Latest news with #Buffs'
USA Today
31-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Julian Lewis shines as Colorado football quarterback battle heats up
Julian Lewis To Omarion Miller After Kaidon Salter opened fall camp with an eye-catching throw to Omarion Miller, Julian Lewis followed suit during Thursday's practice. The Colorado Buffaloes' star freshman quarterback dropped back and threw a deep go-ball, which Miller was able to haul in for a touchdown. Every day during fall camp looks like it will be another chapter in the Buffs' starting quarterback battle, with both players showing off early in camp. However, the common denominator in both spectacular plays is wide receiver Omarion Miller. Miller has been a standout player for Colorado in two seasons when he has been on the field. Due to a season ending last season, the junior receiver only saw action in two games, with one being a monster game against Kansas State, where he hauled in eight receptions for 145 yards. A healthy Miller would be huge for a Colorado offense attempting to replace star receiver Travis Hunter. Currently, Miller projects as the Buffs' top receiver and seems to be building chemistry with CU's top two quarterbacks. The quarterback battle is the biggest storyline during Colorado's fall camp, and so far, both Lewis and Salter are making their case heard. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
12-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What are Colorado's EA Sports College Football 26 player ratings? Where the Buffs stack up
EA Sports' College Football 26 is out, and everyone can rebuild their favorite teams in dynasty or take an unheralded recruit to the Heisman in Road to Glory. We already analyzed where Colorado stands with its overall rating, but who are the Buffaloes' top-rated players? We know that offensive tackle Jordan Seaton is the top-ranked player and one of the top-ranked tackles, with a 92 overall rating. Colorado has two players with an overall rating of 90 or higher and six players with a rating of 85 or better. Here are the Buffaloes' top 25 players in EA Sports' newest sports video game, College Football 26. 1. Jordan Seaton, OT Rating: 92 overall It is no surprise to see Seaton get the top spot after a freshman All-American season in 2024. 2. Xavier Hill, OT Rating: 90 overall The transfer from Memphis should step into a starting role on Colorado's offense. In the game, Hill projects as the Buffs' starting right tackle. 3. DJ McKinney, CB Rating: 89 overall DJ McKinney can be an All-American cornerback, and his College Football 26 rating certainly backs that up. He will take over for Travis Hunter as the Buffs' top coverage cornerback. 4. Kaidon Salter, QB Rating: 88 overall Salter gets the nod as the Buffs' highest-rated quarterback. He has an impressive 90 speed rating as well as an 87 break tackle rating, which leads the team. 5. Jaheim Oatis, DT Rating: 86 Oatis came over from Alabama and is looking to entrench himself as the Buffs' top interior defensive lineman. He owns an impressive 95 strength rating, which is good for the top mark on the squad. 6. Carter Stoutmire, FS Rating: 85 Stoutmire should take over for Cam'Ron Silmon-Craig as the Buffs' top coverage safety. 7. Micah Welch, RB Rating: 83 Welch comes in as the Buffs ' top-rated running back, a position that many Colorado fans feel is lacking a true No. 1 option. 8. Samuel Okunlola, EDGE Rating: 83 Okunlola should be one of the Buffs' top pass rushers in 2025, and according to College Football 26, he is Colorado's starting right defensive end. 9. Arden Walker, EDGE Rating: 83 Right behind Okunlola is his counterpart, Arden Walker. Walker is a popular breakout pick for the Buffs after 4.5 sacks in 2024. 10. Preston Hodge, CB Rating: 82 Hodge burst onto the scene last season at Colorado's nickel cornerback before injury forced him to the final four games. College Football 26 has him listed as a safety, but he should once again be the defensive coordinator, Robert Livingston's slot defender. 11. Tyrecus Davis, CB Rating: 82 With Travis Hunter and Colton Hood no longer on the team, Tyrecus Davis could get the first crack at the starting cornerback position opposite DJ McKinney. 12. Keaten Wade, EDGE Rating: 81 Wade emerged last season as one of Colorado's better defensive players after initially planning to redshirt. He will be in the pass rush rotation once again this year. 13. Simeon Price, RB Rating: 81 Price comes to Colorado hoping to carve out a role in the Buffaloes' backfield. 14. Martavius French Rating: 81 French steps in as the Colorado Buffaloes' likely starting middle linebacker after the departures of LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green. 15. Dallan Hayden, RB Rating: 81 Another possible contributor to the Colorado backfield, Hayden showed flashes last year of someone who can be a talented runner. 16-25 Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
USA Today
28-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Colorado football offers standout 2026 Illinois quarterback commit
Colorado football extended an offer to three-star class of 2026 quarterback and Illinois commit Michael Clayton. Clayton committed to Illinois last November and took an official visit to Champaign earlier this month. He becomes Deion Sanders and the Buffs' 23rd offered quarterback in the 2026 class, but 17 of those recruits have already committed to programs. The Buffs become the 33rd program to offer Clayton, who 247Sports ranks as the No. 43 quarterback in the class of 2026 and the No. 99 player from Florida. Colorado is still busy at work in the class of 2026 cycle, adding two commitments this week to bring their class total to four. The program's current class ranks No. 102 nationally and last in the Big 12. Sanders and his staff will need at least one signal caller from the 2026 class, and currently, it seems that flipping an already committed recruit is the most likely path. Clayton adds another potential flip to the list. Follow Charlie Strella on X, Threads and Instagram. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Deion Sanders' QB dilemma: Ex-NFL scout warns against benching Julian Lewis
Photo byfor ONIT Deion Sanders has never backed away from bold decisions, but one of the biggest choices of his Colorado coaching career is staring him down: who will start at quarterback in 2025? With Shedeur Sanders off to the NFL, Coach Prime is now evaluating Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and blue-chip freshman Julian 'JuJu' Lewis. But former Alabama standout and ex-Buffalo Bills scout Gerald 'Smoke' Dixon has a word of caution — one that could shape Colorado's future and keep the Buffs' rebuild on course. Deion Sanders' quarterback decision could shape Colorado Buffaloes ' long-term future Gerald 'Smoke' Dixon knows what success looks like at both the collegiate and professional levels. As a four-year starter at Alabama and a former NFL scout with the Buffalo Bills, Dixon has seen how quickly programs can shift — for better or worse. Now, as Colorado enters its next phase under Deion Sanders, he's weighing in with advice only someone with his experience can give. While speaking on the Ultimate College Football Show by 24/7Sports, Dixon weighed in on Colorado's quarterback competition, which features experienced Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and highly touted freshman Julian Lewis. His recommendation? A two-quarterback system — but with clear expectations and foresight. Photo byfor ONIT "You can't leave a four-star, talented player like JuJu Lewis on the sideline all season, and you can't play Kaidon all year, just because I think he's gonna get banged up," Dixon explained. "When you have a young guy like JuJu, if you keep him on the sideline for a long time, I only know one place where he's going to end up: the transfer portal." Dixon's comments come as Colorado looks to build on a surprising 9-4 season in 2024, a run that helped vault Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders into the NFL. Yet despite the Buffs' success, protecting the quarterback remains a concern — Shedeur was sacked 42 times last year, and Coach Prime has called on his offensive line to step up in 2025. With high-profile recruits and transfer talent at his disposal, Deion Sanders has the pieces to make Colorado a contender. But as Dixon warns, keeping a young star like Julian Lewis engaged might be just as important as naming a starter. The wrong decision could send the Buffs' future walking. Also Read: Why the Pittsburgh Steelers passed on Shedeur Sanders: Mike Tomlin's shocking draft decision explained
USA Today
14-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Marshall Faulk working to revitalize Colorado's run game
Marshall Faulk working to revitalize Colorado's run game Amid his first spring in Boulder, new Colorado running backs coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk has his sights on revitalizing the Buffs' famished rushing attack. Although Colorado understandably leaned on its passing game, the Buffs averaged only 65.2 rushing yards per contest last season with Isaiah Augustave, Micah Welch and Dallan Hayden leading the charge. Those three and others are back in the fold this spring and now learning under one of the best running backs in NFL history. "If you're not trying to improve, then you're getting worse," Faulk said Thursday. "Even if I came in here and we were coming off being top 10, top five, I'm still looking at where can we improve? That's the idea, and that's the mindset that we have to have. That's what we want to instill in the football players that we bring in here and that we coach." Faulk later gave his own guarantee that Colorado will have more success on the ground in 2025. "I gotta take your weakness and turn it into a strength," Faulk said. "I believe I'm here, and that's what I'm going to try to do. I can't change what you thought about the run game last year, but we're going to be better. I can guarantee you we are going to be better." Former walk-on Charlie Offerdahl and freshman Brandon Hood are other returning running backs to watch this spring. Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (Twitter), and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
