This season, quarterback Shedeur Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes has quickly become the talk of town, especially with that good dose of his exceptional on-field talent and leadership. During Colorado’s blowout loss, though, it was his actions toward the end of the game that called into question his maturity as a young leader.
Colorado, led by head coach Deion Sanders, has been the story of the media this whole season, and in the forefront is Shedeur. As the team gained momentum early in the season, Shedeur was beaming with confidence, and his talents as a dynamic quarterback could not be ignored. Still, at a young age for most players, success sometimes provides those moments when emotions take over, as seemed to be the case in the tough defeat of the team.
Throughout the game, Colorado was never able to keep up with the opponents and trailed from an early moment that they didn’t catch up with afterward. Shedeur seemed in control with the pressure, but as the game continued to slip away, he expressed frustration. In the late fourth quarter where it was clearly out of reach, he finally showed not only his disappointment but also a bit of his lack of composure.
Instead of focusing on how to finish the game with dignity and learn from the loss, Shedeur’s body language depicted a player more concerned about the frustration of losing than leading his team. His behavior – arguing with referees and showing visible frustration on the sidelines – showed a lot of the emotional control that far too many young athletes have a hard time working their way through in high-pressure situations.
This is understandable, especially coming from Shedeur, such a talented player, in tough losses, which are the very teachable moments that will make him a better person and teammate. In sports, it’s not in celebrating a win but how you take up adversity with class and show your teammates. In this case, however, Shedeur’s closing acts during the game did not show maturity for such a player.
Later, Shedeur will have to go back and reflect on this experience for growth. Yes, the potential is there for a great quarterback, but true leadership is how one handles success and failure. There is still plenty of promise in Colorado’s season, but Shedeur is going to have to show much more maturity if he wants to maximize his and his team’s potential.
