Shedeur Sanders isn't taking criticism of Colorado's program lying down.

The Buffaloes quarterback responded to criticism from safety Xavier Smith, calling his former teammate "very mid" in a social media post.

Shedeur Sanders @ShedeurSanders

Ion even remember him tbh. Bro had to be very mid at best. <a href="">

Smith expressed frustration with how Colorado coach Deion Sanders, Shedeur's father, handled his situation upon the Hall of Famer's arrival in Boulder. According to Smith, his new coach told him to transfer and he would "waste a year" by staying.

"He was destroying guys' confidence and belief in themselves," Smith told Max Olson of The Athletic. "The way he did it, it could've been done with a little more compassion."

Smith eventually transferred to Austin Peay.

Sanders has been abundantly clear about his position regarding transfers since taking the Colorado job. He's there to revamp the entire program from the ground up. If a player does not fit his vision for the program, they're going to be cut or advised to transfer.

It's clear that type of cutthroat thinking will rub people—particularly those who thought they were committing to spending the next four years in one location—the wrong way. It's a professional mindset for a game that's long straddled the line between professionalism and the concept of the student-athlete.

Sanders' brutal honesty was bound to lead to bitterness from former players. One could give him credit for honesty, but that's likely little solace for a player who saw their dream ripped away.

As far as Shedeur responding to player comments, it's understandable but not the best look for the program.