In a controversial move, Colorado University has placed a ban on Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler from posing questions to football coach Deion Sanders or any members of the football program. The decision, confirmed by the school on Friday, comes in response to what the Colorado Athletic Department deems as "sustained, personal attacks" on the football program and Coach Prime.

According to a statement provided to ESPN, the athletic department stated, "After a series of sustained, personal attacks on the football program and specifically Coach Prime, the CU Athletic Department in conjunction with the football program, have decided not to take questions from Denver Post columnist Sean Keeler at football-related events." However, the ban does not bar Keeler from attending football-related activities as a credentialed member of the media. Other reporters from the Denver Post are still welcome to ask questions of football program personnel.

The Denver Post reports that Keeler's references to Sanders as "Deposition Deion," the "Bruce Lee of B.S.," a "false prophet," along with his usage of phrases like "Planet Prime," "the Deion Kool-Aid," and "circus" have raised concerns within the CU athletic department. The ban is said to be indefinite.

This decision follows a recent news conference in which Sanders accused Keeler of constantly attacking him. Sanders expressed genuine concern, stating, "What happened to get you like this? No, I'm serious. I want to help because it's not normal." During the conference, Keeler repeatedly asked if he could pose a football-related question, but Sanders declined, moving on to other reporters. This incident led Keeler to describe Sanders as an individual who seemed "afraid" in his subsequent column.

It is worth noting that Sanders has contractual language stipulating that he is only required to engage with "mutually agreed upon media." In response to the ban, Denver Post sports editor Matt Schubert shared on social media, "It's well within anyone's right to not take questions from Denver Post sports reporters and columnists. The reasons listed here by CU, however, are entirely subjective. It would be more accurate to say, 'We don't like Sean Keeler's critiques of our program.'"

Despite the ban, a Colorado sports information staffer informed the Denver Post that Keeler had not violated any specific media policies. Meanwhile, this is not the first time Sanders has exercised his authority to restrict questioning by reporters. In 2021, a reporter from the Mississippi Clarion Ledger was barred from covering Jackson State, where Sanders was the coach, after the newspaper published a story regarding a court filing involving an incoming recruit who was charged with assaulting a woman.

Sanders' second season as Colorado's head coach is set to begin on Thursday, as the team faces North Dakota State in a highly anticipated game televised on ESPN. Following a challenging 4-8 season in 2020, the Buffaloes look to turn the tables and make a successful comeback in the Pac-12 conference.

The ban on Keeler has sparked a debate over freedom of the press and media scrutiny within the realm of college football, leaving many questioning the extent of a coach's control over press interactions and public perception.