Three weeks from kickoff, Colorado’s quarterback battle is still far from decided
- Liam Howard
- Aug 8
- 2 min read
Colorado football took center stage at the 2025 Fall Sports Media Day on Friday.
One of the questions that still looms large over the team at this point in training camp is that of the quarterback battle. The competition between transfer senior Kaidon Salter and five-star freshman Julian Lewis is neck and neck, and in a surprising turn of events, senior Ryan Staub has interjected himself into the race.
In Deion Sanders’ opening press conference, he had high praise for what he’s seen out of Salter in his first training camp with the Buffaloes.
“Kaidon is a guy with multiple talents,” Sanders said. “He can throw the ball and he can run the heck out of the ball… the kid is going to cause havoc.”
He also spoke on Lewis and how he has benefited from the competition with a veteran QB like Salter.
“They’re dear friends, they’re trying to make each other better,” Sanders said. “I see leaps and bounds with the tutelage from coach Leftwich, and Pat [Shurmur] is doing a phenomenal job with him as well.”
He believes that Lewis has embraced the competition incredibly well, and whether he’s starting this season or not, he will emerge as a star for the Buffaloes.
“He’s going to soar,” Sanders added. “When it’s his turn, trust me, you’re going to know.”
Sanders made it clear that his first and foremost concern is giving his team the best chance to win, regardless of the implications it has on the quarterback position. He’s prepared to rotate through quarterbacks multiple times per game if that’s what it takes, and there isn’t a real concern to name a true starter or give the reins of this offense to one quarterback in particular. That includes looking to Staub, who’s entering his third year with CU, as an option, as both Coach Prime and Shurmur have made it clear that he shouldn’t be counted out.
“Let’s not sleep on Ryan,” Shurmur said after Week 1 of training camp. “Given the opportunity to play, he’s going to play well.”
Despite this stout competition, all three quarterbacks have established a strong relationship with one another. There’s not much sense of jealousy or animosity in the group, and they perpetually lift each other up.
“I feel like since I’ve come here, it’s been nothing but love in the room,” Salter said. “Everybody’s competing, everybody’s having fun, and at practice we’re not thinking about the competition model, we're just thinking about doing what Coach [Prime] wants us to do.”
The culture they’ve built in the quarterback room has ensured that they are each bringing the best player out of one another. This is not only what has made the competition so close, but it also gives the coaching staff immense confidence that they can trust any of them to run the new-look offense.
“Overall, it’s a tight quarterback room,” Salter continued.
Regardless of who takes the field for the opening snap against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29, the results of training camp have given Buffs fans a lot to be excited about for the 2025 season.
Cover photo by Madison Kerest/Sko Buffs Sports
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