Colorado Buffaloes, Deion Sanders Taking Unique Approach To Big 12 Football Media Days

With their starting quarterback job still undecided, the Colorado Buffaloes are taking a somewhat unique approach to who they're sending to next week's Big 12 football media days at The Star in Frisco, Texas.

Instead of showing his hand by giving either Liberty Flames transfer Kaidon Salter or incoming freshman Julian "JuJu" Lewis the plane ticket, coach Deion Sanders will allow both to attend, making Colorado the only Big 12 team sending two quarterbacks. Every Big 12 team except for the BYU Cougars, UCF Knights, Houston Cougars, Oklahoma State Cowboys and West Virginia Mountaineers will send one quarterback to the event, scheduled for July 8-9.

Speaking after Colorado's spring game in April, "Coach Prime" said he was still far from deciding who would become Shedeur Sanders' heir at quarterback.

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

"Ain't nobody care about that, because I may change my mind tomorrow," Deion Sanders said. "So what benefits us to name a guy now? What does that do for us as a team? Nothing. That may do something for you guys (media), so you can have something to talk about, but that don't do nothing for us. It does nothing for us. I'm not doing that. Matter of fact, I don't even know who's going to be that guy right now, anyway, so I don't have the propensity to do it, because I don't know. They gotta perform with consistency."

Returning backup quarterback Ryan Staub is also competing for Colorado's starting job, although it's unlikely he'll beat out either Lewis or Salter. Still, offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was pleased with how his quarterbacks competed during spring camp.

"The three quarterbacks that are performing are doing a good job," Shurmur said. "I see improvement every day. They're all kind of on a different stage of their journey. Obviously, Kaidon's got one year left. He's learning what we're doing very well. JuJu is a young man with an amazing amount of talent and has got a bright future. He's doing extremely well."

Cornerback DJ McKinney, offensive lineman Jordan Seaton and kicker Alejandro Mata round out Colorado's list of Big 12 media days reps. Mata, a fan favorite in Boulder, will be the only kicker at the event.

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Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos head coach Deion Sanders (left) embraces kicker Alejandro Mata against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

"Coach Prime" is currently recovering from an undisclosed health issue at his home in Texas and has yet to confirm he'll attend Big 12 media days. He missed the Pac-12 media day in 2023 after undergoing multiple surgeries to fix blood clots in his leg.

Other quarterbacks headed to Big 12 media days include Arizona State's Sam Leavitt, Baylor's Sawyer Robertson, Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby, Iowa State's Rocco Becht, Kansas State's Avery Johnson, Texas Tech's Behren Morton, Arizona's Noah Fifita, Kansas' Jalon Daniels, TCU's Josh Hoover and Utah's Devon Dampier.

The two-day event will be broadcast live on ESPNU and ESPN+. Colorado is scheduled to speak on July 9.