Colorado expected to start Ryan Staub at quarterback vs. Houston
Colorado is expected start Ryan Staub at quarterback this week, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel. The Buffaloes play at Houston on Friday night.
“Sources: Colorado is expected to start Ryan Staub at quarterback for the game at Houston on Friday night,” Thamel wrote on Twitter. “He entered the Delaware game on Saturday as the third-string quarterback and shined, completing 7 of 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Staub was spotted working with the first-team in practice on Monday, and the staff has made clear that Staub will start this week. Staub started one game for Colorado in 2023 in place of injured Shedeur Sanders.
“Staub’s emergence from third-stringer to starter over Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and highly-regarded freshman Julian Lewis comes as surprise. When asked about the future at quarterback in the postgame, Deion Sanders said: ‘I’m not lost for direction.'”
Against Delaware, Staub was one of three quarterbacks to play, including Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter, who was named the initial starter, and freshman Julian Lewis. Staub was seven-of-10 for 157 yards and two touchdowns.
Salter was 13-of-16 for 102 yards and had 25 rushing yards and a score. and Lewis was two-of-four for eight yards in the 31-7 win. But Staub stood out to Sanders and will get a crack at it Friday.
“I know exactly how I’m going to handle the quarterback situation,” Sanders said after the win. “I’m not going to say it, but yeah. I’m not lost for direction … “[Staub] has just been waiting for his opportunity. Never jumped in the portal, he had every right to think that way. 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.”
As a member of the Class of 2023, Staub was a three-star recruit out of Stevenson Ranch (Calif.) West Ranch, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking. He was the No. 63 overall prospect in the state, the No. 39 quarterback in the class and the No. 733 overall prospect in the class.
Staub and Colorado will get another Friday night game this week against Houston. They’ll hit the road to play the Cougars for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
