Deion Sanders makes quarterback change, accepts blame for Colorado’s recent struggles

Near the end of Deion Sanders’ Tuesday news conference, he spilled the cup of ice water he’d been sipping on throughout his time answering questions from reporters.

When he was finished, he asked for something to sop up the spill.

“Gotta clean up my own mess, right?”

The Buffaloes have been a mess through nine games this season, but Sanders says he’s committed to cleaning it up now and in the future, despite his health issues. He also said his offseason bladder removal following a cancer diagnosis, as well as surgery last month to remove blood clots from his leg, haven’t affected Colorado’s results in his third season as coach.

“I ain’t playing. I wish the world I could. Especially corner right now,” Sanders said.

Two weeks ago, the Buffaloes trailed Utah 43-0 at halftime en route to a 53-7 loss, the most lopsided defeat for Sanders in his college coaching career. Last week, at home against Arizona, the Buffaloes trailed 38-7 at halftime and lost 52-17.

“I’m not happy. We’re underachieving and I’ve gotta fix it,” Sanders said, adding that Colorado fans deserve much more and that he hopes they will stick with the team.

Sanders said, however, he was happy with his team’s practice habits, acknowledging that it was hard to believe considering the poor play in recent weeks.

“We’re trending in the right direction if you look behind the curtains,” he said.

There will be a change ahead of Saturday’s game at West Virginia, which upset Houston last week under new coach Rich Rodriguez, who led the Mountaineers to four Big East titles in his first stint at the school.

True freshman Julian Lewis, a one-time USC commit and the highest-rated prospect from Colorado’s 2025 recruiting class, will make his first career start in Morgantown.

Why?

“Common sense,” Sanders said.

Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, who arrived at Colorado alongside Lewis before spring practice and won the preseason quarterback competition, is being benched for the second time this season. He was 11-of-15 for 49 yards against Arizona with one touchdown and one interception and was replaced as the Wildcats’ lead piled up. Against Utah, Salter was 9-of-22 for 37 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.

Lewis threw his first career touchdown pass in the fourth quarter when he hit Omarion Miller downfield for a 59-yard score. He injured his arm late in the game, and Dominiq Ponder was forced to finish the game. Sanders said Lewis was fine to play this week.

Sanders said his “fatherly spirit” led to his decision not to allow any players or assistant coaches to speak with the media after Saturday’s loss or during Tuesday’s news conference.

“I’m trying to shield my guys from certain things that may harm them,” Sanders said. “My job is to protect them and put an umbrella around them until I feel like they’re ready for the attacks and assaults and the social media gambit they’re dealing with right now. That’s just me being a protector, guardian and father, which we all called coach back in the day.”

Sanders also alluded to the possibility he’d already shuffled around responsibilities on his coaching staff, but declined to elaborate.

“I might have already changed it, and you don’t know,” he said. “I don’t do stuff and blow the whistle and make major announcements. I don’t do that stuff. I do it and let you take shots, and you don’t realize you might be shooting at the wrong target. That’s up to you to notice them. They may have already happened.”

Sanders demoted offensive coordinator Sean Lewis in his first season at Colorado and promoted Pat Shurmur, who had joined the program in preseason camp as an analyst, to offensive coordinator.