Coach Prime knows a thing or two about attention on and off the field.
After two-way star Travis Hunter scrubbed his Instagram in order to shield himself from online criticism involving his fiancée, Leanna Lenee, Colorado coach Deion Sanders delivered a message ahead of their final bowl game against BYU.
“I want you to know this in front of everybody,” Sanders said after calling Hunter up in front of the team during a final practice before facing BYU in the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio on Saturday, as seen in a video posted on Sanders’ Instagram. “You know we love you, We got you. We appreciate you. You are him.”
Lenee has also deleted her Instagram, at least temporarily.
Sanders had previously been seen at the Heisman Trophy award ceremony, giving Lenee a nudge to hug Hunter after she didn’t move very fast to do so after Hunter was announced the Heisman Trophy winner earlier this month.
Hunter, expected to be a top draft pick alongside star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, has not directly commented on the social media campaign enacted by online trolls against his fiancée over her reaction.
Shedeur, never one who is looking to insulate himself from the public eye, also gave Hunter a vote of confidence after an old video was published of Lenee dancing with another man from before her relationship with Hunter.
“All y’all athletes, entertainers, artist, etc. if y’all genuine trying to holla at Trav y’all know how to get in touch with him or someone around,” Shedeur tweeted. “At this point y’all just posting for the algorithm trying to look cool.”
Colorado faces BYU on Saturday, where most of the Buffaloes roster is expected to play in the bowl game despite many other schools battling their own players opting out of the bowl games and entering the transfer portal.