Deion Sanders to Name Colorado Buffaloes’ Next Starting Quarterback

The decision on the next starting quarterback for the forthcoming game has been made by Deion Sanders, the current tactician for the Colorado Buffaloes. The decision, however, is yet to be announced to the public. The Buffaloes have amassed a 1-2 record, following a less-than-satisfactory 36-20 defeat at the hands of Houston. Sanders is keenly pursuing increased stability from the team.

Ryan Staub, who had previously shown promise against Delaware, was the quarterback during the Houston game but unfortunately failed to deliver an impressive performance. Sanders unequivocally asserts that he’s determined his starting quarterback for the upcoming Wyoming game. However, he chose to keep silent about who will take up the role after the recent loss to Houston, which once again stirred up confusion.

In light of the recent upset in Houston, Sanders refused to offer any justification, rather focusing on the search for leadership and consistency from the quarterback role, the chief position on the field. The Buffaloes have played under two different starting quarterbacks this season as they try to fill the shoes of Sanders’s son, Shedeur, who now plays for the Cleveland Browns.

Despite a shaky start to the season, Sanders expressed optimism about his team’s direction. He doesn’t think they’re travelling a mistaken route, but rather sees areas for improvement. There have been a few missteps that have hindered the team’s full potential, but Sanders makes it clear: there’s no excuse for those missteps, particularly last week’s adverse outcome.

The Buffaloes coach has responded to recent events by slightly modifying the team’s practice routine this week. The lack of clarity around the quarterback role arose after Sanders allocated his three top quarterbacks two series each in the 31-7 victory over Delaware early in September. His aspiration was for one of his quarterbacks to rise above the rest.

In that endeavor, one quarterback did stand out. Ryan Staub, the third-string quarterback, came in 45 seconds before halftime with the Buffaloes in the lead at 10-7. By the time Staub exited in the second half, their lead had surged to 31-7, following two touchdowns from Staub spanning 21 and 71 yards.

After this performance, Staub was chosen to start in the game against Houston on September 12. Despite his previous showing, Staub stumbled at certain crucial moments of the game. Post-game, Sanders acknowledged Staub’s underperformance but remained undecided about the quarterback lineup for the upcoming match against Wyoming.

Sanders now faces a decision between maintaining faith in Staub, whose less-than-stellar performance could also be attributed to insufficient support from his receivers and ineffectual blocking, or reverting back to Kaidon Salter, the Liberty transfer who initiated the first two games of the season, including the initial 27-20 defeat to Georgia Tech.

Salter’s opportunities have been relatively limited following the opening games; after leading his team to a secure 10-0 advantage in the Delaware match, he was surprisingly set aside in favour of Staub, the redshirt sophomore. The team’s other option is the highly touted freshman Julian ‘JuJu’ Lewis, who has played only three series this season in the game against Delaware and failed to make a significant impact.

Despite the uncertainties, Sanders remains confident, reassured that both the players in his squad and his coaching staff have the capacity to turn things around. The Colorado Buffaloes currently rank 123rd out of 134 major college teams in rush defense, with an average of 204.3 yards conceded per match.

Sanders maintains that he desires ‘consistency’ from his team, although he refutes the idea of needing an ‘identity’, something that the team has earned a reputation for succeeding in. Irrespective of the situation, the foremost priority for Sanders is securing a win for his team, without any concern over perceived identities.

Sanders argues against becoming too concerned with ‘identity’, stating the team has a number of areas they need to improve. From better defense against the run to consistent performance on both offensive and defensive fronts, Sanders highlights several areas for focus, but remains dismissive of the concept of a singular ‘identity’.

This season represents Sanders’s debut at Colorado without the services of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner. Both have stepped up to the NFL, leaving a noticeable gap in Boulder. Yet with it being early in the season, there’s plenty of opportunity to address gaps and improve performance.

Colorado cornerback DJ McKinney reflects on the current situation, reminding that it’s still early days in the season, and there’s plenty of opportunity to iron out the kinks. He acknowledges that the journey will inevitably entail ups and downs, but the key is to stay steady and not get overwhelmed by the highs or get too downcast by the lows.

Reiterating consistency as the ultimate goal, McKinney concludes with the sentiment that they must continue progressing, regardless of the challenges that lie ahead. The season is long, and it’s vital that the Colorado Buffaloes stay prepared to face the bumps in the road that are sure to come, and to maintain equilibrium through it all.