Deion Sanders Gets Real About Colorado's Quarterback Competition

Spring practice is a period of optimism for most college football program's, and the Colorado Buffaloes are no different. With an overhauled roster and coaching staff under the leadership of Colorado coach Deion Sanders, one key returning piece and reason for optimism is quarterback Julian "JuJu" Lewis.

Deion Sanders on Julian Lewis, Colorado's Quarterback Competition

However, "Coach Prime" was quick to confirm that he has not yet named a starting quarterback heading into 2026.

"It's an open competition at every position," said Sanders.

colorado buffaloes quarterback competition deion sanders julian juju lewis isaac wilson transfer portal big 12 — Jul 9, 2025; Frisco, TX, USA; Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis speaks with the media during 2025 Big 12 Football Media Days at The Star. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

The stance from Sanders is not a surprising one as "Coach Prime" waited until the week before the 2025 season opener before publicly announcing Colorado's starting quarterback as Kaidon Salter over Lewis.

Still, Lewis saw some action during his freshman season, and Sanders expressed his confidence in the young quarterback:

"His game is developing daily, and I'm proud of the strides that he's making in both, as a potential leader as well as a quarterback that we can really count on from start to finish," Sanders said when asked about Lewis' growth as a leader this spring. "I'm proud of the young man."

While Salter is no longer on the roster for Colorado, Lewis still has to compete for the starting job. The Buffs brought in former Utah transfer Isaac Wilson to the quarterback room, and Wilson has been turning heads in the spring. When asked about his addition, "Coach Prime" emphasized the importance of competition.

"Isaac (Wilson) is applying pressure, man, but that's what you want. You want every position to have pressure applied. Like, you want those battles. We got a three-man fight at linebacker right now. These guys are really, really good," said Sanders.

With Wilson and Lewis pushing each other to develop in the offseason, Colorado's quarterback room is one of many reasons to be excited about the Buffaloes in 2026.

Deion Sanders Doesn't Hold Back His Optimism

With new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve joining the program, the new faces have also brought new energy to the program. After Tuesday's practice, Sanders spoke to the media, and he revealed his excitement after nearly a complete spring camp.

"I think we've gotten better everywhere, starting with me and understanding what to go get, what we have, how to mature it, how to develop it, as well as the staff that we have," said Sanders." I think it's tremendous. I think you guys are really sleeping on the staff and what they bring to the table. The different components of it and especially all the new guys that we brought in, and you have two new coordinators that have a track record of really doing well."

"And I'm happy with what I'm seeing from the young men that we've chosen from the staff, from the support staff, from everything all the way around. I am elated. I don't want to clap with my feet just yet, but I feel really good about what's going on," Sanders continued.

Colorado's spring game is scheduled for Saturday, April 11, giving Lewis and Wilson a chance to compete on a larger stage than the typical spring practice. Additionally, the public will get a glimpse at the Buffaloes new-look offense and how the team's quarterbacks command it.

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