Julian Lewis’ name showed up on the Big 12 player availability report Wednesday night, and that alone says a lot about where things stand for Colorado.
The former five-star quarterback is listed as doubtful for Week 9 against Kansas State, the first time he’s appeared on the report all season. After being benched in Week 4, Lewis may have been dealing with something from practice, but the stronger read is that his Colorado run is close to finished - maybe already there.
Deion Sanders didn’t exactly open the door for a comeback when he was asked Tuesday whether Lewis would get another chance this season.
“That’s on him,” Deion Sanders said Tuesday when asked if Julian Lewis will get another shot this season. “I don’t play games with young men in their careers and hate on folks.
If anything, I’m too forgiving and very kind. I don’t play those games with kids.
“You have to always understand that we may know a little more than you do. We understand what happens, what goes on, what clicks, what doesn’t and what fits. We get that.”
Sanders was also asked whether he had seen Lewis fight for the starting job.
“If I answer that, you may say I’m taking a shot at a kid,” Deion Sanders said. “I’m not going to do that. I’m not going to go down that rabbit hole.”
Since Lewis was benched, Sanders has stayed with Isaac Wilson, who has started the last three games for the Buffs. Wilson’s own numbers haven’t made the decision easy to defend - he has thrown seven INTs in three starts - but Sanders doesn’t appear to have many options left.
At this point, it looks like Colorado is choosing between the turnover issues of Isaac Wilson and true freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne, with Lewis seemingly out of the picture for the season.
Sanders also addressed what he has been telling Wilson, saying, “I took you out (vs. OK State) because I was trying to save you from yourself.”
“I can see it in your eyes, it’s like you’re trying to get it all back at once and you can’t.” pic.twitter.com/IZhmbePiZ8
The timing matters because Colorado still has business to handle Saturday. Kansas State’s starting quarterback Avery Johnson has already been ruled out, and backup Jacob Knuth - who started in Johnson’s place in last week’s loss to Arizona State - is also listed as doubtful.
So the Buffs will be at home against a third-string quarterback, with a chance to end a five-game losing streak. At 2-5, this is a must-win for Colorado and Deion Sanders.
And if Lewis really has played his last snap in Boulder, the ending would be a strange one: six starts, plenty of intrigue, and not much payoff.
In Other News...
Colorados Quarterback Situation Just Got Even More Concerning
Colorados quarterback picture took another hit heading into Week 9, with Julian Lewis listed as doubtful for the Kansas State game after a medical emergency at the University of Colorado athletic facility and a trip to the hospital. Lewis has not played since being benched in Week 4, when Isaac Wilson took over as the starter, and the Buffaloes are already trying to navigate the position with backup options because of injuries.
The timing is rough for a team trying to stop a five-game losing streak, especially with Kansas State up next and little certainty at the most important spot on the field. Wilson has already been thrust into the job once, and the current injury situation only adds more pressure on a Colorado offense that suddenly has to keep moving forward without much stability behind center. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado Needs More From Josiah Sanders Than Just Experience
With Colorado set to open its season soon, the Buffs are leaning hard on continuity in a year when it is in short supply. Only five players are back from last seasons roster, which makes guard Josiah Sanders one of the more important returners in Boulder not just for what he knows, but for how he carries himself as the team starts over around a handful of familiar faces.
Sanders talked at Big 12 Basketball Media Days about the work he has put in during the offseason, and it is already showing up in the way he has approached his role. Tad Boyle has pointed to Sanders growth in physicality and confidence, and the guard has also stepped into a more vocal leadership role as Colorado tries to build chemistry quickly before the games begin to count. [Read more 🡒]
Barrington Hargress Has One Big Step Left For Colorado
Barrington Hargress closed his first season in Boulder the way Colorado hoped he would, with steady production and enough poise to give the Buffaloes a clear backcourt anchor heading into the next year. He also left his mark in the record book, setting program highs for shooting efficiency from beyond the arc and for taking care of the ball, two areas that matter plenty for a team trying to build reliability around its guards.
Now the challenge is less about what Hargress can do with the ball and more about what he can do for the group around him. Tad Boyle has made it clear that Colorado wants Hargress to keep supplying offense while also stepping into a bigger leadership role in 2026-27, using his voice more often and helping set the tone in the locker room as the Buffaloes look for more from a player who already proved he can handle the pressure on the floor. [Read more 🡒]