With 12 minutes, 6 seconds to play within the third quarter on Saturday evening, Colorado followers at Folsom Area lastly had one thing to cheer about.
Properly, at the very least those that hadn’t left the stadium.
Trailing by 38 factors in what would change into a 52-17 loss to Arizona, CU head coach Deion Sanders put freshman quarterback Julian “JuJu” Lewis into the sport. It was one of many loudest cheers of the evening when the 18-year-old trotted onto the sphere with the Buffs down 45-7.
“Frequent sense,” Sanders stated when requested why he put Lewis into the sport.
All through a season that’s rapidly gone from disappointing to disastrous, the Buffs (3-6, 1-5 Large 12) have by no means actually found out their quarterback state of affairs. They go into Saturday’s journey to West Virginia (10 a.m. MT, TNT) nonetheless unclear on the place.
Fifth-year senior Kaidon Salter, who had been a star at Liberty, joined the Buffs as a switch and received the job, however his season has been a rocky trip.
Whereas Salter has performed properly at occasions, he was benched early within the yr and has been dreadful the previous two weeks. Throughout a 53-7 loss at Utah and Saturday’s embarrassment, Salter accomplished a mixed 20-of-37 passes for 86 yards (a paltry 4.3 yards per completion), a landing, two interceptions and a fumble.
Salter left Saturday’s sport with the Buffs trailing 38-7. His substitute, Ryan Staub, went 0-for-2 with two interceptions.
So, the Buffs turned to Lewis, a five-star recruit who spurned USC to come back to CU, and graduated a yr early from highschool to take action. Previous to Saturday, Lewis’ solely sport expertise got here in opposition to Delaware in Week 2, and it didn’t go properly, finishing 2-of-4 passes for eight yards.
With followers pouring out of Folsom Area, nonetheless, and Arizona changing Staub’s second interception into one more landing, it was clearly time for Lewis.
“Generally you’re compelled to do some issues that in all probability ought to be finished anyway and I’m glad he received a chance,” Sanders stated of Lewis. “He’s received his ft moist a little bit bit. He received to see the blitzes, simply actual play, and what he wanted to work on, and he’ll. He’s a employee. He’s going to strive his finest to get it finished. However I’m glad we received to that conclusion.”
Lewis went 9-for-17 for 121 yards and his first profession landing go – a 59-yarder to Omarion Miller.
Now, the Buffs have to determine what to do for the final three video games.
Below present NCAA guidelines, Lewis can play as much as 4 video games and keep his redshirt. He’s already performed in two, so if he performs the subsequent three, he’ll burn the redshirt. That is probably not value it in a misplaced season, however Sanders stated, as of Saturday, there had been no dialogue with Lewis or his household about redshirt plans.
“I don’t know his thought course of or his dad and mom’ (ideas),” Sanders stated. “I don’t know.”
Lewis left Saturday’s sport with an obvious hand harm late within the fourth quarter, so his well being can be an element, too. However Sanders stated he’ll do what Lewis desires by way of redshirting or not.
“I’m for the youngsters,” Sanders stated. “If (redshirting) is what they need, that’s what they’ll get. I’m not going to mandate, ‘You bought to play, you bought …’ No, no. No matter’s finest for these younger males’s careers, I’m for that.”
After all, Sanders has to do what’s finest for the staff, too. Whereas it appears clear that CU ought to look to the longer term and go along with Lewis, Sanders was non-committal when requested if Salter would play once more.
“I don’t need to put one other man down to speak about one other man,” Sanders stated. “Let’s persist with JuJu getting expertise; he’s getting the chance. And that’s the place we’re proper now.”
Some followers have been clamoring for Lewis for weeks, however Sanders stated it was essential to him to ensure Lewis was able to go.
“As a man who is aware of this sport, I’ve received to guard him,” Sanders stated. “I can’t throw him on the market and he’s not absolutely prepared and now you’re leaping throughout him (within the media) and now we’re in a psychological well being state of affairs. I don’t need that for none of those younger males. So, we strive our greatest to organize them and get them prepared for the ups and downs of life.”
Lewis received some cheers on Saturday, however challenges await.
“It’s straightforward to clap when it’s going properly, however when all hell breaks free, ain’t no person there however the criticism and the negativity on social (media),” Sanders stated. “I’m making an attempt to do an amazing job of being steward of my relationship with these younger males in serving to them progress however progress the appropriate means.”
