Deion Sanders has a quarterback problem that still doesn’t have a resolution. While Kaidon Salter is expected to return as the starting quarterback, it doesn’t really feel like the long term answer, rather the one Sanders has no choice but to make. Salter was supposed to be the perfect bridge option for Colorado after the Shedeur Sanders era ended.
Sanders doesn’t have confidence in him and if he does start this week as he’s projected to, it won’t really mean much for the rest of the season. The quarterback situation at Colorado is up in the air, even though it really doesn’t have to be. You could make an argument for any three of the quarterbacks to start, but it really only makes sense for Salter.
This season is proof Sanders will have to show he knows what he’s doing. In both of his collegiate stops, he had the most important position taken care of. No matter how well he recruited to land Julian Lewis and then pluck Salter out of the transfer portal, he’s never had to deal with a quarterback that wasn’t Shedeur under center.
Kaidon Salter was always a risky move and Deion Sanders’ indecisiveness proves just that
Salter came from Liberty and quickly looked like one of the best Group of 5 quarterbacks after the 2023 season finished. He was named the Conference USA’s MVP and could have made the leap to a bigger program. He opted to return for the 2024 at Liberty and it wasn’t nearly as productive as the year before.
Nearly every one of his stats dropped from the previous year and despite playing in a weaker conference, he regressed. That should have been a warning sign to Sanders in his desperate attempt to find a replacement for his son. It was always unlikely that Julian Lewis was going to start as a true freshman.
The one thing Sanders is going to realize is that he needs to be patient with Salter because he’s probably their best and only option under center right now. This season, sure you want to get to the College Football Playoff, but the stability of this program is more important.
This team isn’t structured to go on a Big 12 and CFP run this season, but it could be what sets this team up in the future. Salter isn’t the best option, but he’s the least risky, considering Sanders has to re-learn how to truly build a program and not just bring whoever he wants with him.
Deion Sanders can’t ruin Julian Lewis with unnecessary quarterback urgency
The other reason why it’s worth playing Salter over the other two options right now is that being patient with Lewis is paramount to if Colorado can actually continue to improve as a program. In a way, the future of this team lies on the shoulders of Lewis and to play him now would only hurt his potential.
It would also prove how hard it will be to recruit to Colorado. Sanders’ tenure in Colorado is now tied to the new era of this team rather than what he accomplished his first two seasons. That’s why keeping him in the background should be the move.
Colorado is 1-2 with their only win over Delaware. The loss to Houston highlighted a real problem with the quarterback room and left Sanders to answer all the questions. He doesn’t have them and it doesn’t feel like any of the current options are. But that’s why his way of building this team hinges on what happens this year.
The Buffaloes aren’t confident with any other solutions and Sanders choosing Salter is him choosing the best of his options. This season will be a learning curve for both the current rostered players and Sanders. He’s never been in this situation before as a college coach and it could determine what his team looks like after this season.