Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis lit up Big 12 Media Days with his usual confidence, but one comment has fans and analysts buzzing for all the wrong reasons. The signal-caller, who completed 55.3% of his passes for 589 yards and four touchdowns last season, dropped a bombshell that suggests the program's coaching staff was far from prepared.
When asked about his growth this offseason, Lewis didn't hold back. He credited new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion for installing a real system, but then he took a direct shot at the previous regime. “I’m actually looking at the defenses now,” Lewis said. “Last year, we weren’t really looking at the defenses much. We were just high school free-balling it.”
That admission—that the 2025 Colorado staff didn't bother studying opposing defenses—has sent shockwaves through the college football world. It raises serious questions about how college rosters are coached and whether Deion Sanders' star power masked deeper issues.
Lewis tried to frame his comments as part of his personal evolution. “I think my understanding of college football. College football is a crazy world now, with all the changes and all the moving around,” he said, via Glory Colorado. “Watching the transfer portal and watching the coaches change, you’ve got to adapt and just be ready for whatever comes your way.” But the damage was done.
Fans were quick to pile on. “Coach Prime has no clue what he’s doing,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Deion not teach these kids A THING.” While Lewis likely meant to criticize former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur—whose unit ranked 112th in total offense last season—the remark reflects poorly on the entire program.
The timing couldn't be worse for Sanders, who is already facing scrutiny over his team's performance and roster management. As Joe Thomas recently slammed premature Shedeur Sanders trade talk, the spotlight on the Buffaloes' coaching staff has only intensified. Lewis' comments suggest a lack of preparation that goes beyond one coordinator.
Lewis also hinted at a new mindset this season. “I feel like when I got in last year, I wasn’t very nervous or anything like that. I think God put me in this position for a reason, and every time I get the opportunity I want why I’m here, I do that.” But his frank admission about the 2025 staff's approach—or lack thereof—will be the lasting takeaway.
For a program built on the hype of Coach Prime, this kind of transparency is alarming. It suggests that even the players knew the coaching was subpar. As the Buffaloes prepare for a new season under Marion's guidance, the question remains: can they overcome the damage of last year's staff? Or will this revelation haunt them all year?
