Brando initially made remark to Fox News Digital
Tim Brando doubled down on his criticism of the media coverage around Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders on Monday, saying some outlets are "appealing to the lowest common denominator."
Brando explained to Fox News Digital last week that Sanders’ immediate impact on college football goes deeper than just skin color. Sanders is utilizing the tools at his disposal to the fullest extent and has already made the Buffaloes one of the biggest draws in sports and pop culture.
The Fox Sports college football play-by-play man further expanded on his point on Monday in an appearance on OutKick’s "Hot Mic."
TIM BRANDO DISHES ON DEION SANDERS' COLLEGE FOOTBALL IMPACT, SUGGESTS MEDIA COVERAGE MISSES MARK
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is shown before the game against USC, Sept. 30, 2023, in Boulder, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
"Those that want to make this and have been appealing to the lowest common denominator in media and just making it about race are completely missing the point. Seventy-five percent of the players that are in college football are Black," he said. "The fact that there are Black coaches, Black head coaches, that was a battleground conversation with the Black Head Coaches Association years ago, which I’m happy to say Spencer Tillman and I were on the forefront of and we’re talking about it for years while we were at CBS."
"But Deion’s doing this … and to say that Colorado is certainly Black America’s team – that was on four or five different websites that you would figure it might be on, politically slanted, but then you saw a few sports websites go in that direction, too, legitimate websites – and I think that’s appealing to the lowest common denominator."
Brando said that making Sanders’ immediate success at Colorado about race is negating the broader story.
"To make it about race is to, in my opinion, gloss over this amazing, historic run that Deion has had. And regardless of the outcome of the games both at Oregon and the loss at home to USC … he’s already won. I mean, he has. They are still the most talked-about team in America," he said.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is interviewed prior to the game against USC at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, on Sept. 30, 2023. (John Leyba-USA TODAY Sports)
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"They’re not ranked, and they don’t deserve to be. They’re not ranked in my poll I just put out this morning. But my goodness, the turnaround here is off the charts. And if they happen to get six wins, I think they will get to six – let’s face it, Travis Hunter isn’t there right now, and they’ll get him back eventually. So, I think they could sneak in a few more wins in the Pac-12 at home."
Brando added that Sanders’ use of the transfer portal and NIL has been a complete game changer. He did bring over his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, from Jackson State as well as Hunter to play at Colorado. He also picked up some other athletes who have helped the team as well.
With those tools, Brando said the college football landscape is beginning to flatten out and there’s no longer four or five teams that are in a completely separate tier from the rest of the sport.
"Deion’s done this in one year’s time, and he flipped it completely – something other coaches have never done," he said.
"… You could either embrace it and move forward, understanding you better play this game, or if you fight it, you will eventually lose, and you’ll be done because the boat has sailed, and you’re not going to bring back into the dock."
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, left, talks with his son, quarterback Shedeur Sanders, before the game against USC on Sept. 30, 2023, in Boulder, Colorado. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Colorado is on a two-game losing streak with a road game against Arizona State next on the schedule But as the team gets healthy, they only need to pick up three more wins to be bowl eligible.
Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
