Whenever Deion Sanders steps in front of a microphone, he exudes limitless confidence and a bravado that not many, if any, coaches can match.

Nothing changed in that department last week at Big 12 Media Day, which marked Sanders’ first chance to officially visit with the press since the Buffs’ official move back to their old stomping grounds. There in Las Vegas, Sanders echoed his confidence in his vision for the second iteration of this Colorado squad, touting CU’s roster moves both up and down the depth chart and throughout his staff.

Two of those offseason staff additions, offensive line coach Phil Loadholt and defensive line coach Damione Lewis, have made some of the biggest impressions. Along with the size and talent boosts within their respective groups, Sanders gave glowing remarks of the progress of the big guys inside.

“I see the offensive line and the way they train, the way they work, the way they go about their job,” Sanders said. “I see the defensive line coaches and the way they’re on their kids and the way they’re demanding excellence and the way these young men are working and the athletes that they are and the bodies that they have and that they’ve developed right now.”

More specifically, Sanders hammered home his desire to improve in the run game on both sides of the ball, and that he feels great about the guys that the Buffs brought in to address those needs. When asked to name some newcomers that will have an impact, the Buffs' head coach went on to name all five projected starting offensive linemen — Jordan Seaton, Justin Mayers, Hank Zilinskas, Kahlil Benson and Tyler Brown — as potential difference-makers.

Sanders also addressed one of the hot topics of the offseason and arguably the biggest talking point for those who are lower on Colorado’s prospects for 2024 -- chemistry. After all, it’s both difficult and somewhat rare to bring in so many new parts at once and succeed right away.

However, Sanders insists that his group has a great rapport and raised questions about whether team chemistry has all that much to do with winning and losing football games.

“Everybody talks about that word chemistry,” Sanders said in an interview on the ESPNU desk. “I never hear that unless someone’s losing. I only hear chemistry when somebody’s losing. When somebody’s winning, I don’t hear nothing about no chemistry. And I’ve been on teams where guys couldn’t stand each other but they got it together. This team is phenomenal. I know we grabbed a lot of guys out of the portal, but you’ve gotta understand we grabbed a lot of mature guys. A lot of guys that are smart, tough, fast, disciplined and they have character.”

Sure, chemistry (and many other underlying problems that may be at play) aren’t considered as big of a deal when a team is winning week after week. However, there’s no question that at spots such as the offensive line, quarterbacks and pass catchers, and in the secondary that it takes a lot of time and reps to build the ideal camaraderie within those groups.

While that may take some time to build, the talent is unquestionably there for Colorado to make major strides this year. QB Shedeur Sanders and WR/DB Travis Hunter’s stock as potential top picks in next year’s NFL draft are well-documented, but the elder Sanders took it a step further in Las Vegas, stating that he envisions four Buffs being selected among the top 32 on the draft’s opening night next spring (though he didn’t specify the other two.)

He also knows that the only way to get that many guys in the first round is to win a lot of football games, and the lines aren't the only groups taking the initiative to get ready for next season. Colorado’s head coach could barely contain his excitement about some of the other position groups on the roster.

“When I see the receiving corps staying after practice to work with the quarterbacks, coming over there on off days to work with one another,” Sanders said. “When I see the running backs doing the same, led by a former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl. When I see the special teams–you know, Mark Vassett is here right now, I think he’s a darn pro–and [kicker Alejandro] Mata that don’t miss and Jace Feely and those guys. They can’t wait til their time. They understand that special teams means we’re special. When I see the secondary, shoot, they get out of bed wanting to play man-to-man coverage. I love it.”

Overall, the vibes were high in Las Vegas for CU and the Sanders family, a nice change of pace from the unraveling that took place down the stretch of last year. The offseason is a place for optimism, and nobody embodies that in front of a microphone more than Sanders.

In theory, the Buffs’ schedule should be softer, their roster should be more talented, and their staff should have improved and developed more cohesiveness in Year 2 for many of the coaches. Now, all that’s left to do is back it up on the field this fall.

“I just see the want and the fire and desire in our young men,” Sanders said confidently. “And I can’t wait until you get the opportunity to see it as well. So I’m very optimistic of what we have on our plate this year.”