Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis will be inactive this Saturday when the Buffaloes head to The Little Apple to play Kansas State, as CU head coach Deion Sanded announced that the true freshman will utilize his redshirt year for the 2025 season.
After Colorado’s game against Arizona last weekend, Sanders said he didn’t anticipate that Lewis would want to utilize his redshirt this season and gain extra experience by playing against K-State, but that decision was ultimately up to Lewis and his family.
Lewis followed that up by saying that he wasn’t sure if he’d use his redshirt or not in 2025, heavily implying that the decision was not entirely his to make.
During his Tuesday presser, Sanders said that he made the final call that Lewis should redshirt.
“I made the decision that Juju is going to redshirt,” Sanders said. “That is my decision. I want what’s best for the kid, his family, and this wonderful university. I think for the program, it’s best for everyone. But mainly, it’s great for him. I’m not going to say he was happy.”
Lewis has played in parts of four games for Colorado this season. Playing a fifth game this weekend against the Wildcats would put Lewis out of redshirt range, as NCAA rules state that a player can only play in four or fewer games to utilize a redshirt. The CU signal caller will opt to protect his chance at an extra year of eligibility.
Lewis’s decision to redshirt may or may not be indicative of an upcoming transfer, but only time will tell if he stays in Boulder. Following CU’s 3-8 season thus far, heavy roster turnover should be expected heading into 2026.
With Lewis being inactive in Manhattan on Saturday, senior quarterback Kaidon Salter will start in his place, while Ryan Staub will back him up.
For more news in the run-up to Colorado’s game against K-State this weekend, make sure to keep up with us here at Ralphie Report.
