High anticipation for CU Buffs football game at 35th annual kickoff lunch – Longmont Times-Call
Less than a week before the start of the 2024 season, another unappealing headline about Colorado football made the rounds.
No one would have noticed the festive atmosphere in the indoor training facility.
Colorado hosted its 35th annual kickoff luncheon on Friday, a joint production of CU Athletics and the Boulder Chamber.
The celebrations came amid a report from Sports Illustrated detailing some of the circumstances surrounding the recent departure of former assistant Trevor Reilly. Reilly is the special teams coordinator and said he traveled to the Middle East last winter to avoid raising funds for the CU football team in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
Aside from a brief comment from head coach Deion Sanders — “I’m a little exhausted right now because I just got off the plane from Saudi Arabia,” he said — the ceremony stuck to the message of celebrating the highly anticipated start of the season, which for the Buffs is a home game Thursday night against FCS power North Dakota State (6 p.m., ESPN).
“Last year we understood that we raised a lot of hope. And I think everybody had hope,” Sanders said from the stage. “We got our butts kicked twice and the rest of the games I think we were one touchdown away. Now that hope is gone. It’s time for expectations. And I hope you sit there with the expectation that when you come to the stadium or turn on the TV, we’re going to give you what you want.”
With the “Voice of the Buffs,” Mark Johnson (still recovering from a broken pelvis) as moderator, guest speakers included athletic director Rick George and Boulder Chamber President and CEO John Tayer. Then the stage was turned over to the team, with Coach Prime speaking along with coordinators Robert Livingston and Pat Shurmur and four players — quarterback Shedeur Sanders, two-way star Travis Hunter, defensive back Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig and punter Mark Vassett.
“The camp was very interesting. It’s back and forth, offense and defense,” said Shedeur Sanders. “We have our days, they have their days. It was really fun and competitive.”
The Buffs were ranked 11th in the 16-team Big 12 Conference preseason coaches poll and enter the season with legitimate question marks and a wealth of talent at the skill positions. Some of those questions were not necessarily left unanswered by some of the special guests.
“We had to kind of rewire the whole thing,” Shurmur said. “For us to play winning football, it can’t all be on Shedeur’s shoulders. We have to be able to run the ball. Which we’re going to do. We have to be able to protect the passer better. And we have to play winning football.”
Livingston added: “It’s about players, not plays. Let’s put them in a position to be successful and not make it so much about us.”
With tables starting at $2,000, the event was a fan-friendly affair for Sanders, his team and his players. While fans eagerly await the season opener against North Dakota State, it’s the two games that follow – at Nebraska and at Colorado State – that could provide a clearer indication of the Buffs’ potential.
“There are still a lot of battles,” said coach Sanders. “Like who’s going to be the starter here or there or at this position. So there are still some battles between now and the first week. I’m looking forward to that.”
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