us. That's just how it's going to be this whole season. We have the talent to be the best in this conference, in the country, but we can only do it to ourselves.”
On the crowd rush
“The difference between this crowd rush and last week, is last week I stuck around on the field a little bit but this week, I went straight in the locker room because it gets pretty crazy out there, so that's where we’re making improvements on and off the field. Making smart decisions.”
On using this game as a learning tool
“We do what we need to do and listen to our coaches, we probably won't have any more close games like this but we just have to fix our mistakes and correct them in practice and just keep making plays. The whole game even when they were starting slow, I know what they do so I wasn't ever stressed the whole game. I wasn't trying to give motivational speeches. If you need motivation at this point, you’re in the wrong profession. It's just football and at the end of the day, we got it. If you don't know what it is then you don't got it. We are out here to win and that's just what we do.”
On when the family gets to celebrate the victories
“Monday is our day off, but that's when I usually get breakfast with Coach Prime because I'm the favorite son. Shedeur isn’t coming but maybe this time he'll pull up but Coach Prime is always Coach Prime so it's always like coaching and family time all the time. He just wants the best for us and he just wants us to be dominant.”
On running out onto the field
“I’ve seen Lil Wayne. I’ve seen him on the screen. If I was on the other team, I’d be so scared right now. They got Lil Wayne over here, Coach Prime doing his thing, a whole animal running around, and they’re winning right now, and they’ve got so many cameras on everybody, I would have been so scared about it. But when Lil Wayne was performing. I don't think anyone’s ever done that. No one's ever done that.”
On if they had gotten caught up in the hype
“I know what you all think, but it's not really that deep. It's a game and you just have to go out there and play the game the right way and if you're not in the right position then they're going to score. At the end of the day, it's not really that deep. We just have to do our job on offense, defense, special teams all the time and then we're going to be the team that we are. If we don't, then we won’t. It's a game. It's like chess. You make the wrong move, you're going to have to pay.”
On finally having two very impactful turnovers
“Well, my first year at Jackson State when I had four, I didn't get a pick until like the sixth game, so I wasn't really stressing that. I told the Lord, I said, Lord, give me pick six today and I'm going to go to church in the morning. So it's 1:06, I need to go home so I can wake up and go to church tomorrow because I made a promise. If you do your job, they're going to come.”
On how satisfying this personal win was
“I think we were just out there fighting and battling for hats and sunglasses. We did it, we came through, they’ve got to respect us when we wear hats and sunglasses and when Coach Prime does and Coach Prime was raised right and we just proved that today.”
Shedeur Sanders, Jr., QB
On What Happened Pregame
“Honestly to me they just wanted attention and to go viral. That's all it really was for me.”
On Speech Before Game-Tying Drive
“We do it in practice all the time, so it's not really a shock or a surprise. We like those high-pressure moments. That's what we live in, and I honestly wish the whole game was like that. That's when I think we excel. In my own mind I was thinking about Brady. He does it all the time I got to be able to do it. Just talking to him and representing him in that way.”
On Biggest Moments
“The biggest moments I remember were two moments. My dad was going through the thing with his foot. My freshman year we threw a game winning touchdown versus Southern. The Celebration Bowl last year. I already knew what was required. It's like I'm not going to be able to live with myself honestly with a loss like that. I wouldn't be able to sleep. I just didn't want to go through that.”
On Winning For Travis
“When Travis went down, it made me feel some type of way honestly. You took one of my brothers on offense, so it really hurt me. Knowing the work he put in and everything just leading up to the game and knowing you could always count on him in those moments. Now we have Mikey step up today, I'm proud of him for just getting into windows and understanding. He was ready to execute.”
On CSU QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi
“Their quarterback had a great game. He stepped up to the moment he stepped up to occasion. He did everything you're supposed to do.”
On This Win
“First, I just want to thank God. For everything, for just keeping us healthy. I took a big hit. He helped me stay healthy. That was the first thing, but it just felt different. It felt like man we have no choice, we got to win, and it feels like that all the time. But just the first time it felt like just like no matter what, go out there and just handle your business. Be accountable for your side of the ball, be accountable for offense, defense. We just started slowly honestly, that's all it was. We just can't afford to keep doing it week by week. So we just got to look it up, look at the film, figure out what we keep doing wrong and what's the solution and just be proactive with the call.”
On Halftime Adjustments
“Really just taking a deep dive and understanding this is bad. What we were doing was very bad. So it's just like we can't, consistently just be bad and put all the pressure on the defense. That was really the main thing coming out of halftime.”
Colorado State Head Coach Jay Norvell
General:
“I'm just really proud of our team and our kids and the way that they competed. You know, we’ve overcome a lot of adversity. It was a really good football game for sure - one of the best college games I've ever been a part of. I give Colorado credit. You know, they competed hard as well and came back. I’m disappointed that we couldn't finish off the fourth quarter - we were up by 11 points there. I'm just really, really, really pleased by our competitive nature. Coming in here, playing all out, and playing to win from the very first snap.”
“Obviously, we had too many penalties. I can't even speak about it. It's so ridiculous. And it's a real shame because a lot of those penalties took away a lot of great efforts from our kids. I’ve never seen such a lopsided game penalty. Wise, but I do give Colorado credit. They're a very good football team - and, you know what? It's something that we're disappointed about for sure. I think we can take this season and move forward as a team and a program and build on this performance. I really do. I think we have quality defensive players. I'm so proud of how our offensive skill players responded today. Brayden (Fowler) had a couple of turnovers, but he made a lot of plays as well - and so I just think that we can move forward from this and really build on it as a football team.”
When asked if there was any consideration to try and go for two at the end of the first overtime:
“Yeah, we talked about it - I just didn’t feel like it was right, right then, so I mean, hindsight, it’s always 20-20 - but we did talk about it.”
When asked if this is a game Brayden Fowler can grow from a place of confidence:
“Yeah, I think he played in a great environment here today - he played in a tough environment, he made some mistakes, but he also came back and made some great plays. I mean, we’ve got some good kids. Dallin Holker is an excellent tight end, you know, and Tory (Horton) played hard, Justice (McCoy) played hard, LP played hard - we had a lot of guys that made great plays, but we can certainly build on that. I think we got the markings of a good offensive team, and I think a lot of that showed tonight.”
When asked what was different in the fourth quarter drive:
“They made plays and they drove the ball - they did a good job and found open receivers. They drove the length of the field, so you gotta give them credit for that. You know, we just fell short for sure. You know, it’s just something that we have to learn to overcome, obviously, but I’m not discouraged. I think we got the markings that we’re really good.”
Talking about how they played aggressive and didn’t have “training wheels”:
“I mean, we did. We called it all. I mean, there was nothing left on the sheet that we didn’t call. I was pleased that our guys could attack and execute in the way that we needed them to. They should gain confidence from that.”
When asked what his message was to the team post-game:
“I’m very proud of the way they competed, but of course disappointed for them that we couldn’t win this game - but I know we have a lot to build on and that’s really what I was looking for in all of them. I wanted to see them play to win while being clear-eyed. Bradlee Van Pelt had a great message last night - it was just amazing. But he talked about being persistent and doing your job and trusting your teammates - and that's what our kids did. You know, we preached on it. We harped on it all day - and, you know, we made some mistakes. That we have to do a better job with, but on the most part, we did a lot of good things.”
When asked what he saw that he “knew he could take advantage of”:
“Well, they were playing on top of Tory (Horton). They didn’t want to run him deep, so we tried to work the middle of the field - and you know, Braden did a great job of that. Tory (Horton) did a great job of that - they were protecting us, running by him down the field, and so, you know, we tried to cross them and it was effective. I think our offensive line played pretty strong tonight. That's a unit that hasn't been looked on, you know, with a lot of negativity - but I just I'm proud of their progress, and they're getting better. I’m just really pleased with the guys in that locker room and what we could do with it.”
When asked if he feels like his team has earned respect (after playing No. 18 team):
“Yeah, I mean, I think that football is about learning that it’s about your own team and not the other team. We decide how we’re going to play - it doesn’t matter who’s on the schedule. It’ll be the same thing next week and the week after that. Once our guys learn to go out and play and play our style of football without worrying about who’s on the other side and be consistent doing that, that’s when you have a real good football team. We made a step tonight - we really did. We made a big step tonight, but we have to continue to press that and we have to continue to improve and get better.”
When asked about Henry Blackburn’s collision with Travis Hunter:
“I mean, I don’t know. He hit him on the sideline and it was hard for me to see him over there. I don’t really know. I really can’t answer that very well.”
When asked if this is the way he has always envisioned his offense looking:
“Yeah, I mean, I think we need to spread the ball around to our playmakers. You know, offense is about getting your good players to the ball, and we have good players that need to have the ball in their hands - and so I think we did a better job with that tonight. Brayden (Fowler) did a better job - we got to protect the football. We can’t turn it over, and that’s a big part of the game. He was aggressive, and I think that it was important that he was aggressive. So, we’ll continue to push him and improve him. We have a 24 hour rule - this game is going to hurt, but then we gotta get it out of our system.”
On Coach Prime’s interview apparel
“You know, I told Deion that after the game, I was talking to my own team and really reinforcing what we do. And so that's what those comments were made for. And so this rivalry has been going on way longer before I got here and will be going on the way after I leave. It was always bad blood. It's just the way it is. But it will be bad blood, no matter what I say or Deion says. So, you have to get your team to play. That's the key. But those comments were for my, my kids.”
On program breakthrough
“I think we can build much off what we did tonight. Yes. You don't like to, but we could build a lot from how we played tonight. And you know, I think our kids learned quite a bit. And so we'll just take a look at the film, you know, 24 Hour Rule and turn the page, and we're going to have a really tough game next week in Middle Tennessee. They're good programs; it's a tough place to play, and we are really going to have to continue to improve. It's hard to lose. I really saw many things I wanted to see from our kids today. So in that regard, it's not as hard, but it's something we learned from.”
On Mohamed Kamara
“I think he played hard. I think he played really hard. I think we had a lot of kids play hard. I don't know that I could speak in detail. We have to start watching the game on the bus ride home.”
On Brayden Fowler
“I mean, we'll look at the film and see, but I think Brayden did quite a few good things tonight. We've made a couple of mistakes. We turned it over a couple of times. But those are things you'll learn from, and I think we can build on them., I think our football team responded to him. I think that's really important about playing quarterback.”
On game penalties
“The penalties affected the game. Let's be honest. They know they did so. You know. It is what it is.”
Colorado State Players
Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, Fr., QB
On Tonight’s Loss
“I don't think you can ask any competitor if they like to lose, and they'll say yes, I think every loss hurts, but this one hurts a little more just how we lost it. And this game means so much to many people in Colorado and outside, it's hard.”
On Offense
“I think we did a great job on offense tonight. I made a couple of mistakes that I just simply can't have. The turnovers can't happen. You can't have those, no matter the situation. So I mean credit to my receivers; they're all crazy good. And so it's nice being surrounded by teammates that have your back.”
On what to learn from tonight
“Attention to detail and just little things that I need to fix. Big things I need to fix also. A pick-six is just simply unacceptable in any situation in any game. So I think just attention to detail and understanding where to go when I see certain pressures. I feel like, for the most part, we did a good job picking up pressure. I didn't get sacked unless you count me running out of balance behind the line of scrimmage. My big boys up front kept me clean and allowed me to do me tonight, and I think it's pivotal moving forward that we continue that, and I keep faith in big boys upfront.”
On looking for receivers
“I think I look at all my boys. There's not one specific guy I look at, but that being said, I have full faith that Dallin Holker will get up and get a ball or make that tough catch and get a touchdown. But all my guys in the red zone can make plays happen.”
On being a team
“I think it's crucial. I mean, anybody going into that environment that you all just saw alone would feel lonely once that clock started, so knowing my boys had my back and letting them know that I had theirs no matter what happened. For example, when we threw that pick, I threw that pick-six came to the sideline, not one nasty look, not nothing. We just had eachother’s backs. And then the defense goes out and makes it crazy play, and then boom right back in it, so it gives me a lot of faith in the team and makes me feel pretty comfortable when I'm good.”
Ron Hardge III, Sr., CB
On tonight’s loss
“We knew what we were getting into as a a defense and offense. We could have executed both sides better. Playing in that environment was the scene of a robbery. It is how it is.”
On tonight's game execution
“You know we proved that could be on the stage. If we keep playing like we did tonight, the sky's the limit. So I'm very proud of how we played today, and from now on, we just got to execute a little better.”
On Henry Blackburn
“He plays with a lot of emotion. He is a passionate player that you love in the back end. He is one of my best friends on the team. I know it's hard, but he did go out there and make great plays, just flying around and putting his heart into it. I give a lot of credit to Henry. He held up the game.”
On moving forward
“WIth moving forward, all the small details count. They matter in big-time situations. As you guys see today, we came up short. We know what we have, and we know what this team is. So, moving forward, we need to take practice and clean up those little small mistakes that we had today and ensure we capitalize on those big moments.”