Colorado safety Shilo Sanders worked his way back from an arm injury to play in last Saturday’s 31-28 loss to Kansas State.
To say Sanders’ return to the lineup after a three-game absence did not go as he hoped would be an understatement. The veteran defensive back struggled so much so that his father, Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, said after the game that he thought his son played “horrible.” Coming off the poor performance, Shilo Sanders vowed to improve starting this weekend against Arizona.
“You work to get back, then you get back and you have the worst game of your life,” Shilo Sanders said. “Man, it’s really disappointing for me, especially the fans. So, and I’ve been seeing everybody turn on me and stuff like that. I’m not worried about none of that because as soon as you do good, they’re gonna be right back on your side just how they was when we won the UCF game out there in Florida. So, I’m not really worried about none of that.”
“I’m worried about me getting better. I’m worried about contributing to the team, helping us win, and my role,” Sanders added. “I can’t be going out there not on my game. I’m the free safety. If I mess up, everybody is gonna see it. So, I’ve gotta pay attention to detail and be on my game at all times.”
In his first season at Colorado after following his dad to Boulder, Shilo posted 70 total tackles, four forced fumbles and a pick-6 in 2023. He started the team’s first two games this season but was injured in a Week 2 loss to Nebraska.
Shilo Sanders sat out wins over Colorado State, Baylor and UCF before coming back to play against Kansas State.
“I thought he played horrible,” Deion Sanders said of his son’s performance last weekend. “I thought he was rusty. I thought he didn’t have his footing. I thought he wasn’t breaking down. He was coming up trying to make the play but open field, one-on-one tackle, with that kind of back, that ain’t an easy task. But he’s gonna do better. I know what he has in him.”
Now 4-2 on the season, Colorado will look to take another step toward bowl eligibility against Arizona on Saturday.
Related: Deion Sanders Admits His Son Played ‘Horrible’ During Colorado’s Loss Saturday