Ben Finneseth Pulls Back the Curtain On Julian Lewis' Growth At Colorado

BOULDER — Veteran team leader Ben Finneseth shared Tuesday that he took it upon himself to keep the Colorado Buffaloes' quarterbacks, including true freshman Julian "JuJu" Lewis, accountable for their work ethic during spring camp earlier this year.

Fresh out of high school and only 17 years old, Lewis struggled at times during his first spring at the college level, and the safety Finneseth wasn't afraid to let the rookie know when his work ethic lacked.

"He actually hated me in the spring because I was on his tail about little things and what it takes," Finneseth said. "He actually came up to me this summer because I was like, 'You've changed, buddy.' I would give the quarterbacks a depth chart based on their work ethic in the spring, and I put him bottom of the bottom of the pack about every single day, and that's really why he hated me. But it got to him."

Ben Finneseth Curtains Julian Lewis Colorado Development JuJu College Football Quarterback Buffaloes Deion Sanders ASU Devils — Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffaloes safety Ben Finneseth (28) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Finneseth's commitment to Lewis ultimately paid off with a more productive summer, although the freshman still lost the initial starting quarterback battle to Kaidon Salter.

"This summer, I didn't have to be on his butt as much," Finneseth said. "I was like, 'Bro, I'm proud of you.' He was like, 'You know what? Thank you.' He appreciated the fact that I was on him the whole time and that I never gave up on him. I gave him his props. I was like, 'You've come a long way, dog.'"

Julian Lewis Prepping For Second Career Start

After throwing for 299 yards and two touchdowns in his first career start against the West Virginia Mountaineers earlier this month, Lewis is now preparing for another starting opportunity against the Arizona State Sun Devils this weekend. The former five-star prospect stayed in Boulder during the bye week and watched a healthy number of film hours, according to coach Deion Sanders.

"I'm excited for JuJu," Finneseth said. "Like I was telling him, 'You have a great opportunity, and you can show the world right now who you are with this opportunity that you're given.' It's gonna be fun."

Assuming he stays at Colorado, Lewis will likely hold down his role as the Buffs' starting quarterback next season. Saturday's matchup against Arizona State will provide another valuable chance for the freshman to gain some experience heading into the offseason.

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Deion Sanders Impressed By Julian Lewis' Growth

"Coach Prime" was also asked about Lewis' growth throughout his first college season.

"This kid is starting to understand the game a lot more, mentally, psychologically," Sanders said. "His physical tools are, it is what it is; he has it. But really understanding the game and how it's played from the defensive coordinators to our coordinators to the personnel that he has around him."