Asante Samuel would view Colorado’s quarterback change as the kind of decision that comes when a team needs a jolt, not just another possession. Deion Sanders replaced Julian Lewis with Isaac Wilson at the start of the second half against Baylor, and the Buffaloes still fell 23-13 as the debate over the offense intensified.
Colorado had started 2-0, but the loss at Baylor dropped the Buffaloes to 2-2 and brought a sharper focus on whether the current setup can support a young quarterback through the growing pains. Sanders has made clear that Lewis should not be judged harshly, but the message after the game was also plain: the team needed change, and it needed inspiration.
Sanders: “We just needed a change”
Sanders said of Lewis: “Don’t give up on JuJu.” He added: “Don’t do that. That kid plays with tremendous effort and tremendous heart.”
But he also explained the quarterback switch in direct terms: “He’s not quitting and he’s not abandoning anybody. We just needed a change. We needed inspiration at that time, some kind of way.”
That is the heart of the issue for Colorado. This is not simply about one poor outing at Baylor. It is about whether the Buffaloes can protect a young quarterback while the rest of the team gives him enough support to learn on the job.
Why the offense still looks incomplete
Colorado brought Brennan Marion’s Go-Go offense into the program, but the results have not yet matched the promise. The Buffaloes have scored 24 points over their last two games, which is only 11.3 points per game, and that is nowhere near enough margin for error in the Power 4.
The numbers underline the concern. Lewis went 12 of 25 for 156 yards and one touchdown. Colorado averaged just 1.3 points per drive across eight drives, and the offense managed only 3 points on seven drives in one stretch while posting 0.4 points per possession and 0.53 points per drive. That is not the profile of a unit giving a young quarterback enough room to settle.
Sanders also said: “We’re better than this,” before adding: “It seems as though we’re better than our opponents, but the score does not dictate that … we’ve got to find out why.”
That is where the wider football question sits. If Colorado believes it has the better talent in enough spots, then the next step is making that show up on the scoreboard, not just in moments.
What comes next for Colorado
The challenge does not get easier. Colorado’s next games are Texas Tech, Utah, Oklahoma State and Kansas State, a stretch that will test whether the quarterback change is the start of a clearer plan or just a temporary reaction to one difficult afternoon.
Sanders has also recently spoken publicly about standards and kicking kids off his roster, which reinforces how seriously he views performance and accountability. In that context, the switch from Julian Lewis to Isaac Wilson feels less like a panic move and more like an effort to reset the tone.
Coach Prime has asked for response, and Brennan Marion’s blunt warning — “Stop being afraid!” — captures the mood around the program. Colorado have enough talent to compete, but right now the offense must prove it can carry more of the load if the Buffaloes are going to steady themselves.
