Even after Kaidon Salter was named the starting QB before Colorado's season opener against Georgia Tech, most fans assumed it would only be a matter of time before the keys were handed to freshman phenom Julian Lewis.
At worst, Lewis figured to spend the season as Salter's primary backup, and with the Liberty transfer entering his final season of eligibility, it would be Lewis's job in 2026 and beyond.
That was until an unexpected monkey wrench was thrown by Deion Sanders during Colorado's 31-7 win over Delaware last week. Third-string redshirt sophomore Ryan Staub was surprisingly inserted into the action to provide a spark for a dormant offense. Staub provided the spark Coach Prime was looking for, energizing the offense and leading a pair of electric touchdown drives. Staub finished the game 7-of-10 passing for 157 yards and two touchdown passes.
Now, Sanders has made the bold move of naming Staub the team's starting QB for Friday night's road game against Houston.
That decision changes everything for Lewis, whose present and future are now more in flux than anyone would have thought in the preseason.
Ryan Staub's performance could directly impact Julian Lewis' future at Colorado
Lewis not beating out Salter for the starting QB in the preseason wasn't exactly a surprise. Lewis is just a 17-year-old freshman; expecting him to be ready to play this season was always a stretch. But his place as the future of the program seemed pretty well secured, and that future was supposed to start in 2026 at the absolute latest.
Now, however, that future is very much in doubt and could be directly tied to how Staub performs in his first career start on Friday against Houston and moving forward.
Because, unlike Salter, Staub is an underclassman. He's just a redshirt sophomore with two seasons of eligibility left after this year. If he performs at a high level, Lewis could ultimately end up having to spend next season as a backup, too, should he remain at Colorado.
It's far too early to put Lewis on Transfer Portal watch, but high-end talent is less and less willing to sit on the bench for multiple seasons in this era of college football. You can bet if Staub plays well, that the sharks will begin circling with rampant tampering immediately beginning as programs try to poach the talented young signal-caller away from Boulder.
You have to credit Coach Prime for his willingness to make a difficult decision, one he clearly believes best positions the Buffaloes to beat Houston on Friday. But he will have to navigate the unexpected ramifications of that decision.