Despite the disappointment of a 36-14 loss to BYU in the Alamo Bowl, Deion Sanders delivered a message of class and respect following the defeat. While his Colorado Buffaloes struggled to match BYU's physicality and execution, Sanders took the opportunity to praise the Cougars and their head coach, Kalani Sitake.
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"Wonderful job, wonderful job at BYU," Sanders said during his post-game comments. "They're well-coached. They did a phenomenal job of running the football. Special teams kicked our butts. We couldn't do much offensively at all. Defensively, I think we had some sound stops, but we didn't have enough and we came up short."
It was clear that Sanders wasn't interested in making excuses for his team's poor performance, choosing instead to give credit where it was due. "Not to take nothing away from them. They played a heck of a football game," he added.
What stood out most was Sanders' respect for Sitake, a coach who has gained admiration across college football for his leadership and consistency. "If I'm gonna get my butt kicked, I'd rather get my butt kicked by that coach," Sanders continued. "I love him to life, man. He's a good man."
“If I’m going to get my butt kicked, I'd rather get my butt kicked by that coach (Kalani). I love him to life. He's a good man."
-Deion Sanders on Kalani Sitake and BYU.#ValeroAlamoBowl #BYUvsCU #CoachPrime pic.twitter.com/gGhwjVD8Cx— Brigham's Brigade (@BrighamsBrigade) December 29, 2024
Sitake, who has been the head coach at BYU since 2016, is widely respected for his ability to develop talent and maintain a competitive program. In his nine seasons at the helm, he has amassed a 72-43 record, with only two losing seasons — including last year's 5-7 finish. This year, Sitake led BYU to an impressive 11-2 record, underscoring his resilience and ability to bounce back after a tough year.
Sanders' endorsement of Sitake adds weight to the growing respect for the BYU coach, whose name has been mentioned for some of the top job openings in college football. The praise from one of the sport's most high-profile figures could certainly enhance Sitake's resume moving forward.
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