Colorado Buffaloes football coach Deion Sanders needs to make sure Julian Lewis gets “enough attention” in the quarterback room or else risk the 4-star freshman out of Carrollton, Georgia, hitting the Transfer Portal in the offseason.
USA Today’s Brent Schrotenboer claimed Coach Prime is dealing with a certain level of pressure in how to handle Lewis. So far, Lewis has just four pass attempts through his first four games and looks firmly behind “afterthought” Ryan Staub, who was announced to be the starter by ESPN’s Pete Thamel but saw that announcement refuted by Coach Prime, and Liberty Flames transfer Kaidon Salter.
“Lewis, the heralded freshman from Carrollton, Georgia, is more of a traditional drop-back passer. At age 17, he also has played the least of the three quarterbacks. He played three series in his team’s win against Delaware and completed 2 of 4 passes for 8 yards. He needs more development than the other two quarterbacks, but there’s also pressure to keep him involved for fear that he might transfer out if he’s not getting enough attention,” Schrotenboer wrote.
That pressure is largely financial, as the recruiting game tends to be in the NIL era. Lewis, like every player, is essentially on a one-year contract. Unlike Salter, though, he still has eligibility and can make CU look bad by transferring elsewhere next season and playing well.
Sanders will have to deal with even more NIL implications if Lewis and Salter don’t play, as Schrotenboer noted.
There are agents with other clients whom Coach Prime needs to maintain relationships with, making Sanders’ relationships with his $1.8 million QB tandem even more important.
“Staub is the hot hand, but playing him extensively risks making the other two unhappy, both of whom have business agents to help drum up income for their name, image and likeness (NIL),” Schrotenboer wrote.
Politics may well rob Staub of the opportunity he earned during the Buffs’ 31-7 win over the Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens this past Saturday. Then again, if anyone would stand up to the NIL machine, it’d be Coach Prime.