Deion Sanders' Transfer Portal Use at Colorado Is 'Troubling,' SEC Commissioner Says

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey weighed in on the start of Deion Sanders' tenure with Colorado following the Buffaloes' impressive season-opening win over TCU that featured a number of new players on the roster.

Rich Eisen asked Sankey for his reaction about seeing Colorado start the season with 86 new players thanks in large part to Sanders' use of the transfer portal.

"As we're talking about providing more certainty and security for student-athletes, the headline can be a bit troubling," the commissioner said. "I think Deion's explained a lot. Whether people are okay with that is probably another conversation for another day."

There is, of course, some irony in the SEC commissioner of all people calling the use of the transfer portal "troubling."

The powerhouse programs in his conference are certainly using the portal as well, even if the roster transformations aren't as drastic as the one Colorado underwent this offseason. LSU won the national championship during the 2019 season with transfer quarterback Joe Burrow under center, while Stetson Bennett transferred away from and then back to Georgia during his collegiate career.

All Bennett did was lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back national championships.

LSU and Georgia were probably fairly pleased they used the transfer portals ahead of their national titles.

Sanders is a polarizing figure at this point given the roster turnover at Colorado, but it is hard to argue with the immediate results. The Buffaloes won one total game last season and are already off to a 1-0 start and nationally ranked in 2023.

Sankey may find the way they got there "troubling," but Colorado's future is as bright as it has been for years.