Colorado State head football coach Jay Norvell is apparently not worried about giving CU bulletin board material ahead of the Rocky Mountain Showdown – even if his school is already a three-touchdown underdog.
In his weekly radio appearance on the Jay Norvell Coach’s Show Wednesday evening, Norvell took an apparent shot at CU head coach Deion Sanders and his interview etiquette.
“I don’t care if they hear it in Boulder [...] When I talk to grown-ups, I take my hat and my glasses off,” Norvell said. “That’s what my mother taught me.”
The comment drew applause from the crowd on hand at C.B. & Potts, the Fort Collins restaurant where the radio show is regularly hosted.
MORE SHOTS AT COACH PRIME: Colorado State Head Coach Jay Norvell Takes SHOTS at Deion Sanders and Colorado “When I talk to grownups, I take my hat and glasses off, that’s what my mother taught me” #CUBuffs pic.twitter.com/IWFWkVKqsS
— Ice Cold Sports w/ Tommy Gahan (@IceColdSprts) September 14, 2023
A short clip of the radio show was posted to social media. Norvell’s comment came as he was referencing an ESPN interview he had done earlier Wednesday.
Sanders has been famous for a sense of fashion that matches his “Prime Time” persona, even dating back to his early NFL days. Both in interviews and on the sidelines, he’s often clad in CU or Deion-branded hooded sweatshirts, hats and flashy sunglasses.
At the Buffs' Thursday practice, Sanders called the comments "bull junk," adding that Norvell gave CU "ammunition" ahead of Saturday's tilt. Video captured by Well Off Media showed Coach Prime's speech to his players.
"It was just gonna be a good game," he said. "But they messed around and made it personal."
Norvell joins the list of coaches throwing shade at Deion this season. Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule was accused of disrespecting Sanders and the CU program both with comments about CU's roster turnover and with a pre-game gathering at midfield of Folsom Field.
Shedeur Sanders, Deion's son and the starting quarterback for CU, had a chip on his shoulder for the Buffs' opener after apparently being spurned by TCU offensive coordinator Kendal Briles at a past camp.
Shilo Sanders, the other of Deion's sons and a defensive back for the Buffs, was asked about the comments on ESPN's Pat McAfee Show Thursday morning. He said he and his teammates had seen the comments on social media.
"Why do they keep doing this to themselves every week? Coach Prime is a cool guy, you don't have to be like that," Shilo Sanders said with a laugh. "They're just making it worse."
"Why do these coaches keep doing this" 😂@ShiloSanders #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/VvIwnJpFE1
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) September 14, 2023
It wasn’t all bad blood from Norvell toward Sanders this week, though.
On Monday, Norvell told reporters he was “happy to see Deion get his opportunity” to coach the Buffs, and lauded the fact that the Rocky Mountain Showdown will feature two Black head coaches.
“Deion Sanders has had a lot of public critics,” Norvell added at the time. “I’m not one of them.”
Sanders, for his part, said two Black coaches squaring off is only unfortunate because one of them has to lose.
The 102nd Rocky Mountain Showdown kicks off at 8:15 p.m. MST Saturday.
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