Key Colorado Star Gaining National Attention for Spring Performance

So far this spring, there seems to be some optimism that the Colorado Buffaloes could take a big step forward next season following several roster and coaching changes. During spring practices, there have been a few players who have stood out, but there is one in particular to pay attention to.

Julian Lewis

Redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis was one of the few bright spots for Colorado a season ago, and Lewis was tabbed by Bleacher Report's Brad Shepard as a player to watch in the spring.

In 2025, Lewis was at times able to get the offense moving in the right direction. His best performance was against West Virginia, where he recorded 299 passing yards, two touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 153.5. In that game against the Mountaineers, Lewis was fairly accurate, completing 22 of 35 attempts, which resulted in a completion percentage of 62.9.

Colorado lost to West Virginia, but it became clear that Lewis has a bright future and could work into being the Buffaloes' starting quarterback. Throughout the spring, Lewis has begun to take on more of a leadership role and is projected to be the starting quarterback next season.

For the entirety of the season, Lewis totaled 589 passing yards, four touchdowns, and a quarterback rating of 122.0. Lewis was decent with his accuracy as he completed 52 of 94 passes with a completion percentage of 55.3.

With Lewis at the helm, Colorado should be in good hands, especially with the changes they made on the offensive side of the ball.

Offensive Improvements

The offense was quite stagnant for a variety of reasons, so Colorado coach Deion Sanders made some changes. That started with bringing in offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, who is one of the more innovative minds in all of college football.

Almost everywhere Marion goes, his offenses have been successful. These stops have included helping Jordan Addison become the best receiver in college football, then at Texas where he helped develop Xavier Worthy into a great NFL talent, and at Sacramento State, where Marion created one of the more consistent rush attacks in the FCS.

Marion’s offense has become known as the Go-Go, which attacks space and gets the ball into the hands of the best playmakers on the roster. As far as the playmakers go, Coach Prime has made sure that Lewis has plenty.

Through the transfer portal, Colorado brought in several wide receivers, including the likes of Danny Scudero, DeAndre Moore Jr., Kam Perry, and Ernest Campbell. All of these receivers have shown the ability to create explosive plays and be productive consistently, which fits right into Marion’s offense.

At running back, the Buffaloes brought in Damian Henderson II, JaQuail Smith, and Richard Young. Henderson and Smith follow Marion from Sacramento State, where they experienced great success in the run game and in the pass game. Young also brings great value to the room with his strength and power.

At tight end, Colorado brings in one new addition in Fisher Clements, who transfers from Northern Colorado. Clements stands at 6-7, which provides Lewis, a big target in the red zone, to create another element in the offense.

Another element crucial to Marion‘s offense is a good offensive line, which is something Colorado also addressed. At tackle, the Buffaloes brought in Bo Hughley, Jayven Richardson, Taj White, and Leon Bell. Colorado also added guards, Jose Soto and Jayvon McFadden, and centers Demetrius Hunter and Sean Kinney.

The linemen Colorado brought in have a blend of experience and success at their respective programs in conferences like the Big 12, ACC, SEC, Mountain West, and the Big Ten. Finding linemen who have succeeded in these conferences should help Colorado to do a much better job up front protecting the quarterback and creating lanes for the backs on the ground.

Julian Lewis’ Fit With Brennan Marion

With all the new Buffaloes, Lewis has a great opportunity to succeed, especially with his skill set in Marion’s offense. Lewis functions as a point guard type quarterback, wanting to get the ball to his playmakers and allow them to make plays.

Several players have talked about the complexity of making reads in Marion’s offense during spring practices, but based on how Lewis likes to play once he gets a handle on it, this could be a great match for both sides.

With a much-improved offensive line and a great running back room, Colorado’s ground game could be something that helps to keep them ahead of schedule to create more manageable third downs. This is something that the Buffaloes have not had recently, and if they can succeed in running the ball, this could change the trajectory of their offense completely.

In the pass game, Lewis should have had a great complement of weapons that could create big plays even on check-downs and underneath routes. Scudero, Moore, Perry, and Campbell all have great speed and explosiveness to make Lewis‘s job much easier.

Throughout spring ball, Lewis has been able to build chemistry with several of his receivers in Scudero, Campbell, and Perry. Moore has been out with an injury, but looks to be back relatively soon as spring ball concludes to add himself to Lewis’ inner circle of receivers.

This fit for Lewis throughout spring practice has been something that seems to have brought out the best in him. The more reps he can get in the offense, the more comfortable he will be and the more likely Colorado is to have a successful season on the offensive side.

It is very early in the process, but the Buffaloes seem to be headed in the right direction with Lewis leading the offense to what many in Boulder hope to be an exciting season.

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