Colorado QB battle: Deion Sanders shares message to JuJu Lewis as backup

The Colorado quarterback battle between Kaidon Salter and JuJu Lewis went to the veteran, but Deion Sanders said everyone was on the same page. Lewis, a highly touted freshman, gave Salter, a Liberty transfer, quite the battle this summer.

Sanders previously said both quarterbacks would play this year and he was confident in their offense regardless of who was under center. While Lewis is the future, Salter is the present and will guide Colorado in 2025.

As far as how Sanders’ conversation with Lewis went, it was very normal and just like talking to any other player. As referenced before, everyone is on the same page and in lockstep.

“It’s not like a conversation, there’s an expectation,” Sanders said. “He knows what we’re saying. He knows what the future beholds for him. He knows how we see him, and he knows what we expect of him. So it’s not an elongated conversation with ‘I want you to do this.’ He know, they know, our kids know me. I’m too personable, and they see me all the time and eat with them in the cafeteria. They can come to the office and knock on the door and come in, and we can sit down and chop it up. 

“But our kids know me, man, so we don’t have to have those in depth conversations, because I make it plain in our morning meetings and throughout the days and throughout practice. I make it real plain. They never had to guess where I am.”

As a member of the Class of 2025, Lewis was a four-star recruit out of Carrollton (Ga.) High according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 7 overall prospect in the state, the No. 7 quarterback in the class and the No. 56 overall prospect in the class.

“We definitely want to continue to develop JuJu, but Kaidon is unbelievable,” Sanders said at Big 12 Media Days. “Kaidon is off the chain. He’s been there, done that, he can get the job done. I wouldn’t have brought him here if I didn’t trust him.

“But JuJu is coming around the mountain when he comes. And I love him, I love what he brings to the table. I don’t know how it’s going to play out, as long as it plays out. We can’t lose either way, with either of those two.”

Salter, who spent his first four seasons of collegiate football at Liberty, made his way to Boulder via the Transfer Portal after leading the Flames to an 8-4 record in 2024. Last season, he passed for 1,886 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions. On the ground, he rushed for 587 yards and seven more scores. In his career, he has 5,889 yards, 56 touchdowns, 17 interceptions, a 58.7% completion percentage, 2,006 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns.