Deion Sanders spent Tuesday afternoon repeating the same three words to describe Colorado’s struggles: That’s on me. As the Buffaloes prepare to host Kansas State this Saturday, the head coach absorbed the blame for a five-game losing streak, a 2-5 overall record, and an 0-4 mark in the Big 12, according to reporting from the Daily Camera.
Yet that blanket accountability stopped abruptly when the conversation turned to benched quarterback Julian Lewis. Once hailed as the program’s next marquee talent under center, the former five-star recruit has dropped to third string after losing his starting job to Isaac Wilson at halftime against Baylor on September 26.
Drawing the Line at the Quarterback Bench
Sanders defended his coaching staff, and asked reporters to direct all frustration squarely at him. “Please give me all the responsibility,” Sanders said. “Put it on me, man. I’m good. My shoulders are good.”
When asked whether Lewis might get another opportunity to pilot the offense, Sanders shifted his tone entirely. “That’s on him,” he said. “It’s a great question, but that’s on him.”
The distinction places the burden of the quarterback room directly on the shoulders of Lewis. Sanders pushed back against any notion that his handling of Lewis’s career has been unfair, insisting he is exceptionally forgiving and kind. When pressed on whether Lewis has fought to win the starting job back, Sanders declined to answer directly, telling reporters to do their homework rather than risking a perceived shot at a player.
Colorado Struggles with Penalties as Sanders Plans Backfield Changes
Colorado enters the weekend carrying 66 penalties through seven games, the highest total in the Big 12. Sanders acknowledged that lack of discipline as the one steady constant for his squad this season. “That’s the only thing we’re consistent in is getting penalties, and that doesn’t make sense to me,” he said.
The Buffaloes are also searching for a reliable rhythm in the offensive backfield. Damian Henderson II has shouldered most of the load recently, but Sanders promised that running back Richard Young—who has not recorded a carry since October 3 against Texas Tech—will see increased playing time against Kansas State. Meanwhile, Micah Welch remains sidelined with an injury for the upcoming matchup.
Reflecting on the team’s ongoing skid, Sanders drew on personal perspective outside of athletics. Having survived cancer and an amputation, he noted that football losses, while painful, exist in a different category of life experience. Even so, he acknowledged that Boulder fans expect a winning program.
The Buffaloes will look to alter their trajectory when they face Kansas State at noon Saturday.
