Mick Cronin urges allowing schools to exceed the $20.5M revenue-sharing cap to retain players

LOS ANGELES (AP) — March Madness is looming. So iscollege basketball's transfer portal, and that worries Mick Cronin.

The Division I men's portal opens for a 15-day window on April 7, a day after a new national champion is crowned in Indianapolis. This shortest window for entry yet follows a rule change this year to better align with the end of the season.

"We should do everything we can to stop these kids from transferring too much because nobody is going to graduate," the UCLA coach said Tuesday night afterUCLA beat No. 9 Nebraska. "These kids aren't going to have the grades if they're transferring three or four times, so we got to do everything we can."

Cronin is advocating for schools to be able to exceed the roughly $20.5 million revenue-sharing cap per school that began this season in order to retain their players.

"I know there's people at the Big Ten office that are for it, that's why I bring it up," Cronin said. "I told them I would back them."

Most schools are doling out the biggest share of the revenue pie to football players and giving whatever's left to basketball players. Schools are allowed to share up to $20.5 million with their players, but there still exists an option to provide third-party deals outside the school-to-player payments for name, image and likeness.

"You should be able to go over the revenue share to be able to retain players," Cronin said. "Very few of these guys are going to be able to retire on (NIL money), so we need to encourage guys not to transfer."

The transfer portal allows any player to find a new school every offseason.Chad Baker-Mazarawas on his fifth school at age 26 before he parted ways with Southern California's program last weekend.

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"If you're on your third school, they're not going to pay for you to come back when you're 25. You only went here for a year," Cronin said. "They're all going to be left in the dust."

Teams attempt to combat the transfer frenzy by having recruits sign multiyear NIL deals, but even then there are workarounds.

Cronin has worked the portal effectively in recent years, adding Donovan Dent and Johnny Juzang. But he also lost Aday Mara to Michigan, Dylan Andrews to Boise State and Berke Buyuktuncel to Nebraska.

"Berke's had a great year for them. I love Berke," he said. "He's found a great fit, he's in a great system for him."

Cronin said he receives calls from former players looking for help finding jobs.

"Guys need jobs when they're 27 and they're done playing in Europe," he said. "They have no resume because they've been playing basketball."

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March 04, 2026

Mick Cronin urges allowing schools to exceed the $20.5M revenue-sharing cap to retain players

LOS ANGELES (AP) — March Madness is looming. So iscollege basketball's transfer portal, and that worries Mick Cronin....

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Braves' Jurickson Profar hit with 162-game suspension after second positive PED test in last year

The Atlanta Braves won't have designated hitter Jurickson Profar for the 2026 season. The 33-year-old Profar was suspended a 162 games after testing positive for exogenous testosterone and its metabolites, the league announced Tuesday.

The suspension, for Profar's second offense, is effective Friday.The Braves voiced their disappointment in a statement:

We were incredibly disappointed to learn that Jurickson tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance and is in violation of MLB's Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. Our players are consistently educated about the Program and the consequences if they are found to be in violation. The Atlanta Braves fully support the Program.

Last year, on March 31,Profar tested positive for a banned substance called human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone normally produced during pregnancy but, in males, can stimulate the production of testosterone. As a result, MLB suspended him for 80 games and ruled him ineligible for the postseason, which the Braves missed for the first time in eight years anyway.

Regardless of if Atlanta makes it back to the playoffs this time around, Profar won't be eligible,per ESPN's Jeff Passan, who also reportedthat Profar will be ineligible for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, in which he was slated to play for a Netherlands squad that includes players from his native Curaçao.

Additionally, Profar will forfeit his $15 million salary for the 2026 MLB season. After that, Profar has one year and $15 million remaining on the three-year, $42 million contractthat he signed with the Bravesafter earning an All-Star nod and a Silver Slugger Award with the San Diego Padres in 2024.

MLB increased the penalty for two-time PED offenders to a full season in 2014. Since, only six players have received a 162-game ban for PED use, including Profar, who is the first in that category in two-and-a-half years. Before Profar, the last player to be hit with that kind of PED suspension was Milwaukee Brewers reliever J.C. Mejia in September 2023,according to ESPN.

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Once Profar returned from his suspension last season, he finished the year slashing .245/.353./.434 over the course of 80 games, the first four of which he played before that first PED ban. Along the way, he hit 14 home runs and produced 43 RBI.

The season prior, with the Padres, he recorded career highs in batting average (.280), on-base percentage (.380), OPS (.839), home runs (24), RBI (85) and more.

Profar made his MLB debut at 19 years old with the Texas Rangers. Injuries held him back early in his career, which saw him play with the Rangers (2012-13 and 2016-18), Athletics (2019), Padres (2020-22), Colorado Rockies (2023) and Padres again (2023-24) before he signed with the Braves.

But suspensions have now marred his stay in Atlanta, where the Braves are already off to another discouraging start.

They began last year's injury-riddled campaign 0-7. Before playing a single regular-season game in 2026, they're already down Profar, as well as starting pitchers Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep, both of whom underwent elbow surgery.

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March 03, 2026

Braves' Jurickson Profar hit with 162-game suspension after second positive PED test in last year

The Atlanta Braves won't have designated hitter Jurickson Profar for the 2026 season. The 33-year-old Profar was susp...

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Braves' Jurickson Profar banned 162 games for second PED violation

Atlanta Braves outfielder/designated hitter Jurickson Profar faces a 162-game suspension after a second positive test for performance-enhancing drugs, MLB confirmed Tuesday night.

Profar, 33, will forfeit his entire $15 million salary for the 2026 season and will be ineligible for the postseason and for this month's World Baseball Classic, where the Curacao native was set to play for the Netherlands.

The league said Profar tested positive for Exogenous Testosterone and its metabolites, which are banned under MLB's joint drug prevention and treatment program. The Major League Baseball Players Association plans to challenge the suspension, The Athletic reported.

Profar becomes the sixth player to receive a full-season PED ban since Major League Baseball increased the penalty for two-time offenders in 2014, per ESPN.

A first-time All-Star with the San Diego Padres in 2024, Profar signed a three-year, $42 million contract with Atlanta in January 2025. He batted .245 with 14 homers and 43 RBIs in 80 games in his first season with the Braves after serving an 80-game suspension from March 31 to July 1.

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Profar's initial suspension came after testing positive for human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone produced during pregnancy that can boost testosterone production.

Profar underwent sports hernia surgery in the offseason and was expected to move from left field to DH this season.

Profar was the No. 1 prospect in baseball when he debuted with the Texas Rangers at age 19 in 2012. He is a career .245 hitter with 125 homers and 487 RBIs in 1,199 games with the Rangers (2012-13, 2016-18), then-Oakland A's (2019), Padres (2020-24), Colorado Rockies (2023) and Braves.

The oft-injured Profar has played more than 150 games in a season only twice, missing the entire 2014 and 2015 campaigns because of a shoulder injury.

--Field Level Media

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March 03, 2026

Braves' Jurickson Profar banned 162 games for second PED violation

Atlanta Braves outfielder/designated hitter Jurickson Profar faces a 162-game suspension after a second positive test ...

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Bears Pro Bowl offensive lineman Drew Dalman reportedly retires at 27 years old after just 5 seasons in NFL

Last March, the Chicago Bears made one of the key offseason moves that would propel their team from worst to first in the NFC North, signing center Drew Dalman to a three-year, $42 million deal. Just a year later, the 27-year-old will reportedly retire after just five seasons in the NFL, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The move comes as a massive surprise considering Dalman's age, contract and on-field excellence.

It's impossible to overstate the impact Dalman had on the Bears during his one season with the team. Following a rough rookie season by quarterback Caleb Williams, in which he was sacked a league-leading 68 times, the Bears splurged on offensive linemen in hopes to shore up a weak spot and help Williams develop.

It turned out to be an ingenious decision. The team signed Dalman, and traded for Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson to keep Williams clean in the pocket. That trio helped the Bears' line allow just 24 sacks in 2025. Both Dalman and Thuney made the Pro Bowl after turning in fantastic first seasons in Chicago.

Their excellence helped Williams throw for nearly 4,000 yards, with 27 touchdowns against seven interceptions. That performance was good enough to lead the Bears to an 11-6 record — and a surprising playoff appearance — in 2025.

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After helping the Bears turn in one of the franchise's best offensive seasons, Dalman's retirement leaves the team's line in a difficult spot entering 2026. The team was already expected to be without promising rookie Ozzy Trapilo next season after he sustained a knee injury in the playoffs. Dalman's retirement now means the team will need to replace two major contributors on the line this offseason.

While the move is a massive loss, there is one small benefit to the Bears. A portion of Dalman's salary will come off the books in 2026, and theBears are in desperate need of more cap space entering the offseason.

Dalman, a former fourth-round draft pick, spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons. After not starting a single game as a rookie, Dalman developed into a key contributor for the Falcons, starting 40 games with the team over the next three seasons.

He battled ankle injuries in both 2023 and 2024, missing a few games in both seasons due to those injuries.

Despite playing in just nine games ahead of free agency, Dalman signed a three-year, $42 million deal with Chicago last March. He stayed healthy in his first — and only — season in Chicago, starting all 17 games for the Bears in 2025.

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March 03, 2026

Bears Pro Bowl offensive lineman Drew Dalman reportedly retires at 27 years old after just 5 seasons in NFL

Last March, the Chicago Bears made one of the key offseason moves that would propel their team from worst to first in the...

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World Baseball Classic 2026: Bryce Harper says Team USA needs same swagger as men's, women's Olympic hockey teams

The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins Thursday and Team USA will open versus Brazil on Friday at Houston's Daikin Park. The U.S. players reported to Phoenix over the weekend for training camp and will play an exhibition against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday.

Several U.S. players appeared on Monday's "The Pat McAfee Show," which broadcast live from Arizona for the Team USA workouts. Among those interviewed were team captain andAmerican League MVPAaron Judge, MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh,National League Cy Young Award winnerPaul Skenes, Clayton Kershaw and Bryce Harper.

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for the 2026 MLB season]

Coming off the 2026 Winter Olympics and theU.S. winning gold medals in men'sandwomen's hockeyat Milan Cortina, Harper said those achievements have motivated him and his teammates even more to win the WBC.

"The Olympics, what an incredible thing. I'm missing the Olympics so much," Harper told McAfee. "Seeing the women's hockey, men's hockey take gold... what an incredible experience to watch them play and do their thing and represent our country."

"To take that and come into what we're doing now, it's just the swagger we need to have," he added, referring toJack Hughes scoring the game-winnerversus Canada after getting teeth knocked out. "The cool thing about baseball and the World Baseball Classic, or the Olympics, you see the culture of everything of baseball from the Dominican Republic to Japan to us, to everybody."

Team USA isthe favorite to winthe 2026 WBC with more stars, includingAL Cy Young winnerTarik Skubal, Bobby Witt Jr., Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Schwarberon the roster.Defending champion Japan,with NL MVP Shohei Ohtani and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, is also viewed favorably, having won three tournaments. The Dominican Republic (2013 winners) and Venezuela are also considered contenders.

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Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes will pitch second and third in Team USA starting rotation

U.S. manager Mark DeRosaannouncedthat Logan Webb will start the U.S. opener on Friday, followed by Skubal, Skenes and Nolan McLean. Skubal will face Great Britain, Skenes will pitch versus Mexico and McLean will start against Italy in Pool B play.

Skenes will also start Tuesday's exhibition versus the Giants.

"It's set up," DeRosa told reporters, includingESPN's Jesse Rogers. "There's obviously guardrails for the tournament... pitch count-wise. But there's also guardrails for guys having to throw on certain days to get ready for their team's Opening Day."

The "guardrails" remark applies most to Skubal, who announced thathe will make only one startduring the tournament then report back to Detroit Tigers spring training. The left-hander will belimited to 55 pitchesin his outing.

McLean did not report to Phoenix for the opening workout is still at the New York Mets' spring camp in Port St. Lucie, Floridawhile fighting an illness. DeRosa said he doesn't yet know if he'll have to make a change because of that.

Skenes intends to make two starts in the WBC and plans to be available in the knockout round if the U.S. advances. Pitching for his country is important to Skenes, who pitched his first two college seasons for the Air Force Academy.

"It's the biggest stage I've played on,"Skenes told MLB Network. "The coolest motivation, the coolest thing that we're playing for is winning gold for our country... Winning the World Series is the goal every year, but playing in an international tournament where every country in the world is represented, being able to be on top of that is pretty cool."

Team USA's opener versus Brazil isscheduledfor 8 p.m. ET on Friday. The top two finishers in pool play will advance to the quarterfinals, also played in Houston.

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March 03, 2026

World Baseball Classic 2026: Bryce Harper says Team USA needs same swagger as men's, women's Olympic hockey teams

The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins Thursday and Team USA will open versus Brazil on Friday at Houston's Daikin...

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NHL trade deadline tracker: Analysis on all of the big moves

TheNHLtrade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on March 6, but teams like to get deals done early, too.

Already this season, theMinnesota Wildhave acquired defensemanQuinn Hughesfrom theVancouver Canucks, and theLos Angeles Kingshave traded for high-scoringNew York RangersforwardArtemi Panarin.

In the latest deal, theEdmonton Oilersacquired defensemanConnor Murphyfrom theChicago Blackhawkson Monday, March 2.

Plenty of players remain, and the Rangers, Canucks,St. Louis BluesandCalgary Flamesare expected to be sellers. Other teams could be, too, depending on how they fare this week.

Here are some of the more notable trades this season. Follow along for analysis on deals as the NHL trade deadline approaches:

Feb. 4: The Los Angeles Kings acquired left wing Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers in exchange for forward Liam Greentree and conditional third-round (2026) and fourth-round (2028) picks.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 27: The New York Islanders acquired left wing Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Maxim Tsyplakov.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 20: The San Jose Sharks acquire forward Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks for second-round picks in 2026 and 2027, plus defenseman Cole Clayton.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 16: The Anaheim Ducks acquire winger Jeffrey Viel from the Boston Bruins for a 2026 fourth-round pick. Anaheim will give up the better of the fourth-rounder previously acquired from Philadelphia and Detroit.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Jan. 8: The San Jose Sharks acquire goaltender Laurent Brossoit, defenseman Nolan Allan and a 2028 seventh-round pick from the Chicago Blackhawks for defensemen Ryan Ellis, Jake Furlong and a 2028 fourth-rounder.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Dec. 29: The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire forward Yegor Chinakhov from the Columbus Blue Jackets for forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round draft pick and a 2027 third-rounder.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Dec. 12: The Minnesota Wild acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Dec. 12: The Edmonton Oilers acquired Tristan Jarry and Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

NHL trade tracker: Who changed teams in 2025-26

March 2: Oilers acquire Connor Murphy

The trade:The Edmonton Oilers acquire defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks for a 2028 second-round pick.

Analysis:The Blackhawks retain 50 percent of the $4.4 million cap hit for the pending unrestricted free agent. The Oilers have been leaking goals, and the 6-foot-4 Murphy is a solid defensive defenseman. He played on the No. 1 unit of the league's best penalty kill, led the Blackhawks in blocked shots and was third in hits.

Feb. 24: Penguins, Avalanche swap defensemen

The trade:ThePittsburgh Penguinsacquire defenseman Samuel Girard and a 2028 second-round pick from the Avalanche for defenseman Brett Kulak.

Analysis:The Avalanche pick up salary cap space and add a defenseman who has been to the Stanley Cup Final the past two seasons. The Penguins had acquired pending unrestricted free agent Kulak in the Stuart Skinner trade, Girard is also a pending UFA, and Pittsburgh gets a draft pick in the deal by flipping Kulak.

Feb. 4: Kings acquire Artemi Panarin

The trade:The Los Angeles Kings acquire forward Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers for forward Liam Greentree and conditional third-round (2026) and fourth-round (2028) picks.

Analysis:The Kings are hurting for offense and Panarin can provide plenty. He also signed a two-year extension with an $11 million cap hit, ensuring he'll be around after Anze Kopitar retires at season's end. It didn't help the team, though, thatKevin Fiala broke his legat the Olympics before Panarin suited up. Panarin had a full no-movement clause, so the Rangers were limited in their return, but Greentree was the Kings' top prospect and the third-round pickcould become a second-rounder.

Feb. 4: Devils acquire Nick Bjugstad

The trade:TheNew Jersey Devilsacquire forward Nick Bjugstad from the St. Louis Blues for forward Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional fourth-round pick.

Analysis:This is the third time Bjugstad has been moved near the trade deadline because the 6-6 forward is a good fit in the bottom six. He has another year left on his contract.

Jan. 27: Islanders acquire Ondrej Palat

The trade:The New York Islanders acquire left wing Ondrej Palat, a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick from the New Jersey Devils for forward Maxim Tsyplakov.

Analysis:That's two trades in two days with a division rival. Palat is a two-time Stanley Cup winner (with the Lightning) and kills penalties. Tsyplakov didn't get a lot of ice time with the Islanders but has potential.

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Jan. 26: Islanders acquire Carson Soucy

The trade:The New York Islandersacquire defenseman Carson Soucyfrom the New York Rangers for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Analysis:Soucy was the first player moved after theRangers informed fans that the team would retool. It's a rare deal completed between the Islanders and Rangers.

Jan. 20: Sharks acquire Kiefer Sherwood

The trade:TheSan Jose Sharksacquire forward Kiefer Sherwood from the Vancouver Canucks for second-round picks in 2026 and 2027, plus defenseman Cole Clayton.

Analysis:Sherwood had been mentioned as a trade candidate since the Canucks started slowly. The pending free agent is among the leader in hits and had 17 goals at the time of the deal. The Sharks are playing better than expected and this deal shows they are trying to push for a playoff spot.

Jan. 19: Golden Knights acquire Rasmus Andersson

The trade:The Vegas Golden Knights acquire defenseman Rasmus Andersson from the Calgary Flames for defenseman Zach Whitecloud, defense prospect Abram Wiebe, a conditional first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft and a conditional second-rounder in 2028.

Analysis:The Golden Knights had been without Alex Pietrangelo all season and Andersson gives Vegas another puck-moving defenseman. The Flames get a good return for a pending unrestricted free agent. Andersson is the second defenseman Vegas had acquired from Calgary recently after the 2024 trade for Noah Hanifin. Hanifin eventually signed an extension and the Golden Knights will seek the same from Andersson.

Dec. 29: Penguins acquire Yegor Chinakhov

The trade:The Pittsburgh Penguins acquire forward Yegor Chinakhov from theColumbus Blue Jacketsfor forward Danton Heinen, a 2026 second-round draft pick and a 2027 third-rounder.

Analysis:Chinakhov had requested a trade last season. He's a pending restricted free agent so the Penguins have control over his future. Heinen is a pending UFA.

Dec. 19: Canadiens acquire Phillip Danault

The trade:The Montreal Canadiens acquire center Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings for a 2026 second-round pick.

Analysis:Danault is coming back to Montreal. He was a key shutdown player during the Canadiens' 2021 run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Dec. 19: Blue Jackets acquire Mason Marchment

The trade:The Columbus Blue Jackets acquire forward Mason Marchment from the Seattle Kraken for a 2026 fourth-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick.

Analysis:Marchment had been off to a slow start after signing a four-year deal. But he scored 22 goals in each of his last two seasons in Dallas.

Dec. 12: Wild acquire Quinn Hughes

The trade:The Minnesota Wild acquire Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks for Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren and a 2026 first-round pick.

Analysis:This is a sign that the Wild are going for it and it gives them a dynamic former Norris Trophy winner to match Cale Makar if they face the Avalanche in the playoffs. The Wild gave up a lot - Buium was great at Denver and for the USA at the world junior championships - andHughes acknowledged that and appreciated it. That could help sway Hughes when he's eligible to sign a contract extension in July.

Dec. 12: Oilers, Penguins swap goalies

The trade:The Edmonton Oilers acquire Tristan Jarry and forward Samuel Poulin from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Stuart Skinner, defenseman Brett Kulak and a 2029 second-round pick.

Analysis:The Oilers pull the plug on Skinner, who was either spectacular or bad during back-to-back runs to the Stanley Cup Final. But they land another inconsistent goalie in Jarry, who has had injury troubles. Skinner and Kulak are pending free agents, so the Penguins could flip them at the deadline. If Skinner works out, it would allow the Penguins to continue developing goalie Sergei Murashov in the American Hockey League.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:NHL trade deadline tracker top moves, deals, team and player analysis

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March 03, 2026

NHL trade deadline tracker: Analysis on all of the big moves

TheNHLtrade deadline is at 3 p.m. ET on March 6, but teams like to get deals done early, too. Alread...

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Is Deion Sanders fighting for his job? Not yet, but there are issues

Colorado footballcoachDeion Sandersmight not be fighting for his job just yet. But consider this comparison as Sanders opens his fourth spring football season in Boulder this week:

• Previous Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre got fired in 2018 after going 20-17 in his final three seasons from 2016 to 2018, including 10-4 in 2016, when the Buffaloes suffered a blowout loss in the Alamo Bowl.

• Sanders' three-year record at Colorado is 16-21, including 9-4 in 2024, when they also suffered a blowout loss in the Alamo Bowl.

MacIntyre had just one winning season in six years overall. Sanders has just one winning season in three. So how does Sanders veer off that similar path? By solving these three major challenges below, starting Monday, March 2, just one day afterhis team was rattled by tragic news: Backup quarterback Dominiq Ponderdied in a car accidentin Boulder County March 1.

1. Deion Sanders must break in a mostly whole new team

After finishing 3-9 last year, Sandershas a new offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator, new running backs coach, new defensive line coach, new tight ends coach and new cornerbacks coach, along with44 new scholarship transfer playersand 12 new scholarship freshmen.

Out of 77 scholarship players on the current team, only 21 return from last year's team, according to the university. The newcomers include San Jose State transfer receiver Danny Scudero, who led the nation last year in receiving yards (1,297). Talented playmaker Boo Carter also transferred into Boulder from Tennesseeafter his dismissal from the team there in November.

Colorado's transfer class ranked No. 23 nationally, according to 247Sports. But Sanders only has 15 spring practices to work on it before the start of preseason practices and the season opener at Georgia Tech on Sept. 3.

2. Prepare the quarterback of the future

This will be an especially tough spring for Colorado quarterbacks after the sudden passing of Ponder, a non-scholarship player.

"I know that we'll we'll find a way to get through it and and honor Dom in the way that we work every day," Colorado offensive coordinator Brennan Marion said March 2.

Ponder likely would have been a backup this year behindredshirt freshman Julian Lewis, who started two games last season. Lewis, 18, has shown he has the poise and potential to be the team's new starter this year as a pro-style passer. But then Sanders changed his offensive coordinator, replacing Pat Shurmur withMarion, who runs a run-heavy Go-Go offense. That doesn't mean Lewis won't fit into that system. But it does raise questions about how well he'll fit into it.

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Another mystery added to the intrigue recently when the Buffsconducted an internal player draftto select two intrasquad teams. In a bit of a shocker, Lewis was not the first quarterback selected, as shownin a video posted by Sanders' son Deion Jr.

Colorado teammates instead picked freshman quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne at No. 1 overall, ahead of Lewis, who was picked No. 2. Sweetwyne is a dual-threat QB who at least gives the Buffs some options at a position that suffered a setback in 2025 after Sanders' quarterback son Shedeur left for the NFL.

3. Establish an effective defense in a hurry

Five days before the start of spring practice, defensive coordinator Robert Livingstondeparted to take a job as an assistant coach with the NFL's Denver Broncos. Colorado also confirmed Feb. 26 pass rush coordinatorWarren Sapp has leftthe coaching staff, too.

In a bit of a jam, Sanders promoted new linebackers coach Chris Marve to replace Livingston and revive a defense that regressed in 2025. Colorado ranked 111thnationally in scoring defense with 30.5 points allowed per game last year and then lost its leading tackler — safety Tawfiq Byard, who transferred to Texas A&M. But the Buffs still might be able to fill his void. They added veteran Vanderbilt safetyRandon Fontenette, who had 125 tackles the past two seasons.

A bigger question might be whether Marve is the man to get the job done. He previously served as defensive coordinator at Virginia Tech, where he was fired in 2024 after a 6-6 regular season.

If Marve fails again, will Sanders go the way of MacIntyre with two one-hit wonders between them in 2016 and 2024?

It's a question that won't need to be asked if Sanders can meet these challenges, starting Monday. The Buffs conclude their spring practice season April 11.

Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer@Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Deion Sanders facing 3 big issues this spring with Colorado football

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March 03, 2026

Is Deion Sanders fighting for his job? Not yet, but there are issues

Colorado footballcoachDeion Sandersmight not be fighting for his job just yet. But consider this comparison as Sanders op...

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