Those unwrapping EA College Football 26 will be greeted with an unfamiliar sight if they attempt to take charge of Colorado.

The Buffaloes have enjoyed gobs of success and publicity as of late. Most of that revolves around their oft-discussed taskmaster, Deion Sanders. The 57-year-old is perhaps college football's most popular figure. Yet, those hoping to mimic his role within Colorado's program will be left sorely disappointed — he's not in the game.

Instead, a certain "Kirk Patrick" has taken his place. Who is this shadowy figure that looms atop Colorado's coaching snake? And why is Sanders — college football's renaissance man — left out of the action? Here's what you need to know.

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Why isn't Deion Sanders in EA College Football 26?

Sander opted against allowing EA Sports to use his likeness for its latest iteration. The Buffaloes coach wasn't the only tactician to do so, as Sanders was joined by Bill Belichick (North Carolina), Mario Cristobal (Miami), Kirk Ferentz (Iowa), Bronco Mendenhall (Utah State), Tyson Helton (Western Kentucky), Charles Kelly (Jacksonville State), Frank Reich (Stanford), Trent Dilfer (UAB), Bryant Vincent (Louisiana-Monroe), Jason Eck (New Mexico), and Mark Carney (Kent State).

We've yet to get a specific reason why Sanders decided to leave his name off of the game. Sanders has certainly had a hectic offseason. The Colorado tactician enters the third year of his reign in Boulder without his sons, Shedeur and Shilo, as well as his Heisman winner, Travis Hunter. The Buffaloes brought in the No. 24 recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports, a 13-man unit spearheaded by dual-threat QB Julian Lewis. Liberty QB Kaidon Salter is also slated to touch down on campus, foreshadowing a major rumble to the roster

That's not to mention Sanders' health issues. In 2021, he got two of the toes on his left foot amputated after experiencing blood clots. Sanders hasn't made a public appearance since April, missing out on Colorado's annual youth summer camps as well as Hunter's wedding. In a podcast with Asante Samuel, Sanders revealed that he lost 14 pounds, declaring that his health issue "is at another level."

So, there are a bevy of reasons why Sanders held out of EA College Football 26. Things could always change during the season. Arch Manning famously waited until mid-season to appear in last year's title.

But for now, if you take a glance at Colorado's sideline while playing EA's latest release, you'll be greeted with an unfamiliar face in Sanders' stead.

Is Kirk Patrick a real person?

Patrick could be a real person, but the version of him that exists in EA College Football 26 — standing tall atop the Buffaloes' sideline, headset wrapped around a black-and-gold cap — isn't real. Patrick, much like Jon Dowd, Chad Masters, and NE Coach (some of Bill Belichick's fill-ins in 'Madden'), is merely a placeholder for a man who doesn't want to be in the game.

How to create a coach in EA College Football 26

EA College Football 26 employs a similar coach creator to that of last year's iteration of the game. Players can pick one of a few preset faces and builds and outfit their coaches to their hearts' desires. They can also choose a specific backstory to help aid their coaching development, either as a motivator, recruiter, or tactician. Each choice opens a unique coaching skills tree for coaches and their assistants.