Colorado football coach Deion Sanders made a series of cryptic remarks about star quarterback recruit Julian “JuJu” Lewis, saying his status on the team is Lewis’ responsibility after he hasn’t played in a month while the Buffaloes went on a five-game losing streak.
Lewis, a former five-star high school recruit, started the first four games of the season but was benched at halftime of a 23-13 loss at Baylor on Sept. 26. He hasn’t played since after being replaced by Utah transfer Isaac Wilson, who has thrown seven interceptions in his three starts. Colorado next plays Oct. 31 at home against Kansas State.
Sanders was asked about Lewis at his weekly news conference Oct. 27: Will he get another shot?
party clown. Now he can’t take the joke
“That's on him,” said Sanders, whose team is 2-5. “It's a great question, but that's on him... I don't think you could find a player in this program, or you may could find some bitter players that have left and didn't want to leave. But life is what it is. But I don't treat people unfairly. I don't play games with young men in their careers and hate on folks. If I'm anything, I'm too forgiving, and very, very kind…. I don't play those games with kids.”
Deion Sanders is asked if Julian Lewis is fighting for the job
Sanders then told reporters “we may know a little more than you do” about what’s going on. But he didn’t elaborate. Compared to Wilson, Lewis has been less prone to throw interceptions. He’s thrown only two in six starts dating to last year.
Yet Lewis, 19, has been relegated to third-string quarterback after previously being considered Colorado’s quarterback of the future. Freshman quarterback Kaneal Sweetwyne has played as a backup to Wilson and played at the end of a 57-24 loss at Oklahoma State on Oct. 24.
Another reporter asked Sanders on Tuesday if he’s seen Lewis “fight for the job.”
“That's a heck of a question,” Sanders said. “You know, the thing about it, if you answer that, you may say I'm taking a shot at a kid, and I'm not gonna do that. I'm not gonna go down that rabbit hole, because I'm so honest that honesty gets you in trouble. And I, all my life, I’ve have been brutally honest in my entire life. I've never been sideways when I played the game, when I left the game, when I did television, when I did radio, when I did anything, social media. Never in my life have I been questioned with my integrity and honesty. So, I don't want to go down there, you. You guys do your homework.”
Coach Prime on if Julian Lewis is still fighting for the starting QB role.
— DNVR Buffs (@DNVR_Buffs) October 27, 2026
“I’m so honest that honesty gets you in trouble... I don’t wanna go there, you guys do your homework.” https://t.co/2vNoCGYcfh pic.twitter.com/apDBeqBsNL
Lewis has not been available for media interviews since he was benched last month.
Penalties also dogging Colorado during five-game losing streak
Quarterback issues and penalties have been a sore spot for Sanders during his fourth season at Colorado.
Colorado ranks third nationally in most penalties per game (9.4) after committing the most penalties in its conference during Sanders’ first two seasons in 2023 and 2024.
“That's the only thing we consistent in is getting penalties and that… don't make sense to me,” Sanders said.
The good news for Colorado is Kansas State has its own problems at quarterback, with several of them trying to heal from injuries before Saturday.
“We just haven’t been able to get it together,” Sanders said. “That’s not `we.’ I haven’t been able to get it together.”
Sanders is 2-15 against Power Four conference teams since December 2024 and is the highest paid coach in the Big 12 at more than $10 million annually. His players say they haven’t given up by any means.
“We still have a lot of energy at practice,” tight end Brady Kopetz said Tuesday. “We still have a team full of guys who really want to win and guys who really haven’t lost in the past.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: bschrotenb@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Deion Sanders gives cryptic response why 5-star QB is now third string
