Deion Sanders assembles veteran staff at Colorado

Updated Dec. 20, 2022 9:36 p.m. ET

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BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — Colorado coach Deion Sanders has assembled a veteran staff that includes 10 coaches who have helped develop more than 350 all-conference players and 85 All-Americans.

Sanders has been busy gathering his staff since being hired by the Buffaloes on Dec. 3. His budget is $5 million for assistant coaches, which was a substantive bump over the allocation afforded to former coach Karl Dorrell for assistants.

“Coach Prime” is diving in at Colorado after finishing up at Jackson State last weekend after his team lost 41-34 in overtime to North Carolina Central in the Celebration Bowl. It spoiled Sanders’ bid for an undefeated season.

Colorado announced the additions to Sanders' staff Tuesday night. It includes Charles Kelly as the defensive coordinator/safeties coach and Sean Lewis as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.

Kelly joins the Buffaloes from Alabama, where he served as the associate defensive coordinator. Lewis relocates to Boulder after five years as head coach at Kent State, bringing with him a high-scoring offense that averaged 49.8 points in 2020.

Bill O’Boyle will be the offensive line coach and Nick Williams in charge of defensive ends.

In addition, Sanders brought several coaches with him from Jackson State, including Brett Bartolone (wide receivers), Tim Brewster (tight ends), Gary Harrell (assistant head coach/running backs), Andre’ Hart (linebackers), Kevin Mathis (cornerbacks) and Dennis Thurman, who will be the director of quality control for the defense.

The group Sanders assembled has been a part of 40 10-win seasons, coached in 59 bowl games and brought home 27 conference title. They’ve made the postseason in either the NFL, FCS or FBS level 21 times, according to research by Colorado.

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