Why 3rd-String QB Ryan Staub Is Poised to Start for Colorado over 5-Star Recruit

Deion Sanders is reportedly close to making his first significant change of the 2025 season by naming Ryan Staub as Colorado's starting quarterback for Friday's game against Houston over highly-touted recruit Julian Lewis.

ESPN's Pete Thamel noted Staub's standout performance in a limited action against Delaware as a driving force behind him getting the starting nod.

Sanders pushed back against Thamel's reporting, telling reporters he hadn't made a change at the position, but noted Staub has been taking the majority of first-team reps in practice.

Staub went 7-of-10 for 158 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-7 win over Delaware on Saturday. He had one more touchdown pass in 10 attempts than Lewis and Kaidon Salter had in 44 combined dropbacks through two games.

Salter was the only quarterback who played in the season opener against Georgia Tech on Aug. 29. He finished 17-of-28 for 159 yards and one touchdown passing with 43 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the 27-20 loss to the Yellow Jackets.

All three quarterbacks played against the Blue Hens. Salter got the start, with Lewis playing two drives in the second quarter and Staub taking over on the Buffaloes' final drive before halftime.

After scoring 10 points on their first four possessions of the game with Salter and Lewis, the Buffaloes scored touchdowns on three of their first four possessions with Staub under center.

When asked after the win about his quarterback plans going forward, head coach Deion Sanders declined to publicly announce his intentions.

"I know exactly how I'm going to handle the quarterback situation," Deion Sanders said. "I'm not going to say it. But yeah, I'm not lost for direction."

Salter transferred to Colorado after spending the past four seasons at Liberty. Lewis, a high-profile recruit in the 2025 class, committed to the Buffaloes in November and was considered the heir apparent to Shedeur Sanders.

Staub, a 3-star recruit coming out of West Ranch High School in 2023, is now in his third season at Colorado. He attempted 44 passes in seven appearances during his first two years with the program.

Friday's game against Houston will mark Colorado's first true road game of the season.