Quarterback Ryan Staub had warmed the benches in Colorado for a long time. Since he was running out of eligibility without putting any solid numbers on the board, he transferred to Tennessee. In Nashville, however, Staub saw a cultural change so drastic that his observations have forced former Colorado defensive end Matt McChesney to lay all the blame on one particular coach.

Staub told reporters at Tennessee’s spring camp, “In my three years of playing college football, I haven’t had as much coaching as I’ve had in the first month that I’ve been here.” Matt McChesney went straight to the root of the issue in a commentary on the Zero 2 Sixty podcast.

“That sucks. I mean, good for him, he’s getting coached,” he said. “But this is why JuJu [Lewis] wasn’t ready to play as a freshman, because Pat Shurmur sucked. Let’s just be real, because Pat Schumer was in charge of the quarterback development and offensive coordinating. As a player, it’s not fun to be unprepared, but at the same time, you’ve got to roll with what the coaches give you.” 

His comment is blunt, but it’s consistent with what we saw on the field. Colorado’s QB room under Pat Shurmur never looked fully settled outside of Shedeur Sanders. No QB in the 2025 season was developed enough to hold the starter role throughout the season. Ryan Staub had an on-and-off performance in the limited time he got on the field. He showed some promise in the Delaware game, going 7-of-10 on passes, throwing for 158 yards, and also scoring two touchdowns. However, Staub’s time came to an end after losing to Houston, despite having thrown for 204 yards.

Staub isn’t saying Tennessee is perfect. He’s only saying he’s being coached a lot. But the whole situation sparked a big question for the 60-year-old Pat Shurmur. Sanders removed him from play-calling duties mid-season and eventually fired him. Shurmur’s offense could never pack a punch. The previous year, he had playmakers like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. But with them gone. Colorado crashed in Shurmur’s offensive system. 

“It was maybe a little bit more simplified,” Staub said of the CU offense. “Which allowed the quarterback to play just smoothly and not think, and just go through reads. Here, they’re throwing everything at you, but it’s for a reason. The offense, it’s complex, and you can see why it has so much success, because of how much goes into it.”

During McChesney’s career at Boulder, the Buffs had won a conference title, and had returned to the championship game two more times. The top staff remained intact during those four years. The trio of Gary Barnett (head coach), Shawn Watson (OC), and Mike Hankwitz (DC) had existed before McChesney joined, and lasted till the 2005 season, when Barnett was fired, and Hankwitz went to Wisconsin. Fast forward to today, results of that kind are yet to manifest in the Deion Sanders era.

After an embarrassing 3-9 finish and a host of players transferring out, Sanders entered into a factory reset mode. He’s gotten over the Pat Shurmur fiasco by bringing in Brennan Marion, a dynamic and creative playcaller.

Did Deion Sanders hire the right OC?

Matt McChesney is optimistic about Colorado bringing in Brennan Marion to replace Pat Shurmur. 

“Marion is this generation,” McChesney said. “He’s gonna be able to relate with JuJu and Wilson and all these kids, and relate to how they’re gonna study, how they’re gonna learn, how they need to be coached. And, he’s actually coaching,” 

For a young QB, what you want is clear reads and quick execution. Brennan Marion’s offense is designed to simplify decisions and maximize talent. The “Go-Go” offense is built for modern QBs with quick reads, space, and rhythm. And early returns from spring practice suggest it’s already making an impact. Julian Lewis, the redshirt freshman expected to take over in 2026, has started to find a groove. Reports out of Boulder highlight his ability to make tight throws and operate efficiently within the system. 

“We’re coming with a physical mindset,” Marion said about developing Colorado’s run game on The Morning Run. “We’re not out there just to throw spacing, hitches, and be cute. They [opponents] know they can get punched in the mouth.”

Only time will tell if Deion Sanders’ coaching shakeup and newfound energy in practice actually produce results on the field. Until then, there’s a lot to be undone and re-done by Sanders and the entire CU coaching staff.