Primary Shedeur Sanders backup trusted more by Colorado football staff in year two
Shedeur Sanders started in all 11 games this past season for the Colorado football program under his dad's tutelage. He completed 298 passes on a total of 430 attempts, accumulating 3,230 passing yards and racking up 31 touchdowns, too. Impressive stats for the rising senior, as he's been in the talks for the No. 1 draft pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
The good news for Sanders is that he has a much more refined set of backups this coming fall, as Ryan Staub, the redshirt freshman, is in for a much improved season as the primary quarterback behind Colorado's star player.
“The now-redshirt freshman (Ryan Staub) should be in line to be Shedeur's top backup once again, but this time there’s far more confidence in his ability to play solid football if called upon,” The Gazette’s Tyler King wrote.
Staub competed in three different games during the 2023 campaign, taking snaps from the very jump as he took on Utah, converting 17 of his 24 passes, as well as dotting star receiver Travis Hunter for a touchdown, an effective outing from the backup. He made his debut facing the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Week 2 after the game was already in hand.
There's so much room for growth as Staub continues to make his way around the locker room in Colorado, learning from Sanders and recently promoted full-time offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.
Who else is fighting for primary Colorado football backup QB spot behind Shedeur Sanders?
Nothing is given in sports; despite Staub being looked at as the No. 1 go-to option off the pine if ever needed, there are still other faces who are in the running for that role, too.
Meet Vanderbilt and Kentucky transfers Walter Taylor III and Destin Wade. Both will be giving Staub a run for his money; bringing in unique skillsets and a nearly clean slate from their respective SEC programs as King points out.
“And there are two new faces pushing Staub for the QB2 spot in Vanderbilt transfer Walter Taylor III and Kentucky transfer Destin Wade," King prefaced before saying, "Both have limited experience from their previous stops in the SEC, but each provide unique skill sets — Taylor as a rushing weapon and Wade as an accurate thrower — that will be intriguing as they continue to develop in Boulder.”
The term unique is something that Coach Sanders would like as that will add versatility in the QB room at Colorado. You know what you're getting with Shedeur, but having unpredictability and depth behind him could come in handy if his back issues from the end of last season flare up.