Julian Lewis looked like the young quarterback Colorado planned to build around after Shedeur Sanders moved on. However, multiple benchings this season have made that plan feel unsettled instead. The switch at the position has not calmed the offense either. Now, a Colorado alum claims Lewis’ camp has already told the staff how the rest of his year will go.
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“Bro… JuJu’s camp told Deion & Co. he’s done. Sitting out the rest of the year, collecting the bag, and hitting the portal ASAP. That’s a fact.” Matt McCall, a CU alum, posted on October 5. The post answered a user who asked whether Lewis would stay patient or whether his pay might change. However, neither Lewis nor Colorado has confirmed it.
In another tweet, the CU alum posted, “Welp, we already knew what Deion was too afraid to say but it’s official. Juju won’t take another snap at the University of Colorado.”
However, no statement has come from either the program or Julian Lewis’ camp at the moment.
Lewis opened 2026 as the starter after flipping late to the Buffaloes for the 2025 class. He was viewed as one of the pieces the program could lean on once Shedeur Sanders left. In Colorado’s season opener against Georgia Tech, the QB led the Buffs to a late touchdown drive to take the lead.
After an impressive outing against Weber State, Lewis couldn’t get going against Northwestern. During the Week 4 game at Baylor on September 26, Colorado trailed 10-3 at halftime. Lewis was 11-of-16 for 75 yards with no touchdowns and three sacks before Deion Sanders pulled him and inserted Utah transfer, Isaac Wilson.
“We just needed a change. We needed inspiration at that time, some kind of way,” Sanders said.
A week later, Lewis did not play in Colorado’s October 3 home loss to No. 12 Texas Tech. Wilson started and finished 26-of-44 for 290 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions, including a pick-six. Another quarterback also saw limited snaps, which left the depth chart looking even less settled.
Lewis’ absence after the Baylor benching fueled talk that the change had become more concerning. Sanders’ own comments after the game did not line up with a simple drop.
“Love JuJu to come in here and he tell you what happened,” Sanders said when asked about the move. “It didn’t happen like that.” He added that the quarterback spot remained an open competition among three options.
Wilson has not locked the offense down either. In the second half at Baylor, he went 12-of-25 for 156 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions, and Colorado briefly tied the game before falling short. Colorado sits at 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play after the two games in which he handled most of the snaps. The quarterback change has not shifted the team’s direction on its own, which is why Lewis’ status still matters.
Lewis’ numbers help explain both the surprise and the coaching decision. The Weber State game remains the clearest sign of his upside. The Baylor half showed the opposite, with the offense stuck and the sacks piling up. He also rushed 15 times for minus-45 yards and one touchdown.
Limited production against FBS defenses, plus Sanders’ earlier comments on leadership, created the opening for the change. In the current NIL and portal landscape, a young quarterback does not have to stay put if the fit feels broken.
On3 listed his valuation near $1 million entering the season. A player can enter the portal after the season or sit out the remaining games while protecting eligibility under redshirt and scholarship rules.
The claim circulating online is that he could sit out while still collecting NIL money, but those agreements are private and may or may not continue based on their terms. Sanders’ contractual spot is far more locked in.
Sanders’ Colorado record stands at 3-9 in 2025, and 2-3 so far in 2026. The 9-4 in 2024 came alongside Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. The program has no conference title or major trophy under him, and results dropped once those two left.
He signed a five-year extension in 2025, worth about $54 million through 2029, with a 2026 salary reported at around $10 million. If Sanders leaves before December 31 for another coaching role, his buyout would be near $10 million, an amount a new employer can cover.
If Colorado fires him without cause before the end of 2026, the school would owe $25–26 million under the formula of 75% of the remaining base salary.