Colorado Quarterback Julian Lewis in Unique Position With the Buffaloes

Following a tough 2025 season, coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado Buffaloes have made several changes to the roster and the coaching staff, which could help Colorado to have a much better showing in 2026.

CBS Sports’ David Cobb categorized college football quarterbacks into different tiers, and for Colorado, Cobb does see potential in redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who is expected to start for the Buffaloes.

Julian Lewis Could Be The Key To Colorado's Offense Next Season Coach Deion Sanders Brennan Marion Big 12 Go-Go Offense — Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) prepares to pass the ball during the spring game at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Great Offensive Situation For Julian Lewis

With Lewis expected to start, the experience he gained during the 2025 season appears to be even more important. Last season, Lewis appeared in four games and started in two, while recording 589 passing yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions while completing 55.3 percent of his passes.

Throughout the 2025 season, it became clear that Colorado lacked great options on the perimeter other than wide receiver Omarion Miller, while also struggling to establish the run game, which put Lewis and the other Buffaloes quarterbacks in tough positions all season long. With that in mind, Coach Prime made several changes on offense, with one of the biggest changes being the addition of Brennan Marion as the new offensive coordinator.

As an offensive mind, Marion has been able to lead consistent and productive offenses nearly everywhere he has gone with his go-go offense that prioritizes getting the ball in space to playmakers, as well as a physical downhill run game.

In Marion’s scheme, Lewis has a chance to find great success with his skill set, which centers around getting the ball out quickly to his receivers, making quick reads, and having the ability to stretch the defense vertically with his ability to connect on deep shots with his receivers.

In addition to bringing in Marion, Colorado has also made several additions on the offensive side of the ball, which includes wide receivers Danny Scudero and DeAndre Moore Jr., running backs Damian Henderson II, Richard Young, and Jaquail Smith, and lastly a revamped offensive line with tackles Bo Hughlye, Taj White, Jayven Richardson, and Leon Bell among other soldi additions on the interiror.

With all the talent that Colorado was able to bring in, the Buffaloes should be in a good position to maximize Lewis’s skill set, which could give Colorado a chance to have a winning season and potentially become bowl-eligible in a very competitive Big 12 conference.

Early Success Could Be Key For Colorado

Heading into the 2026 season, there is a major amount of pressure on Deion Sanders as he has only had one winning season with Colorado and has an overall record of 16-21.

For the Buffaloes, the lone winning season under Coach Prime was in 2024 when Colorado went 9-4 and was bowl eligible. One of the biggest reasons for Colorado’s success that season was the play of quarterback Shedeur Sanders, as he was able to elevate the players around him while also using the talent of players like Travis Hunter to their fullest potential.

With Lewis expected to take the reins as Colorado’s quarterback for now and the future, his ability to perform consistently could be the difference between the Buffaloes having a good season or a difficult season that may put Colorado in a very precarious position heading into 2027.

For Lewis to perform well in the 2026 season, having success early on in the season could be critical, with Colorado’s schedule getting more and more difficult as the year progresses. In the first few weeks of the season, Lewis will have his fair share of tests as well, with the Buffaloes going on the road to play against Georgia Tech, Northwestern, and Baylor while having a game against Weber State as well.

One of the biggest keys to Colorado’s season as a whole may be how Lewis performs against Georgia Tech with the challenge of playing on the road in a new offense. If Lewis can perform well against Georgia Tech in Marion’s offense and lead Colorado to a Week 1 victory, the Buffaloes may be able to lower the pressure, which could allow Sanders to help the team develop together and potentially have his best season yet at Colorado.

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