Ryan Staub may have gone from No. 3 to No. 1 on the depth chart, but Colorado head coach Deion Sanders isn’t ready to make that official.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Tuesday morning that Staub is expected to make his second career start at quarterback when Colorado visits Houston for its Big 12 Conference opener on Friday night (5:30 p.m., ESPN) at TDECU Stadium.
At his press conference on Tuesday, however, Sanders said a decision hasn’t been made.
“I’m not confirming nothing. You all know that,” Sanders said. “We have capable guys. I haven’t made that assessment or decision yet.”
A redshirt sophomore, Staub was seen on a video by Well Off Media working with the first-team offense in Monday’s practice. In the same video, senior Kaidon Salter, who has started both games for the Buffs (1-1) was seen working with a backup offensive line.
During Saturday’s 31-7 win against Delaware, CU head coach Deion Sanders employed a three-quarterback rotation, with his plan going into the game to give two series each to Salter, freshman JuJu Lewis and Staub.
The third quarterback into the game, Staub completed 7 of 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns during his two series, so Sanders kept him in for two more.
“Staub got four because he was consistent,” Sanders said after the game Saturday.
Salter and Lewis came back into the game during the fourth quarter.
Although Salter, who finished 13-of-16 for 102 yards and a rushing touchdown, staked the Buffs to a 10-0 lead during his two series, Staub wound up leading the Buffs to three touchdowns in four drives.
In between Salter and Staub, Lewis, a 17-year-old freshman who was a five-star recruit, struggled, going 2-for-4 for eight yards, as CU punted twice.
Asked about a plan going forward, Sanders said Saturday, “Yeah, I know exactly how I’m gonna handle the quarterback situation. I’m not gonna say it, but yeah, I’m not lost for direction.”
During a 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech in the opener, Salter played the entire game, completing 17 of 28 passes for 159 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 43 yards and a touchdown.
Although Salter, a transfer from Liberty, has avoided turnovers and had a successful start to Saturday’s game against Delaware, he has shown some hesitancy at times as he adjusts to a new team and offense.
When Staub entered the game on Saturday, CU was clinging to a 10-7 lead with just 45 seconds left in the first half. He threw incomplete passes on his first two plays, but then marched the Buffs 75 yards in 36 seconds for a touchdown to make it 17-7 just before the half. By the time he departed, CU lead 31-7.
“Everybody’s energized when they see success and Staub jumping in there, and his first opportunity is the two-minute drill, is phenomenal,” Sanders said. “(The team) hit a switch when they see Stauby coming in that huddle. I don’t know if you guys could feel it from the outskirts, but they were like, ‘Hey, let’s go.’ Not that they like him more than others, but some guys just have that thing about them that you want to help them become successful. And he’s that kid. He’s one of those kids, man, and I’m proud.”
Staub, in his third season at CU, made his only career start on Nov. 25, 2023, at Utah, filling in for injured starter Shedeur Sanders. Staub completed 17 of 24 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown in a 23-17 loss to the Utes.
In his career, Staub is 30-for-54 for 411 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. As Shedeur’s top backup in 2024, he appeared in just three games, going 0-for-4 on his passes.
Originally Published:
