Colorado's quarterback situation went in an unexpected direction Saturday with coach Deion Sanders turning to third-string QB Ryan Staub to power the Buffaloes' 31-7 win over Delaware.
Staub, a redshirt sophomore, stepped in after Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis played against the Blue Hens, and he made the most of his opportunity. He completed seven of 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns, making his case to be the Buffaloes' starter moving forward.
Sanders said he prayed about his quarterback room after a 27-20 loss to Georgia Tech in the season opener and decided the best move was giving two series each to Salter, Lewis and Staub and letting their performances "tell its own story" and dictate who deserved to play.
But after Staub threw touchdown passes on each of his two drives, he stayed in for two more and helped turn a 10-7 game into a 31-7 rout. Afterward, Sanders presented Staub with a game ball.
"He's just been waiting for his opportunity," Sanders said. "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."
Sanders wasn't ready to say who will start in Colorado's Big 12 opener next week at Houston, but he got the clarity he was seeking on Saturday.
"I know exactly how I'm going to handle the quarterback situation," he said. "I'm not going to say it, but yeah, I'm not lost for direction."
Staub earned one start for Colorado in 2023 during Sanders' debut season, replacing an injured Shedeur Sanders and throwing for 195 yards and one score in a 23-17 loss to Utah in the regular-season finale. He played a total of 20 snaps over four appearances last season but does possess more experience running offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur's system than Colorado's two newcomer QBs.
Against Delaware, Staub got his chance with 45 seconds left in the first half and engineered a 75-yard touchdown drive with a 31-yard pass to receiver Joseph Williams followed by a 21-yard touchdown pass to running back Dekalon Taylor.
He opened the second half with a 71-yard touchdown throw to receiver Sincere Brown and stayed in as the Buffaloes' QB for the rest of the third quarter.
"To be honest, this whole week, I wasn't really expecting to play," Staub said. "Friday, I kinda got the call and, OK, I might be playing. I was just waiting on an opportunity. Didn't know it would be a two-minute drill, and kind of the rest is history."
Salter, a transfer from Liberty, earned his second start with the Buffaloes and led the team to a 10-0 lead before Sanders gave Lewis, the No. 12 overall recruit in the 2025 ESPN 300, a chance to play his two drives in the second quarter. After both drives ended in punts and Delaware cut the deficit to 10-7, Staub took over.
Salter later re-entered the game in the fourth quarter for two drives, both of which ended in punts, and finished with 127 total yards of offense. Lewis went in for victory formation on Colorado's final drive.
Sanders planned to give Lewis, their five-star freshman, more snaps against Delaware after he didn't play in the opener. Lewis threw for 8 yards on 2-of-4 passing and took one sack against the Blue Hens. Sanders said Lewis' youth showed in his performance and is trying to be careful about the situations Lewis is being put in early in his college career.
"Some guys want you to just throw them in there, and I'm too protective," Sanders said. "I love the kid and I want the kid to be successful, so we're very protective on what we do with him and what we can do with him, how we call things with him. We want him to be in a situation to excel."
Staub said he never considered transferring out of Colorado during his two years backing up Shedeur Sanders or when the Buffaloes brought in Lewis and Salter this offseason. He said he fell in love with the process and the program and preferred to put his head down and keep working until he got a chance.
"It's kind of crazy," Staub said. "I mean, yeah, there's been a lot of days of a lot of work and some self-doubt and, you know, kind of my own battles. It's crazy to be rewarded this way. It doesn't really feel real. But I'm also looking forward to next week. We need to get back to work."
