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Deion Sanders is playing the long game at Colorado. The coach announced Tuesday that true freshman quarterback Julian Lewis will sit out the season finale against Kansas State to preserve his redshirt year – a move that reveals Coach Prime’s vision for the program’s future.
“I’ve made a decision that JuJu is gonna redshirt,” Sanders said. “I want what’s best for the kid, what’s best for his family, what’s best for this wonderful university… I think for the program it’s best for everyone, but mainly it’s great for him.”
The Buffaloes (3-8) have no bowl game to play for, making this the perfect time to protect Lewis’s eligibility. The young signal-caller had taken over starting duties earlier this month from transfer Kaidon Salter and showed real promise in his limited action. Lewis will finish his freshman campaign with 589 passing yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions through four appearances — the NCAA maximum to maintain redshirt eligibility.
Salter, who lost his job after struggling early in November, will return to the starting role against K-State with Ryan Staub backing him up.
Lewis wasn’t exactly thrilled with the decision.
“I’m not gonna say that he was happy, because he’s a competitor,” Sanders explained. “He wants to compete, he wants to play.”
Building Around a Homegrown Star
This move signals a significant shift in Coach Prime’s approach. By preserving Lewis’s redshirt, Colorado maintains four full seasons of eligibility for a quarterback Sanders clearly views as the cornerstone of the program’s future. It’s a stark contrast to how Sanders has handled the position previously — relying on the transfer portal to bring in his son Shedeur from Jackson State and later Salter from Liberty.
With ongoing NCAA litigation potentially changing eligibility rules down the road, Sanders is making sure Lewis can be the face of Buffalo football for years to come.
The decision comes amid Sanders’ promise of program-wide changes following Colorado’s fourth straight loss — a 42-17 drubbing by Arizona State last Saturday. After that game, Coach Prime didn’t mince words about the need for improvement.
“As a matter of fact, it’s already in progress,” Sanders said postgame. “We could throw stones at everybody. I always say you start with me.”
Athletic Director Rick George has made it clear Sanders isn’t going anywhere. George — who will step down in July 2026 — publicly backed his head coach, emphasizing that Sanders is not on the hot seat as he prepares for Year 4 in Boulder.
The quarterback carousel has been a major issue for the Buffs this season. They’ve rotated through three different starters, highlighting the need for stability at the position. By redshirting Lewis, Sanders is essentially designating him as the program’s quarterback of the future rather than continuing to overhaul the position group through the portal.
It’s part of a larger rebuilding strategy that Sanders believes will pay dividends with time.
“If anybody is built for adversity, I am,” Sanders said. “If anybody is built to change, I am. If anybody’s built to overcome situations and trials and tribulations, I am. You got the right man. I promise you, you do. And I’m going to prove that to you. Just give me an opportunity and give me a little more time and I’m going to prove that to you. I will.”
For Colorado fans, this redshirt decision isn’t about missing one meaningless game against Kansas State. It’s about securing potentially four full seasons with a talented young quarterback who could become the foundation of what Sanders is trying to build in Boulder.
