A lot of Colorado fans were perplexed with the usage of Incarnate Word transfer RB Dekalon Taylor in the Buffs' Week 1 loss to Georgia Tech. After Taylor had been the talk of fall camp with his big-play ability and game-breaking speed, the guy they call "Trackhawk" only touched the ball four times on offense against the Yellow Jackets.
Taylor caught three passes out of the backfield and received one single rushing attempt. That's simply not good enough.
Taylor turned the four touches into 40 yards and a touchdown reception, but he's got to be more of a focal point offensively. The Colorado offense looked like it was stuck in mud for the majority of the evening last Friday night, and a big play from Taylor could have flipped that script entirely. He just didn't get enough chances to produce it.
While Coach Prime remains perplexed about why folks are upset with his clock management, he does at least recognize the fact that they have to get the football in Taylor's hands more often.
"We gotta get the ball in his hands more," Sanders said. "He has to have more touches. He has to be a more vital part of this offense. He's explosive. He's exciting. He's a big-play waiting to happen. We just gotta do a better job of getting the ball in his hands more."
Expect Dekalon Taylor's usage to skyrocket moving forward for Colorado
It's not just Dekalon Taylor, though he is a vital part of what Colorado wants to do - but the Buffs have to get the ball in the hands of all of its playmakers more than they did a week ago.
Taylor didn't get enough touches. Neither did Omarion Miller or Dre'lon Miller or Sincere Brown, et al. Colorado has too many talented playmakers for them to touch the football as little as they did a week ago.
Part of it was undoubtedly Pat Shurmur's play-calling. Part of it was also that Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter simply wasn't good enough. It's not a surprise that Sanders announced on Tuesday that freshman QB Julian Lewis will play on Saturday against Delaware.
Salter will still start, but Lewis is going to rotate in. If Lewis plays at a high level, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Colorado make a QB swap. It's a good opportunity for Lewis to get some experience against a lesser opponent before the Buffaloes travel to Houston next Friday night.
Regardless of who the guy ultimately is at QB, Taylor is going to be a major factor going forward. And the whole offense is going to benefit.