Deion Sanders hasn't publicly backed this QB yet, but the signs are there

The Colorado Buffaloes have been all over the board as far as quarterbacks are concerned so far during the 2025 college football season. It's a stark difference from the Shedeur Sanders era, but head coach Deion Sanders is doing everything he can to replace his son in a way that makes the most sense for the program.

The Buffaloes are 1-1 after losing to Georgia Tech and then beating Delaware, and three quarterbacks have seen the field so far.

The Buffs started the season out with senior Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter as the starter, and he threw for 159 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 43 yards and a touchdown in Colorado's 27-20 loss to the Yellow Jackets.

Salter got the start again, against Delaware, but he was subbed out in the second quarter for former five-star freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, and then third-stringer Ryan Staub, a redshirt sophomore, took over for some time and really looked impressive running Colorado's offense.

He completed 7-of-10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns, and starting on Monday, he was taking reps with the first team.

A report from ESPN indicated that Staub would be Colorado's new starter, beginning with Friday's game at Houston, but in typical "Coach Prime" fashion, Sanders would not confirm or deny that report when talking to the media on Tuesday.

“I’m not confirming none of y’all, y’all know that,” Sanders said, according to Nick Kosko of On3. “We ain’t like that. We good. We have capable guys. Staub has been doing a phenomenal job doing and getting the majority of the reps, but I haven’t made that assessment and decision yet. You know, in today’s media, we don’t care about being correct anymore. We just want to be first."

Staub the likely starter moving ahead for Colorado

Sanders gave credit to Staub on Tuesday and he also gave him credit after the game against Delaware last weekend. A former three-star recruit from Stevenson Ranch, California, Staub has been the backup quarterback at Colorado for two years, and he's remained with the program despite Sanders getting Salter from Liberty as well as an elite quarterback recruit like Lewis, who is arguably the future of the program.

Staub has been loyal to "Coach Prime" at Colorado, though, and one gets the sense that his loyalty to the Buffaloes and the program Sanders is bringing has helped him develop as a leader in the locker room.

It has also clearly earned his coach's respect.

"[He] has just been waiting for his opportunity. Never jumped in the portal, he had every right to think that way," Sanders had said after the 31-7 win over Delaware. "But he’s just been a great human being and a great young man, like a leader amongst that room. All he needed was the opportunity, and I thought it was time."

Now, it's (reportedly) Staub's chance to earn his keep at Colorado in a big spot. Sanders may not have verbally named him the starter yet, but just follow the tea leaves and you'll see it's almost certain to be the case.

Houston is 2-0 and looking to keep pace with the top teams in the Big 12 at the moment, so the Cougars will be extremely motivated to defend their home field on Friday.