It's not exactly surprising to see there be QB drama in Boulder this season, with a G5 transfer in Kaidon Salter and a star freshman in Julian Lewis fighting it out throughout the spring and summer. Salter never found much separation in the competition and wasn't officially named the starter until the week of the season opener.
Salter had an up-and-down debut, and the expectation was that the freshman Lewis would get an extended look against Delaware. Lewis saw his first action, but the surprise came when 3rd stringer Ryan Staub came in and immediately flashed, hitting some explosive plays in the passing game that had been non-existent through the season's first five quarters.
Staub was the ultimate wildcard. He's now thrown a monkey wrench into the Colorado QB competition.
Earlier this week, multiple reports indicated that Staub would earn the start for the Buffs on Friday night at Houston for the Big 12 opener. Coach Prime rebuffed those reports on Wednesday, but all signs continue to point toward the job being Staub's, at least for this week.
Former Colorado QB turned college football analyst agrees. He believes the decision facing Sanders isn't much of a decision at all.
Joel Klatt believes Ryan Staub has forced Coach Prime's hand
"Ryan Staub comes out there and plays tremendous and led them to a victory," Klatt said on his show. "I get it, it's just Delaware and that’s awesome. But, 7-for-10 for 157 yards and two touchdowns off the bench. Here's why I wanted to talk about this.
"I anticipate that he will [start]. The reason is because it is clear he has forced the coaches' hand. This is exactly what you have to do if you are an under-recruited guy or a walk-on guy or if you're a third stringer. You have to provide ample evidence to your coaching staff that you are the best option. When you do that, they can't take you off the field. From that position, Staub should get the start for Colorado this week."
It's clear that Sanders was searching for an offensive spark. The passing game had become too horizontal with Salter. It was clear that neither Coach Prime nor OC Pat Shurmur trusted him to push the ball down the field. It was also clear that Lewis just isn't ready yet. And that's okay - the freshman phenom is only 17-years-old. It was never realistic to believe he would be ready to go this year.
Staub starting tomorrow could cause a ripple effect in the QB room. But so be it. Sanders is keeping the main thing the main thing. And right now, the main thing is Colorado finding a way to walk out of Houston with a victory.