Program-shifting Colorado gamble ‘didn’t pay off’
The program-shifting gamble Colorado football made ahead of the Buffs’ Week 10 matchup with Oregon State (an eventual 26-19 loss) — one that demoted Sean Lewis to co-offensive coordinator and promoted quality control analyst Pat Shurmur to be co-OC — “didn’t pay off” according to CBS Sports’ Will Backus given CU’s fifth loss of the 2023 season on November 4.
“Colorado coach Deion Sanders, desperately seeking a spark amid a rough stretch of four losses in five games, made a drastic change ahead of the Buffaloes’ Week 10 game against Oregon State by stripping offensive coordinator Sean Lewis of play-calling duties in favor of former NFL coach Pat Shurmur,” Backus prefaced before saying, “The gamble didn’t pay off. Colorado was held without a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter when the Buffaloes managed two scores in the last 15 minutes before ultimately falling 26-19.”
Denver Sports’ Jake Shapiro took that sentiment further, claiming that Shurmur lived up to his calling card by running “one of the most boring offenses of the century across the sport” as lead play-caller.
“The first-year head coach of the Buffs demoted Sean Lewis to co-offensive coordinator late this week, and Coach Prime’s genius solution was promoting offensive analyst Pat Shurmur,” Shapiro wrote. “The failed NFL coach is known for running some of the most boring offenses of the century across the sport and became the play-caller in Boulder ahead of the Buffaloes clash with Oregon State on Saturday. In Shurmur’s debut on the headset, he lived up to his calling card producing a pitiful offensive performance.”
Colorado football demotion could signal new position for Sean Lewis
Given the sudden nature of promoting Shumur the day before the Oregon State game and demoting Lewis, it’s tough to oppose the possibility that the latter was hired, perhaps by Michigan State, to be the head coach elsewhere next season — and is simply finishing the season in a diminished role as a way for Coach Prime to transition his guys to the new coordinator.
Shurmur could be getting his audition here, and if/when things go wrong, Lewis won’t be blamed, Shurmur will be the fall guy, and Deion Sanders gets to look for a more popular option in the offseason as the great roster rebuild begins in Boulder.