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The Michigan football program is surrounded by controversy after sign-stealing allegations came to light. While most people are ripping the program and cracking jokes at its expense, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders has a unique perspective.
When speaking to the media this week for his weekly press conference, Coach Prime downplayed the significance of sign-stealing in football.
Coach Prime was speaking to the media when he said that it really doesn’t matter if an opponent knows what is coming or if they know your signs because, in the end, it is ultimately up to them to stop what is coming their way.
Coach Prime on the Michigan sign stealing
“You can have someone’s whole game plan, they can mail it to you, you still gotta stop it”
— Barstool Colorado (@CUBarstool) October 24, 2023
“I mean, everyone’s trying to get an edge,” Sanders said. “Everyone’s trying to get whatever edge they can. You can have someone’s whole game plan, they could mail it to you. You’ve still got to stop it.”
Coach Prime has a unique perspective on the entire controversy because he was a star in the NFL and MLB. In baseball, knowing what pitch is coming gives you a giant edge because you can prepare for an off-speed pitch or breaking ball.
But in football, it is much different.
“In football, it’s not as pronounced as baseball,” Sanders said. “If I know a curveball is coming, I got you. With football, I don’t give a darn — if you know a sweep is coming, you’ve still got to stop it, physically. It’s a physical game. You’ve got to stop it. So, that’s a little tough. I don’t buy into a lot of that stuff that someone’s stealing this, stealing that. I don’t buy a lot of that. You’ve still got to play the game.
“Back in our glory days with San Francisco, as well as the Cowboys, you know darn well Emmitt Smith’s getting the ball. You know darn well Mike Irvin’s running the comeback. You know darn well Jay Novacheck’s going to do what he’s going to do. And you couldn’t stop it. It is what it is. Stop it.”
When you put it like that, Coach Prime really has a point.
Of course, it’s still a violation of NCAA rules, so you know they will be coming for the Wolverines as evidence continues to mount against the program.
