Nobody thought Shedeur’s shoes would be easy to fill. But what’s brewing in Boulder right now? Man, it’s pure quarterback chaos. On one sideline, you’ve got Kaidon Salter—battle-tested, highlight-making, scars and all. On the other hand, the prodigy Julian Lewis, barely old enough to buy a scratch-off, but already dropping dimes in fall camp like he’s been here before. And don’t sleep on Ryan Staub, who’s already shown he can handle the spotlight. Colorado’s QB race isn’t just wide open—it’s wild. And Colorado’s prodigy WR? He’s loving every minute of it.

On August 17, Colorado wideout Omarion Miller gave us the real answer when asked about catching passes from three different QBs fighting for the throne. “Staub to Kaidon to Julian—man, all those guys are talented,” Miller said. “It doesn’t matter who throws the ball. We all believe in each and every one of them.” For a receiver room that lost Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter to the NFL, it’s a survival season. They need a QB who can sling it. Period.

The storyline starts, like most Prime-era dramas, at the transfer portal. Deion went shopping, filling the cart with 32+ new Buffs, including 17 on offense. The headliner? Liberty’s Kaidon Salter. The former Liberty QB’s 2023 was box-office. Nearly 3,000 yards in the air, 32 TDs, plus over 1,000 rushing yards and another 12 scores. He wasn’t playing quarterback—he was running an action flick. But 2024? Low-key dip year. Numbers dropped, but the ceiling is high enough to scrape the Flatirons.

Then there’s the phenomenon. Julian Lewis, aka JuJu, is a five-star with a résumé longer than a CVS receipt. Over 11,000 yards, 144 TDs in high school. State championship records. Gatorade Player of the Year. MaxPreps Freshman of the Year. Julian Lewis was making all sorts of throws at fall camp. At last, the veteran, Ryan Staub. Last year against Utah, when called on, he didn’t flinch. 17-of-24, 195 yards, a TD. He even linked up with Travis Hunter for one of those jaw-dropping drives that Buff Nation still replays on loop. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur isn’t shy either. “I do,” he said when asked if he trusts all three.

Still, in the middle of the madness, Omarion Miller is steady. WR1. The 6’2” Louisiana baller who exploded against USC as a freshman, dropping 196 yards and a score, earning Michael Irvin’s respect. Last year? A leg injury cut him down mid-season, but not before he posted 145 yards against Kansas State. That performance ended on a cart, but the resolve since then has been pure grit. He doubled down on loyalty, too, refusing to dip into the portal:

“Early last year, I battled a little ankle injury. It was nothing major, but I came back toward the beginning of the season, and I wasn’t getting the play time that I wanted…I definitely think that was a big learning process for me, too, to learn from that and bounce back from it for sure. I’m definitely glad I stayed here. I love being here…I could have transferred and went other places after my freshman season, but I decided to stay here because I love this… I love Boulder. I love everything around Colorado. So, definitely love it.” Fans and analysts got Omarion Miller pegged for around 1,100 yards and 8 touchdowns this season.

Heading into 2025, Miller’s the alpha in a stacked receiving corps. Sophomore Drelon Miller’s ready to break out. Hykeem Williams, the Florida State transfer, and Jack Hestera in the slot are sneaky dangerous. The weapons are there. The line? That’s the real test. Jordan Seaton plus a handful of portal pickups gotta give these QBs time to cook, or none of this matters. The only missing piece? QB1.

Colorado Buffs QB1 reveal date? And Georgia Tech odds

Coach Prime’s not ready to spoil the suspense. During Fall Sports Media Day, he made it clear: no rush, no early answers. Julian Lewis, Kaidon Salter, Ryan Staub—every one of them’s still alive. He’s not tipping his hand until game week. That opener against Georgia Tech on August 29? That’s when we’ll know.

Vegas doesn’t care about suspense, though. Oddsmakers are giving Tech the edge, favoring the Yellow Jackets by 3.5 to 4.5 points. Moneyline’s sitting around–180 for GT, +150 for Colorado. Over/under? Around 55 points, so they’re expecting fireworks.

Prediction models call it 28–24 Georgia Tech. Close. Real close.