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Deion Sanders still talks about Shedeur like he’s just down the hall watching film. But can you blame him? The Colorado QB situation has just been a whimsical parade of players coming in and going just to play their part as a player. Add to it the constant health concerns, even after the recent blood clot scare, Coach Prime did not take any time off. So the problems on and off the field are plenty. The Buffs HC addressed one such issue and didn’t fall back on accepting how much Boulder missed Shedeur Sanders in the QB position. “It’s been tumultuous because you’ve never concerned yourself with that position, right? Like, I ain’t worried about that. I know what he’s going to do,” Prime said during a conversation with Romi Bean. It’s all about that Sanders magic that kept the offense alive for the Buffs. Before him, the Buffs were fresh off a 1-11 nightmare, but Shedeur played the hero. Over two seasons, he threw for 7,364 yards and racked up 64 touchdowns with only 13 picks. Shedeur Sanders lit up the 2024 season, setting school records with 37 passing touchdowns and 4,134 yards. He led Colorado to a 9-4 record and an Alamo Bowl appearance, making the Buffaloes’ offense must-watch football. Now it’s a different experience for Coach Prime playing without his son. ADVERTISEMENT “And now you have to concern yourself with every position, not just that position. So it’s totally different for me. It’s challenging. It’s been a tremendous process, a tremendous change to say the least. But prayerfully, we right the ship in that area.” Shedeur at one time owned the fourth quarter, leading the nation in passing yards and touchdowns under pressure, without a single interception. With a 74% completion rate, his accuracy and poise kept drives alive and points on the board. But now the same program has failed to follow that with their new QBs. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports Kaidon Salter has been the go-to QB lately, but hasn’t found consistent success. He had a rough 60.7% completion rate, ten touchdowns, and six picks this season. Ryan Staub had his chance earlier but couldn’t quite make it count, completing 54.5% of his passes for 427 yards, three touchdowns, and four picks. Then there’s true freshman Julian “JuJu” Lewis, who is still early in his development and not quite ready to carry the team yet. In his last two games, Lewis has hit 52.4% of his throws for 129 yards and a touchdown, plus chipped in eight yards on the ground. Those kinds of performances added up to a passing attack that ranked 97th in the nation, averaging just 199.8 yards a game through the air. Deion Sanders admitted he’s had to shift gears big-time, going from having the comfort and trust of Shedeur as his QB to now worrying about every position on the field. The HC is protective of Lewis, knowing the kid’s young and doesn’t want to throw him into the deep end too soon. But now he has to, as Coach Prime already announced that Juju is going to start the game against West Virginia. ADVERTISEMENT Why Deion Sanders won’t back down? Colorado’s 2025 woes are not going to end any time soon. Keeping that in mind, Prime’s health concerns add an extra layer of tension to the worries in Boulder. Coming into the season, everyone was buzzing about his fight with bladder cancer and surgery to fix blood clotting. Still, Coach Prime stood firm, saying his health had zero impact on how the Buffaloes performed on the field. “Football is not my business. Football is my passion, man,” Sanders recently said. “It’s like my lady, she’s like my wife, like I love her. I do. So it’s more than business.” Colorado is cruising with a 3-6 record. It’s a tough drop from his early success. But the HC refuses to use his health as an excuse. He’s called the season’s struggles his responsibility and is focused on turning things around. The problem is the amount of rebuilding that needs to be done. ADVERTISEMENT From losing key stars like Shedeur and Travis Hunter to the pros, the Buffs’ offense is just struggling with unproven blood at this point. Plus, a ton of portal activity meant the roster has been in near-constant flux, making cohesion a challenge. But Deion isn’t backing down. He recently signed a five-year extension through 2029, signaling he’s locked in for the long haul in Boulder. A big part of his plan is developing the future, like giving true freshman QB Julian Lewis a chance.
