What Deion Sanders Said About JuJu Lewis Ahead of His First College Football Start

It hasn’t been the ideal season for the Colorado Buffaloes. Sitting at 3–6 overall and 1–5 in Big 12 play, the Buffs have endured their share of growing pains. But a new chapter in the "Coach Prime" era begins in Morgantown, where freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis will make his first career college start against the West Virginia Mountaineers.

Aug 29, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) warms up in the second quarter against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Ahead of this week's matchup, Deion Sanders sat down with the voice of the Buffs, Mark Johnson, for his weekly coaches show, where he offered an honest, detailed look at what he expects from his young quarterback heading into Saturday’s Big 12 matchup.

Coach Prime's Confidence

Nov 1, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders before the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

"Coach Prime" has often been coy when asked about Lewis’s development, repeating the line: “JuJu will be coming around the mountain when he comes.”

Now, as the Buffaloes prepare to face the West Virginia Mountaineers, it appears that moment has finally arrived. Sanders’ confidence in his young quarterback was on full display as he spoke about Lewis’s tremendous talent and readiness to take the next step.

“He’s been having some decent practices; he just gotta learn the pace of the game,” Sanders said. “He has the capacity. He has arm talent that is unbelievable. He can make all the throws. The thing about the youngsters — you worry about the decision-making because the game is happening so fast.”

Sanders’ words carried belief but also cautious awareness — a reminder that talent alone doesn’t always guarantee success, especially in a tough Big 12 environment on the road. But there’s no mistaking his confidence in Lewis's skill set. The freshman passer who's been lauded for his arm talent and football IQ since arriving in Boulder will finally get the chance to showcase both under the lights in Morgantown.

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Calling the Shots

Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Delaware Fightin Blue Hens linebacker Gavin Moul (35) pushes out Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) in the second quarter at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Sanders also noted that being able to communicate directly with his young quarterback up until the 15-second mark on the play clock will be crucial for helping Lewis settle in early and manage the moment.

Lewis won’t be navigating this debut alone. He will lean on new play caller and wide receivers coach Brett Bartolone, who steps back into a familiar role after serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under "Coach Prime" at Jackson State in 2022.

That season, Bartolone helped guide legendary quarterback Shedeur Sanders to SWAC MVP honors as Jackson State and finished undefeated in conference play.

Sep 4, 2022; Miami, Florida, US; Jackson State Tigers quarterback Shedeur Sanders (2) holds Orange Blossom Classic Trophy after a game against the Florida A&M Rattlers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rich Storry-Imagn Images | Rich Storry-Imagn Images

Now, the challenge for Bartolone is to create that same chemistry with Lewis, which means simplifying the reads, establishing a rhythm early, and finding the quick completions that allow the young passer to play fast and confident.

If Bartolone and Lewis can recreate even a fraction of that Jackson State magic that he and Shedeur found, the Buffs could be onto something big offensively.

Finding What Makes JuJu Go

Sep 6, 2025; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) before the game against the Delaware Fightin Blue Hens at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Later in the interview, Sanders shared that he always tried to help his son, Shedeur, and explained that finding an early rhythm in games was paramount.

“I always wanted him to go one-for-one, because if he goes one-for-one, now two-for-two, now he gets rolling because he gets that out of the way,” Sanders said. “We gotta find out what makes JuJu go.”

That task now falls to Bartolone and the Buffs’ offensive staff. With Pat Shurmur calling plays earlier in the season, Colorado struggled to sustain drives or establish consistency with quarterback Kaidon Salter at the helm. But with a new voice in Lewis’s ear — and a fresh mindset across the offense — Colorado has an opportunity to reset the tone of its season and end on a high note.

If Lewis can find his rhythm early and play with the calm confidence that’s defined his rise so far, it could do more than spark Colorado’s offense — it could reveal to everyone in Boulder and around the college football world what the future looks like. For a team searching for direction, “finding what makes JuJu go” might just be the key to getting the whole program rolling again.