Joel Klatt Criticizes Deion Sanders’ Clock Management Despite Praising His Revival of Colorado Football
Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt, a former Colorado quarterback and strong supporter of head coach Deion Sanders, recently expressed sharp criticism regarding Sanders’ clock management. This came after Colorado failed to use their final two timeouts in the closing 67 seconds of a 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech on August 29.
During a guest appearance on Denver’s 104.3 The Fan radio station on September 3, Klatt acknowledged the many positives Sanders has brought to the Buffaloes since taking over a struggling program that finished 1-11 in 2022.
“Coach Prime has done so many things well since arriving in Boulder,” Klatt noted. “However, the weakest part of his coaching, by a wide margin, is clock management. It’s an issue they continue to struggle with year after year, and I had hoped it would improve — but it has not.”
Klatt’s criticism stands out due to his long-standing vocal support for Sanders, who was hired in December 2022. Meanwhile, Sanders has defended his clock management decisions as the team prepares to face Delaware in their upcoming 3:30 p.m. ET game on Saturday.
The Clock Management Controversy
With 1:07 remaining and Colorado trailing 27-20, quarterback Kaidon Salter took possession at the team’s 25-yard line, with two timeouts still available. The Buffaloes had a chance to either tie or win the game. However, Colorado ran two plays that stayed inbounds, allowing nearly 30 seconds to expire before facing a critical third down with just 29 seconds left.
Despite having two timeouts remaining, Sanders did not call either. The Buffaloes ultimately lost after a desperate 50-yard Hail Mary pass fell incomplete with three seconds left.
Klatt expressed his frustration on 104.3 The Fan: “I was incredibly unhappy and displeased with how that situation was handled. You can’t just take your timeouts into the locker room. When you’re in a must-score situation inside the final minute, every second counts. If the ball isn’t moved outside the numbers or beyond the first down marker, a timeout must be called immediately.”
He added, “They could have saved three to four snaps just through better clock management. That’s a massive difference, and it remains a disappointment.”
Sanders’ Explanation
Coach Sanders explained that he chose not to use timeouts because some plays went out of bounds to stop the clock, and the team was running a fast tempo to quickly move downfield. However, the initial two plays that consumed nearly 30 seconds both ended inbounds, which contributed heavily to the time loss.
The Bigger Picture
Colorado finished 9-4 last season under Sanders’ leadership and has become a frequent feature on national television, with recent games airing on ESPN and Fox.
Klatt stressed that clock management is a crucial area for improvement: “It’s certainly the weakest part of what they have going on as a program. Especially in the Big 12, where the margin between teams is small, games often come down to one possession. Effective clock management will be critical in tight matchups, so this must improve.”
