There was a reason that Deion Sanders had last season circled as the big one for the Colorado Buffaloes. It was long expected it would be the last ride with his son, Shedeur Sanders, and all-world Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. Thus, there were questions about what the next chapter in Boulder would be, which were answered when Colorado landed transfer QB Kaidon Salter from Liberty and flipped 4-star JuJu Lewis from USC. That, however, doesn't eliminate the concern about the future, even with the options presence.
Case in point, as Sanders and the Buffaloes prepare to head to Big 12 Media Days on July 8-9 at a familiar venue for the Colorado head coach, The Star in Frisco, headquarters for the Dallas Cowboys, he's bringing both Salter and Lewis with him. On some level, that might not be a bad thing. You're getting a former Group of 5 quarterback and a true freshman introduced to the bright lights that come with Coach Prime and this program.
Unfortunately, the more likely takeaway is less favorable. With the spring in the rearview and fall fast approaching, it's not outlandish to think that this is a clear indication that Colorado doesn't yet know what they're going to do at quarterback. For such a crucial role when it comes to the Buffs replacing Shedeur, that won't make anyone in Boulder sit well with this.
Colorado's QB uncertainty evident with Deion Sanders' Big 12 Media Day attendees
While I'm not unanimously going to subscribe to the old football adage of, "if you have two quarterbacks, then you have none", every case is different. And in Colorado's case, it doesn't sit quite right that they seemingly haven't made a distinction yet
The Big 12 has its favorites, to be sure, with the likes of Arizona State, Iowa State and Kansas State, among a couple of other would-be contenders in the conference. At the same time, the defining characteristic of the league is the parity and calamity it so often breeds. Hell, they've done away with the preseason poll because the Sun Devils were picked last a season ago and then won the conference title. Colorado is now in a post-Shedeur and Hunter position to try and find its footing in that ecosystem.
That's going to be impossible, however, without a firm stance at quarterback. Admittedly, I have my doubts about Salter, who was inconsistent in his time with Liberty, despite flashes. His fit with veteran offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur feels messy at best, so it's always made more sense to me to roll with Lewis and make the future start right now for the Buffaloes.
But the more important thing for Colorado is to pick a lane and ride in it. Without that, especially when a similarly mixed message has been sent on the recruiting trail and in the transfer portal from Sanders and the program, it feels like the Buffs are just a bit directionless. That's the last thing you want to be, especially in a league like the Big 12 and with a coach who attracts the spotlight like Coach Prime.