Coach Prime wants to improve players’ lives, knowing 95% of his roster won’t be in the NFL. It starts with an emphasis on graduation, academics, and most importantly, becoming “a man” as Deion Sanders likes to say. However, after a 3-win season in 2025, the pressure is mounting on him. Amid that intense scrutiny, Auburn legend Cam Newton suggested a role in college football that would allow Coach Prime to advance his vision without the incessant need to maintain optics.

“You talk to Coach Prime, and you hear his philosophy and his passion. He wants to impact young men’s lives,” Cam Newton said on his podcast yesterday. “I think by the time they get to the NFL, it’s already gone. I think the ideal situation for Coach Prime, okay, for his future, he should be the General Manager for Florida State Seminoles.”

Coach Prime is already showing full-fledged GM traits at Colorado. He has become a master of roster construction and portal strategy that mimics the NFL free agency model. Upon arriving in Boulder in 2022, he took over a 1-11 team and, in no time, brought in more than two dozen transfers to mold the roster in his image. It was Deion Sanders who helped Colorado launch its 5430 Alliance NIL collective.

“When you look at some of these General Managers and these player ops and these executive leaders with these college programs. People aren’t talking about how the disconnect is with players in them,” Cam Newton added. “As a general manager, you’re not in the weeds with philosophy, you know, style of play, things like that. I think with Coach Prime’s expertise, his greatest value is relatability.”

Deion Sanders also has a knack for talent evaluation and has become more involved in evaluating film and setting strategic pivots. After the 2025 setback, for instance, Sanders vowed to be “hands-on with everything” and turn every stone to make a comeback. Sanders has everything a football GM needs. Cherry on top? He has charismatic salesmanship, and recruits often praise that as the major factor for their arrival in Boulder.

“It’s so many different attributes in what we look for when we see a quarterback. You would love a coach’s son. Somewhere, the coach has coached him. … That’s what, really, we look for in a quarterback,” Coach Prime said about his talent evaluation. Like o-linemen, I look for dual-parent homes, a strong father that they adhere to. A smart kid, at least 3.3 [GPA] and above… Tough, physical offensive linemen.”

While the statement may seem controversial, it did create a lot of buzz in the media. But only Coach Prime, with his level of ‘pull’, can get a leeway in making such decisions. It was also the reason why he helped Travis Hunter win the Heisman, playing both ways. Think about it, which Coach in the country would have risked his 5-star playing both ways, until Coach Prime showed the world? That is your risk-taking ability, a GM would need. But would Coach Prime even explore that option?

Coach Prime is currently focused on improving lives in Colorado

Deion Sanders also has a knack for assembling staff. After several unexpected departures in 2026, Sanders brought in Brennan Marion as OC and promoted Chris Marve internally. Shockingly, when the previous D-line coach, Domata Peko, left for the Steelers’ job, he promoted an internal, inexperienced graduate assistant, Dante Carter. Many expect the decision to backfire, but Deion Sanders is bullish on his 2026 staff.

“The best staff that has been assembled in my tenure by far,” Coach Prime said. Because of that, he wants to coach only in Colorado for now.

“Don’t want to coach in the NFL,” Deion Sanders said about his NFL interest. “Because of the grown men. It’s already enough dealing with college kids who are making money, who may not love the game, but they love the check. You think I’m going to want to deal with a grown man who is doing that?”

Coach Prime is returning this year not only because he wants to achieve that elusive 10-win season. He is doing it year after year, amid Cancer recovery and blood clot issues, because he wants the young players to become more than just football players. Renowned for his famous ‘frank’ pep talks, Sanders has found a way to instill values in college kids in ways no other coaches have emphasized. And that’s why he is not thinking beyond Colorado.

“In this new [name, image, likeness] state of mind, we’ve got youngsters that’re all in on one side of the game,” Coach Prime said. ” 90- or 95% of your roster isn’t going pro, so coaches, we’ve got to emphasize education. We’ve got to emphasize life. We’ve got to emphasize the next step if [the game] doesn’t work out…Since you choose not to be a great football player, we’ve got to make you a man.”

Nevertheless, becoming Florida State’s GM will still be enticing for Sanders if he somehow loses his CU job. He was born and brought up in the state and still lives there when he’s not coaching. Never mind, he’s one of the program’s best players to ever play football. That connection will help him recruit talent from the state and also keep him closer to his home in Fort Myers. But for now, the whole role-change scenario is just a thought.

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