LAS VEGAS (AP) — Colorado coach Deion Sanders took some time at the start of his first Big 12 media days appearance to give props to some of the other coaches in the league. Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the coach’s son, was recruited by Gus Malzahn when the current UCF coach was still at Auburn. The younger Sanders played in high school for current Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire. Deion Sanders said Wednesday that he was highlighting some coaches that have been so kind and considerate to him. Colorado is returning to the Big 12 after the past 13 seasons in the Pac-12.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels says he could be ready to play a game now. Coach Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks just need him to be ready for the season. Daniels played only three games in September before missing the rest of the season because of a back injury. Leipold said Wednesday during Big 12 media days that Daniels is doing everything he’s being asked to do and wouldn’t have been in Las Vegas if the Jayhawks didn’t think he would be ready for this season. Kansas is picked fourth in the Big 12 preseason media poll,

UNDATED (AP) — Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark believes the league has clearly solidified itself as one of the nation’s top three conferences. While the league’s past national champions Oklahoma and Texas left for the Southeastern Conference, Yormark touted the additions of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah that make the Big 12 a 16-school league. He says it’s the deepest football conference in the nation. Yormark said at football media days in Las Vegas on Tuesday that the league’s top priority as a business is growth and creating value for its schools.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Utah has won 26 conference championships in five different leagues, most recently capturing two Pac-12 titles and appearing in four championship games during its 13 seasons in that league. Now the Utes are favored to win the Big 12 in their inaugural season in the league, according to the preseason media poll. Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said Tuesday at the league’s media days that it’s much different now for the Utes than when they went into the Pac-12 in 2011. He says they weren’t on an even playing field then when going from the Mountain West to a Power Five league.