The Colorado Buffaloes enter the 2025 season with a fascinating quarterback battle on their hands. With Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter bringing experience and five-star freshman Julian "Juju" Lewis arriving as a phenom, spring practices will set the stage for an intense QB controversy.
While both quarterbacks have plenty at stake, it’s Lewis who arguably has the most to gain from these 15 spring practices.
Salter arrives in Boulder with legitimate college experience under his belt. Last season at Liberty, he threw for 15 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing just 56% of his passes. However, when analyzing his film, it’s evident that he wasn’t exactly playing with an elite receiving corps. At Colorado, Salter will be throwing to the best playmakers of his career, which should significantly elevate his production.
Beyond his arm talent, Salter is a true dual-threat quarterback who has already faced a variety of defensive schemes. He knows how to operate an offense and is a proven playmaker at the college level. The transition to a new system will take some adjustment, but his experience gives him a natural advantage heading into the spring.
Lewis, on the other hand, is still just 17 years old. If things had played out differently, he’d be preparing for his senior year of high school rather than competing for a starting college job. That’s what makes this spring so crucial for him—he has a chance to show that the gap between him and Salter isn’t as wide as it should be given their experience levels.
Lewis has long been praised for his maturity and advanced skill set. If he steps onto the practice field and proves he can go throw-for-throw and decision-for-decision with Salter, it changes the entire dynamic of the competition. While no one officially wins the job in the spring, strong performances from Lewis could make it impossible to ignore his potential when fall camp rolls around.
Salter’s job is to prove he’s the clear choice, using his experience to solidify himself as QB1. But if Lewis shows he can handle the speed of the college game, process defenses efficiently, and command the huddle, he can make this a legitimate battle heading into the summer.
If Lewis erases the expected experience gap quickly, the decision for Coach Prime and his staff will shift from simply choosing a more seasoned quarterback to deciding which style they prefer to lead the offense.
As exciting as this competition is, it’s important for the Colorado fanbase to avoid the all-too-common toxicity that comes with quarterback debates. Picking sides and refusing to acknowledge the other player's talent does nothing but create unnecessary tension.
Whoever wins the job will need full support from the team and fans alike, and the last thing the Buffs need is a divided locker room or fanbase.
At the end of the day, both Salter and Lewis have the potential to lead Colorado to success. Spring football will give us our first glimpse of how this battle is shaping up, but the real war will be fought in fall camp.
Until then, let's enjoy watching two talented quarterbacks push each other toward greatness.