One of the biggest storylines in the upcoming season for Colorado is surrounding their next signal-caller after Shedeur Sanders. The spot is up for a battle between two talented newbies, Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis. The letter, a USC commit who ultimately chose Coach Prime, continues to get the preseason hype for his pro-style approach and the elite playmaking skill that’s been rare at his age. Despite being a true freshman, there is no reason to rule him out of the starting job contention. Of course, there has been growing doubt over his ability to cope with the demanding speed and physical agility that collegiate football demands, but Lewis still turns the tide. And former coach AJ Barge is betting the dime on him.
Shedeur Sanders’ place in Colorado is etched in history books. His departure will certainly leave the Buffs a bit down on the offense. But Deion Sanders has been firm in his commitment to continue to grow the doomed franchise he took over two years ago. Lewis also has a similar mindset to his key mentor in the program. The 17-year-old acknowledged the level of supremacy Shedeur brought to the table. He might not replicate that, but he can do his best to get closer. Right after committing to the Buffs, Lewis left an ‘X’ (Twitter) note promising the younger Sanders to grind himself each day to make the Buffs camp even better than he found it.
The highly prized five-star QB out of Carrollton in Georgia came under the elite stewardship of Coach Prime back in November last year. After a huge high school stat on his back, it’s beyond doubt that it will translate well, coupled with a great offensive line backup in Boulder. But another valid question floats in the air. Can he really handle the unprecedented media exposure on Coach Prime’s team? Well, his ex-QB coach at Carrollton High School assures you to sit back. AJ Barge, the one who had developed the kid from zero, sat for a candid conversation with Bacon Network on March 30th. “I think he, you can tell he got used to that. People don’t know he’s not a big media guy, that he doesn’t really like being in the media. But he was able to handle himself,” said Barge.
Being a high-profile recruit, the camera has never seemed to leave JuJu alone since his recruiting days. But he is used to it now and is well equipped to match the huge amount of attention due to the lavish Coach Prime’s proximity. ”In his media days at Colorado, he’s able to handle that stuff 100%,” the high school coach added.
As a Carrollton High School senior this season, Lewis has racked up 2,842 yards, 40 touchdowns, and four interceptions while completing 77.8% of his passes. It’s quite obvious why Coach Barge is so confident in his guy. ”The game stuff, I was never too much worried about for him is just keeping him focus on what does he want to do later on in life. You want to get to the NFL, you want to make as much money as possible. How are we going to do that by still preparing yourself?” the coach said.
But despite all the good vibes and early hype, the other guy on the podium is making a serious cut to the game as well.
Kaidon Salter is making the case for Colorado’s QB1
Julian might be a huge asset to the Buffs, but let’s be honest, he is still in progress. Kaidon Salter, the present sensation under the center, looks poised in his grit. Salter offers a wealth of starting experience to the Buffaloes. Over the past two seasons at Liberty, Salter has thrown for 4,762 yards and 47 touchdowns. He flexed his dual-threat capabilities as he rushed for 1,676 yards as well.
No doubt, the dude will be a quality addition to the QB room, particularly at the starting spot, as his experience is screaming louder than ‘JuJu’ Lewis’s unproven talent. Veteran analysts and fans are already seeing Lewis contribute from under the shadow of Kaiden and make the Colorado offense a force to be reckoned with.
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