Sixteen games after Shedeur Sanders left Boulder, Deion Sanders is still chasing the quarterback stability Colorado desperately needs. Last season, three different starters took their shot, but the Buffaloes spiraled to a disappointing 3-9 finish.
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Now, just four games into the new campaign, Coach Prime has made another decisive move. Julian Lewis has been benched midway through the Big 12 opener, handing the reins to Utah transfer Isaac Wilson.
With Colorado trailing Baylor 10-3 at halftime, Deion Sanders stunned Julian Lewis by pulling him from the game and bringing in Wilson. But the real drama unfolded on the sidelines, as cameras caught offensive coordinator Brennan Marion screaming at Lewis, “Stop being scared.”
Marion appeared visibly frustrated with Lewis’ performance as Colorado’s offense continued to struggle. In the first half, Lewis completed 11 of 16 passes for 75 yards, while the Buffs converted just one of six third-down attempts. Colorado also failed to convert on its lone fourth-down opportunity, handing possession back to Baylor.
If that wasn’t enough, Lewis was sacked three times for a loss of 17 yards, leaving the Buffaloes struggling to sustain meaningful offensive drives. This isn’t the first time Lewis has struggled this season.
His only standout performance this season came against Weber State, where he accounted for four of his six touchdowns. The young QB has continued to struggle against tougher opponents, particularly Power Four defenses such as Northwestern and Georgia Tech.
Against the Baylor Bears, Wilson’s first drive got off to a slow start as his opening pass to wide receiver Joseph Williams fell incomplete. He later connected with Williams for a 20-yard gain on third down, but Colorado failed to sustain the drive and was forced to punt. His plays were enough for Deion Sanders to bring him out of the game
While discussing Colorado’s quarterback situation earlier this week, Deion Sanders made it clear that Julian Lewis still has significant room for improvement as he continues to develop.
“Some things you eliminate. See, you guys take everything for granted. Like some things, I really tell you the truth, and you don’t believe me, right? Have I lied to you one time? Haven’t I told you the truth the whole way? And I sat there a while ago. I said he’d be coming right around the mountain when he comes, right? So what does that mean? He’s not there yet. Okay, so we can’t expect that from a person if that’s not who he is; he’s a football player,” Sanders said.
Lewis could still return to the field, but the decision by Sanders and offensive coordinator Brennan Marion to pull him raises concerns about his role moving forward.
With Wilson now at the helm of the Buffaloes’ offense, the spotlight shifts to the young quarterback, who is the brother of NFL QB Zach Wilson. He completed four of his first 10 passes for 37 yards on Saturday, with Colorado entering the Baylor clash at 2-1.
The pressure is certainly mounting on Julian Lewis, and it remains to be seen whether the Buffs will give him another start in their next game.