Reporter slams Shedeur Sanders after Colorado's third-string QB shines against Delaware

Jeff Hauser

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Reporter slams Shedeur Sanders after Colorado's third-string QB shines against Delaware image

Deion Sanders may have an unexpected QB controversy on his hands before heading to Houston later this week. Many have wondered where third-stringer Ryan Staub came from after leading Colorado to a 31-7 win over Delaware on Saturday. 

The short answer is he was right behind Shedeur Sanders for the past two seasons. For obvious reasons Staub wasn't out on the field until now. But it does bring into question whether or not Coach Prime is rolling with him as the Buffaloes starter? We'll see if that happens. In the meantime, one Denver reporter did his best to ask the wrong question after Staub's big moment. 

"So how long does CU Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders wait to retire the number of quarterback Ryan Staub? In the wake of the departures of Heisman winner Travis Hunter and internet sensation Shedeur Sanders to the NFL, Colorado needed a new football hero," Denver Gazette's Mark Kiszla wrote. 

While the shot came out of nowhere, it dredged up the debate on if retiring Shedeur and Hunter was premature? Although, at this point, does it matter? Colorado won the game and Sanders is the third-string emergency QB in Cleveland. Maybe Coach Prime and the program should have a mass retirement ceremony during family weekend. It would get rid of the elephant in the room with the former players who feel disrespected by not having their number retired.  

Kiszla didn't stop there with his assessment of the situation. "But let’s keep it real," he wrote. "Staub is only on the CU roster because he was humble enough to accept the fact nobody was going to displace the coach’s kid as starting quarterback so long as Shedeur Sanders was rolling through a blessed life in his $200,000 Maybach." 

Once again, another potshot towards Sanders. Let's be real. Staub has developed more over the past two years behind Shedeur. He was put in as the starter for the season finale at Utah two years ago and nearly won the game in a cold late November slugfest. But let's also not discredit Sanders and what he accomplished in his career.   

The 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Winner was the only FBS player in the top five for completion percentage (1st, 74.2%), completions per game (2nd, 28.1), passing touchdowns (2nd, 35), passing yards per game (3rd, 327.2) and pass efficiency (5th, 168.8). Just the fifth player in the past decade to accomplish that feat as well. 

Let's not forget, Sanders threw for a touchdown in 49 straight games, which was the longest current streak in NCAA Division I (FBS & FCS). It's the second longest streak in NCAA history at any division and would be the fourth longest streak in NFL history. He was also the 16th player in FBS & FCS history to throw for 14,000 career yards and among those 16 players, ranks first for fewest career interceptions and is one of just two that has completed over 70 percent of their career passes (Colt Brennan, Hawaii). 

Pretty outstanding to say the least. The draft slide was uncharacteristic. But Sanders is trying to make the best of his situation with the Browns. 

As for Staub, he paid his respects to Shedeur by throwing up his wrist in a touchdown celebration on Saturday. He gave Coach Prime and his staff much to think about with Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis waiting to see where they'll fit going forward. 

“I don’t play on stars,” Deion Sanders said, adding he doesn’t give “a darn” if a quarterback is hyped as a five-star recruit, like Lewis. “He balled out so much. The whole student section was chanting his name.

Colorado moves on with their first taste of the Big 12 schedule this Saturday before returning home to face Wyoming. 

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Jeff Hauser

Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over twenty years of experience and is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter. Among the events he has covered are the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup, and WBC Boxing. Hauser is a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and Athlon Sports.