Star Colorado football transfer Shedeur Sanders “could be the best in the country with a competent line” according to the NFL Rookie Watch X account — who referred to the Buffs offensive line as “abysmal.”
“Shedeur Sanders was under an ABSURD amount of pressure against UCLA,” the account posted. “Colorado’s offensive line is absolutely ABYSMAL. Despite the pressure, Sanders still managed to complete 27/43 passes for 217 yards and a TD. The Buffaloes QB could arguably be the best QB in the country with a competent line.”
Shedeur looked visibly tired during portions of CU’s 28-16 loss to UCLA at the Rose Bowl on October 28, being pressured 24 times, being hit 17 times, being knocked down 13 times, and being sacked seven times.
Colorado football OL leads to Shedeur Sanders’s injury woes
The Buffs’ offensive line was so noticeably overmatched against UCLA that Sanders was hurt by the Bruins’ defensive front as a result. ESPN’s Holly Rowe commented on a potential hip injury Shedeur suffered from the hits in the second quarter.
“Well guys, Shedeur Sanders is really taking some hits down here,” Rowe prefaced before saying, “He has come off the field a couple of times running very gingerly. He keeps stretching, trying to work something out. He’s been on the bike. From what I can tell it may be a hip that’s bothering him.”
Coach Prime addressed the lack of protection for Shedeur postgame.
“Offensively we’ve gotta improve, you see that,” Deion Sanders prefaced before saying, “Quarterback is taking a beating. He got an injection at halftime. Probably shouldn’t tell you that but you know I’m 100. Just to block some of the pain. So I’m going to give him the next few days off so he can at least be mobile because I know once that block is off, he’s going to feel it tonight. We’ve gotta do a better job of protecting him.”
It cannot be stressed enough that a Shedeur eliminates any chance of winning another game in 2023. CU’s offensive line needs to do everything possible moving forward not to allow that to happen.