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Colorado opened its doors to football fans on Wednesday to get a sneak peek at the 2026 roster ahead of the upcoming season, but don't expect to see any highlights or practice reports from local media and those who were in attendance.
Besides some casual talk around the water cooler, anything related to Wednesday's practice in Boulder was apparently being guarded like the codes to the nuclear football.
When Deion Sanders announced that the Buffaloes would open practice to supporters and media members, the invitation came with a lengthy list of caveats designed to prevent other programs around the country from getting intel on what Coach Prime has up his sleeve for the 2026 season.
"This practice is open for viewing purposes only. It is closed for all reporting, recording and documentation purposes," Sanders mentioned in an email sent to reporters. "Nothing observed at practice may be reported, published, posted, broadcast or otherwise shared in any form, on any platform, at any time."
And, the school wasn’t messing around with the secretiveness of the open practice for those who either received a ticket or media members in attendance.
The list of prohibited items is on the same level as attending a standup comedy set from Dave Chappelle, with the school checking a number of boxes.
If fans thought they could bring in an old-fashioned pencil and notepad, think again.
Colorado wasn't allowing those, either.
That meant the only way someone could remember the depth chart, personnel groupings or key moments was by relying on a brain capable of collecting a whole lot of information in real time.
Even then, they could not report it.
"No note-taking of any kind — written, typed, dictated or otherwise," the school emphasized. "No photography, videography, audio recording, sketching or diagramming. No live coverage, live posting or real-time updates of any kind."
Before entering the open practice, fans were told they would have to leave their phones with attendants at the gate, with devices returned after the event.
Sure, there were some folks on social media complaining about having to leave their cellphones behind, but the overall reaction appeared mostly positive from fans who claimed tickets before the event eventually sold out.
For media members in attendance, however, this was essentially a non-reportable event.
"We are on the practice field, where we got to be for all morning. Got to watch two hours of practice, but we cannot talk about any of it because that's the restrictions we have," Brian Howell of BuffBlitz.com noted.
Before the open practice, Colorado's staff made sure reporters knew exactly what was reportable:
Nothing.
"If you are uncertain whether something is reportable, the answer is that it is not," the school emphasized in the email to media outlets. "When in doubt, contact the Athletic Communications Office before publishing anything connected to this practice."
But here's the thing: This was actually a positive development for those who cheer for or cover Colorado football.
And fans can just check out the social accounts of Deion Sanders Jr. if they want to see highlights from the actual event.
Most programs only allow media members to watch certain portions of practice, which usually consist of stretching, a few individual drills and quarterbacks throwing against air.
So don't overreact to the restrictions put in place by Sanders.
If anything, he deserves some credit for opening the doors to fans and reporters who cover the team on a daily basis. Most college football coaches act as though they're giving away state secrets by allowing members of the press to watch more than 20 minutes of an actual practice.
Heck, Nick Saban was so protective of his Alabama program that nearby apartment residents with views of the practice field faced restrictions on disclosing what they saw.
Yes, college football coaches take this stuff seriously.
Look, this is pretty standard. We understand what we're allowed to discuss regarding a practice or situation we see transpire on the field.
If someone wants to risk the punishment for breaking the rules, that's on them. But running to your followers on the message board or posting tidbits of information you know are forbidden is a conscious decision to violate the rules.
It might sound tedious to some, but this is standard protocol, even if it sounds pretty goofy.
"Violations of these guidelines may result in removal from the facility, revocation of credentials and restriction of future access for the individual and the outlet, consistent with CU Athletics media policies," the school noted.
So, whatever transpired on the field at Colorado on Wednesday will remain close to the vest.
Want to know how quarterback Julian Lewis looked? You'll have to wait. Curious about the secondary? Same deal.
The fans most likely had a great time and got a rare glimpse of their favorite team preparing for the season.
They just better keep what they saw to themselves.
Because what happens at Colorado practice apparently stays at Colorado practice.
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