Deion Sanders says Colorado has “hope at home.”

BOULDER, Colo. — Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders proudly recited the numbers from his first recruiting class at Colorado.

Two five-star recruits. 23rd overall in the class, which was the highest in 15 years, he noted, starting with change your team on the transfer portal.

Then a quick reminder – he’s not done collecting talents. Not for long. It’s only a short hiatus, he teased, with the possibility of more skilled players arriving sometime after the spring.

It took Sanders less than two months in Boulder to not only revamp a downtrodden program, but also give a hungry fan base something else: hope.

“We’re not recruiting the usual Tom, Dick and Harry,” Sanders said Wednesday on signing day. “We brought in some guys that can light up the scoreboard and prevent touchdowns. We are going. We take this seriously.

“Hope is in the house. Hope is in the air. Hope in the city. Hope is in the community.”

Sanders and his veteran staff have been busy scouring the country for talent. The NFL Hall of Famer, then known as “Prime Time,” also posted on social media for recruits to connect with him as well: “I’m not hard to find.”

Buffalo signed players from 16 states and two from England. Not only that, but they brought in a pair of five-star high school recruits in Cormani McClain and a transfer cornerback/receiver Travis Hunterwho followed Sanders from Jackson State.

There are about 35 newcomers in the spring lineup. Perhaps that’s why Sanders didn’t really want to talk about each of them by name.

“Now we have the names on the back of their shirts,” said Sanders, who begins spring practice on March 19 with an intramural game scheduled for April 22. – I am not familiar with every child. I’m not being disrespectful. I’m just being honest.”

It’s only natural, considering he completely overhauled a team that went 1-11 last season. The class features four players from Georgia and seven from Sanders’ home state of Florida. There are eight defensive backs that will be needed given the level of quarterback play in the Pac-12.

In addition, Sanders brought in eight wide receivers, including Adam Hopkins, a four-star commit from Georgia. There’s also running back Dylan Edwards, who transferred after verbally committing to Notre Dame.

Of course, do not forget that the transfer of the defender’s name Shader Sanderswho just happens to be the son of “Coach Prime” and threw 70 TD passes in two seasons at Jackson State.

Deion Sanders said he is just warming uptoo.

“It’s just a comma because a lot of people are going to bungee jump on the portal post spring because they’re going to be disappointed with the playing time, the commitment or the level of engagement they’re decorating,” Sanders said. “We’re going to take full advantage of it. So we’re not done. It’s just a comma for the spring. But I like where we’re at and what we’ve got.”

It didn’t take long for Sanders to settle into the city of Boulder, calling it a “hidden gem.” He can’t wait to move into the house and “run the dog around the yard.” He didn’t even mind the snow that blanketed Folsom Field on Wednesday. Frankly, he’s not sure why any player would want to go anywhere else.

“We expect to go after this kid,” Sanders said. “The only thing that’s going to keep that kid from coming and signing with us is the bag — somebody paying them, bands or whatever. That’s all. Simply superior coverage. That’s all.

“Because the coaching staff, the atmosphere, the city, the publicity, the structure, the discipline, the academics, the graduation rate, the food in the cafeteria — I can go on because it’s getting good. Just everything. It’s hard to say no. It really is.”

Athletic director Rick George was listening, and he appreciated the tone of what he heard. Sanders quickly built the foundation for a quick turnaround.

“He’s brought a lot of energy and passion to this program again,” George said. “This is something we desperately need.”