Much of the attention from Colorado’s unexpected 3-0 start has rightfully gone to head coach Deion Sanders and his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders. The Buffs’ signal0caller has established himself as a Heisman contender early this season, racking 1,251 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and just 1 interception through three games.
But it’s Sanders’ son on the defensive side of the ball, Shilo, who came up with huge, game-changing plays during the Buffs’ 43-35 double-overtime win over Colorado State on Saturday night.
In the first quarter, the veteran safety jumped in front of a quick pass from Rams quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, picked it off and took it all the way to the end zone for the Buffs’ first touchdown of the night. Then, with CU trailing by a score at the beginning of the third quarter, Sanders forced a key fumble in the red zone to keep the Buffs within striking distance.
“When we were in that close game, I wasn’t really worried,” Shilo Sanders said. “I was like, ‘well, everyone’s watching now, it’s just a bigger stage to make bigger plays and have all the eyes on you whenever you make a play.’”
But the former Jackson State safety knows that this defense still has opportunities to get even better after a rocky showing in the opener against TCU and an inconsistent performance in Saturday’s Rocky Mountain Showdown.
“You guys think we did so good, but we’re like, man, we left so many on the table,” Sanders said.
The graduate transfer is, naturally, often peppered with questions about his dad. Playing defensive back while being raised and coached by one of the greatest defensive backs of all time draws its fair share of comparisons, especially when the younger Sanders starts jumping routes and taking them to the house just like his dad did over and over during his career.
But Shilo Sanders, who didn’t start playing defensive back until midway through high school and didn’t transition to safety until his freshman year at South Carolina (his first of three colleges), knows that he has plenty to learn still from his dad.
“The biggest thing he did was use his instincts and just break on routes and believe what he sees, so that’s really something that I took from him,” Shilo Sanders said Tuesday.
As for his dad, Sanders insists there is never any comparison between father and son, adding that that “wouldn’t be fair”. But that doesn’t take away from the current Buff’s ability, drive, or importance to this new squad.
“Shilo is a bonafide leader. He’s a dog back there, he plays hard, plays tough,” the elder Sanders said. “He’s a physical kid. He loves the game of football, and he loves playing for coach [Charles] Kelly.”
One thing that the young safety does not lack is confidence. He exudes it every time he steps in front of a microphone -- or a pass, for that matter.
Despite being relatively new to the position, he trusts his ability, his teammates, and believes this defense is capable of big things when they’re locked in.
There’s no doubt that the Sanders family, and this Buffs team as a whole, have taken the nation by storm with their hot start. Next up? Arguably their biggest test yet -- a road date with No. 10 Oregon and their own Heisman Trophy candidate, quarterback Bo Nix.
There’s no question that the CU defense will have to take a step up to hold down the explosive Ducks offense. But, as Shilo Sanders likes to say, “it’s just football" -- another big spotlight under which to try to shine.
