Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Deion Sanders makes major change at Colorado

By Adam Gretz | Last updated 11/4/23

With his Colorado Buffaloes having lost four of their past five games and facing a tough schedule the rest of the way, head coach Deion Sanders is reportedly making a major change to his coaching staff.

According to college football insider Brett McMurphy, Sanders is promoting quality control analyst Pat Shurmur, a former NFL head coach and offensive coordinator, to the team's play-caller for Saturday's game against Oregon State. He will take over the duties from offensive coordinator Sean Lewis.

McMurphy reports Lewis will still be signaling the plays into the huddle, but that Shurmur will take over the actual play-calling duties.

Colorado quality control analyst Pat Shurmur will take over play-calling duties from OC Sean Lewis vs. Oregon State, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Deion Sanders must elevate Shurmur from analyst to full-time coach to be eligible to coach. Lewis will still signal the plays in, a…
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 3, 2023

It is an interesting decision by Sanders because the offensive side of the ball has been Colorado's biggest strength this season.

Even though the Buffaloes were limited to just 16 points a week ago in a loss to UCLA, they are still averaging 32.1 points per game. That number is good enough for 39th in the entire country.

Sanders has been extremely critical of his team's offensive line play in recent weeks, but it remains to be seen how a new play-caller will improve the quality of the talent at that position.

It is also interesting because if there was an area where a coaching change would seem likely for Colorado it would be on the defensive side of the ball. Colorado is allowing 34.9 points per game this season, ranking 125th out of 133 FBS teams.

Shurmur has an extensive track record as an NFL head coach and offensive coordinator. He was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, while also holding the same position for the New York Giants during the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He has a 19-46 record as an NFL head coach.

Along with his head coaching experience, he also served as an offensive coordinator for the St. Louis Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, Minnesota Vikings and most recently the Denver Broncos.

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