Colorado Offensive Coordinator Gives Crucial Update on Buffaloes' Quarterback Battle

The Buffs’ offensive coordinator has worked very closely with Colorado’s quarterbacks and will have a major say in who trots out with the offense in week 1 against Georgia Tech come the fall. In the time he’s spent with them, he’s taken notice of their fierce competitiveness, even in the face of early spring struggles.

“The first part of spring was difficult for them,” Marion said. “But the second part of spring, they came back with an edge to compete and fight every day for the job.”

But as the competition has continued and the quarterbacks have developed chemistry, their performance in practice has changed from competing with one another to a primary focus on being leaders for their team.

“I don’t think they’re necessarily fighting for the job,” Marion said. “They’re just trying not to count the reps and make the reps count from the standpoint of, ‘How do you operate each play? Did it end in a positive play? Did you move your group forward? Did you make the right read at the right time to make the right play?’...The guys have done a really good job.”

Three quarterbacks in the running

The common assumption for fans during the spring has been that the quarterback job is redshirt freshman Julian ‘JuJu’ Lewis’s to lose, but Utah transfer Isaac Wilson has been impressing in practice and pushing him for the job. However, Marion suggested in his press conference that true freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne has been right in the race with those two.

“Each day, [they’ve been] leading their team forward, developing a voice that the guys respect and will hear,” Marion said. “...All three quarterbacks have done that.”

Sweetwyne is a true freshman who came to the Buffs as part of the 2026 recruiting class. Listed as a three-star recruit by all major recruiting sites, Sweetwyne played his high school ball at Skyridge High School in Lehi, Utah, where he made a name for himself as a dual-threat quarterback.

As a junior, Sweetwyne threw for 2,675 yards with 19 touchdowns to 16 interceptions while rushing for 930 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season as the starter. He followed that up with 3,050 yards, 32 touchdowns and 15 interceptions through the air and 907 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground as a senior.

While he wasn’t expected to compete for the job, his dual-threat toolkit gives him something unique compared to the rest of the quarterback room. Lewis and Wilson are capable athletes, but haven’t historically produced on the ground the way Sweetwyne has.

Hard work from the quarterback room

Regardless of who holds the upper hand in the position battle right now, Marion noted how all of them have been fighting for it like they have something to prove, something that lives up to the standard of the Colorado quarterback room in his eyes.

“If you’re in our quarterback room, you don’t have any choice but to work hard,” Marion said. “They’re here at 5:30 a.m., and they’re going to stay here until 5 or 6 p.m. in the offseason, and then during the season, they’ll be here as late as the coaches will be, and they’re up here as early as the coaches will be. They’re going to work hard, that’s all I know.”

The depth the Buffaloes possess in their quarterback room is a major perk, and even if a tough decision needs to be made for the starting role, it’s a good problem to have.

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