Boulder finally gave us a break in the weather, and Folsom Field returned the favor with a Saturday full of penalties, a few flashes of brilliance, but a whole lot of promise for what's to come under Year 3 of Coach Prime. The 2025 version of Colorado football took a public step forward with its annual Black & Gold Spring Game. While no one lit the world on fire, we got a real taste of the future.
Let’s start with the final score: Gold 25, Black 17. But as we all know, the scoreboard in spring game has no merit to it. The storylines are what is revealed to us.
Kaidon Salter looks ready to be the starter
If the season started tomorrow, I’d be stunned if Kaidon Salter wasn’t QB1. The Liberty transfer looked composed, completing his first six passes and showing veteran poise while working through his progressions. He wasn’t flashy, but he didn’t need to be. He knew when to check down, when to escape pressure, and how to keep the drive alive.
On the flip side, freshman Julian Lewis got the start with the first team, but it looked like what it was—a 17-year-old getting his first real taste of Folsom Field. He had a few moments, including a tight-window post to Quentin Gibson and a laser to Kam Mikell in the red zone.
Joseph Williams balled out
The best wideout on the field wasn’t a returning starter. It was Joseph Williams, the Tulsa transfer, who looked smooth, consistent, and totally in sync with Salter. I've been saying this all off-season—this dude is going to be a problem for Big 12 secondaries come fall.
Tawfiq Byard: Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig 2.0
Defense usually plays ahead of offense in spring games, and that trend held true again this year. I kept noticing Tawfiq Byard, the USF transfer who looked like he’d been playing in this system for years. He was all over the field.
Byard made two tackles for loss that got the crowd buzzing. If you didn’t know who he was before Saturday, you do now.
Dallan Hayden and the RB room
Let’s not forget about Dallan Hayden. With all the chatter about new faces, Hayden reminded Buffs fans that he’s still here. He had the biggest run of the day with a 25-yard burst through the line.
The RB's are still one of the bigger question marks this spring, but Hayden made a solid case to be at the top of the depth chart heading into fall camp.
Other quick moments
- Julian Lewis starts the game with the first-team offense.
- Arden Walker beat five-star Jordan Seaton for a nice sack on Lewis.
-Zach Atkins, a transfer tight end, had a nice catch-and-run moment early that could be a sign of things to come in the tight end room.
-Buck Buchanan nailed a 60-yard field goal, which, considering CU’s past kicking woes, feels like a small miracle.