The Colorado Buffaloes officially began the post-Shedeur Sanders era at Big 12 Media Days on Wednesday, but head coach Deion Sanders made one thing crystal clear — he still doesn’t know who his next starting quarterback will be.
“We brought both of them because I don't know which one is going to start,” Sanders told reporters, referring to Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and true freshman JuJu Lewis. "We can't lose either way, with either of those two."
That candid admission from Sanders, delivered on college football’s preseason main stage, confirmed what many had already suspected: Colorado’s quarterback room is unsettled, and the battle to replace Shedeur is very much alive heading into fall camp.
Sanders brought both Salter and Lewis with him to Dallas — a rare move that, according to many observers, speaks volumes about the indecision under center in Boulder.
“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,” FanSided’s Cody Williams wrote ahead of the event.
Williams also questioned Salter’s fit with Colorado’s offensive structure, calling it “messy at best” and pushing for Sanders to simply commit to Lewis now.
“Admittedly, I have my doubts about Salter, who was inconsistent in his time with Liberty, despite flashes,” Williams continued. “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.”
Sanders, though, isn’t ready to pick a lane. And as CBS Sports’ Shehan Jeyarajah noted, that might make this the most complex quarterback situation Sanders has faced since becoming a head coach.
“It’s a testament to the maturity of both players that Deion Sanders feels comfortable putting both in front of the media,” Jeyarajah wrote. “But things get tougher when the bullets start flying. It’s the first time Sanders has dealt with a real quarterback competition as an FBS football coach.”
Last season, Shedeur Sanders — both as a quarterback and as Deion’s son — absorbed much of the spotlight. His performance, leadership, and connection to the coach gave the Buffs an identity. This season, that identity is up for grabs.
And while bringing both quarterbacks to media days showcased confidence in their poise, it also underscored just how wide open the competition remains. With Colorado transitioning into a deeper, more chaotic Big 12, a slow decision at quarterback could prove costly.
“The more important thing for Colorado is to pick a lane and ride in it,” Williams added. “Without that… 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.”
Deion Sanders embraced that spotlight again on Tuesday. But until a starter emerges under center, it’s a storyline that won’t go away anytime soon.