The Colorado Buffaloes under head coach Deion Sanders won their Week 2 matchup against the Delaware Blue Hens by playing three different quarterbacks.
But it wasn’t top transfer Kaidon Salter or 17-year-old five-star recruit Julian Lewis who led the way. But rather, it was Ryan Staub, the third-string quarterback for the Buffaloes, who finished as the most prolific passer on Saturday.
After Staub’s 7/10 outing for 157 yards and two touchdowns in their 31-7 win over Delaware, Sanders commented on the now-developing quarterback situation at Colorado, and what his plan was heading into the game.
“I wanted it to tell its own story,” Sanders said in the Buffaloes’ postgame press conference. “Instead of me telling the story, I wanted it to tell its own story. The plan was going to be each quarterback gets two series apiece. They did. And somebody was going to come out of the pack.”
Staub led all three Buffaloes’ passers in yards and touchdowns, while Salter went 13/16 for 102 yards, and Lewis finished 2/4 passing for just eight yards.
Deion Sanders On Ryan Staub
Staub joined the Colorado program after Sanders was announced as head coach in December 2022. Playing behind Shedeur Sanders his first two seasons in Boulder, Staub appeared in seven total games in 2023 and 2024, going a combined 23/44 for 254 total yards and one touchdown.
With Sanders now in the NFL, Staub stayed at Colorado, even after they added both Salter and Lewis to their quarterback room. But after not playing in their Week 1 loss to Georgia Tech, the redshirt sophomore made a big impact once he got on the field in the second quarter against the Blue Hens.
“He’s just been waiting for his opportunity,” Sanders said on Staub. “He never jumped in the portal. He had every right to think that way. He’s just been a great human being and a great young man. He’s like a leader amongst that room, all he needed was that opportunity. I thought it was time.”
Led by Staub, the Buffaloes’ first drive of the second half resulted in a quick touchdown. Staub did Sanders’ wrist flex celebration after completing a 71-yard score to receiver Sincere Brown to put Colorado up by three scores. After the game, Staub praised the passer he played behind over the past two seasons.
He’s starting the 3Q over Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis
📸 via zvchmiller/IG
“I‘ve been blessed to be able to sit behind him for two years, and I got to see everything that he did and the way he does things, day in and day out, the way he sees stuff in the film room,” Staub said of Sanders. “I’ve been right there behind it, and I’ve tried to take as much as I can from him.”
Staub was the leading storyline in the win, but the role as CU’s starting quarterback is still up for grabs.
Colorado’s Developing QB Situation
The adage is ‘if you have two quarterbacks, you have non,‘ but Sanders and the Buffaloes now have three. Though that could cloud the judgment of other college football coaches, Sanders doesn’t expect their rotating cast of passers on Saturday to drastically impact the team in the future.
“I know exactly how I’m going to handle the quarterback situation,” Sanders said. “I’m not going to say it, but yeah, I’m not lost for direction.”
Though Sanders’ comments were on brand with his usual confident and assured approach, Colorado offensive coordinator and play-caller Pat Shurmur gave a more hesitant response to their future at the quarterback position.
“We’re crossing some bridges to find out who our best guys are still,” Shurmur said.
For Lewis, the five-star recruit who finished with just eight passing yards and a sack, Sanders said their game plan didn’t involve the freshman passing a ton in the game, and they are slowly getting him comfortable with the college game.
“Some guys want you to just throw them in there, and I’m too protective,” Sanders added on Lewis. “I love the kid and I want the kid to be successful, so we’re very protective on what we do with him and what we can do with him, how we call things with him. We want him to be in a situation to excel.”
As of now, the starting quarterback position looks to be a battle between Staub and Salter, both of whom are the only players to throw a touchdown for the Buffaloes this season. But in Colorado’s next game against Houston, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Sanders and the staff trot out both, or all three, as they did in their Week 2 bounce-back win.
Deion Sanders Addresses QB Controversy After 3rd-String Shines