Three Questions Quarterback Julian Lewis Must Answer With Colorado

Heading into the 2026 season, the Colorado Buffaloes have an opportunity to make a major improvement and could have the answer at quarterback moving forward, with redshirt freshman Julian Lewis expected to be the starter.

While Lewis has shown flashes of potential with the Buffaloes, he does have some questions to answer as he enters next season with Colorado.

Colorado Buffaloes Quarterback Julian Lewis Next Season Questions To Answer Coach Deion Sanders Brennan Marion Big 12 — 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

Can Julian Lewis Lead a Consistent Offense?

Last season, the Buffaloes struggled significantly to move the ball on a consistent basis, which was for a variety of reasons. One of the biggest reasons appears to have been the inconsistency that coach Deion Sanders and Colorado had at the quarterback position.

Based on the inconsistency that the Buffaloes had at the quarterback position, Lewis was able to gain valuable experience as he played in four total games and started in two of those games. In Lewis’ opportunities last season, he recorded 589 passing yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions, and completed 55.3 percent of his passes.

The most important takeaway from Lewis’s 2025 campaign seems to be his ability to take care of the ball very well with no interceptions, which could be something that helps him to find success next season. However, Lewis needs to figure out how to become more efficient when it comes to completing his passes so Colorado can find more consistency and efficiency in the passing game.

While Lewis does need to be more efficient, Colorado’s roster in 2025 did not possess a reliable offensive line, which impacted the run game and the pass game in addition to having a limited number of playmakers on the perimeter.

With that in mind, Colorado made several changes to help Lewis for next season with many additions along the offensive line and on the perimeter. With these new additions for the Buffaloes, Lewis should be in a much better position to succeed than he was last season.

However, it is ultimately up to Lewis to have a better performance to show that he can lead a consistent offense and put Colorado in a position to be successful moving forward in what is a very competitive Big 12 conference.

How Will Julian Lewis Fit in Brennan Marion’s Offense?

For Lewis to be successful, it seems that the most important factor is how he fits in Colorado’s new look offense under offensive coordinator Brennan Marion.

In Marion’s previous coaching stops, he has experienced great success while leading very balanced offenses and developing high-level college talent, which has, in some cases, found success at the NFL level.

Marion’s offense at its foundation focuses on getting the ball in space to playmakers in the pass game, in addition to establishing a physical downhill rush attack. Recently, Colorado has not really had a balanced offense and, in most cases, has relied on the passing game, which has put the offensive line and the quarterbacks in tough positions constantly.

With Marion now calling the offense, the Buffaloes should have a different emphasis, which could include stopping the run and getting the ball out quickly to playmakers, which should help Lewis to find more success than he had last season. As a point-guard type quarterback, Lewis’ skill set should translate well to this offense with his ability to get the ball out quickly through fast reads and decisions.

If Lewis can make quick reads and rely on his run game, Lewis has a chance to become a consistent quarterback for Colorado and potentially one of the more reliable quarterbacks in the Big 12.

Who Will be the Top Targets for Julian Lewis?

While Lewis’ fit in Marion’s offense is critical, finding Lewis’ weapons could become even more critical.

Through the transfer portal, the Buffaloes added several players, but the top two players who could make an impact on the perimeter are wide receivers Danny Scudero and DeAndre Moore Jr. Both Scudero and Moore have the talent and skill sets to fit right into Marion’s offense and establish a great connection with Lewis.

Last season, Scudero was one of the most productive receivers in the country as he totaled 88 receptions for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns with San Jose State. As a slot receiver, Scudero relied most on his consistent hands and polished route running, which should translate very well with Lewis and Marion.

Throughout Moore’s time with Texas, he had solid production as he recorded 77 receptions for 988 yards and 11 touchdowns. With Moore’s speed, he has been able to create several explosive plays after the catch and over the top of opposing defenses. In Marion’s offense with Lewis, Moore’s speed and big play ability are both factors that could lead to a dangerous connection with Lewis and potentially help Moore to become one of the best receivers in the Big 12.

As Lewis heads into the 2026 season, having a receiver tandem of Scudero and Moore is something that could help him to run Marion’s offense with great success and put Colorado in a position to have one of the more explosive offenses in the conference.

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