Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes put on a show in their 37-20 win against Wyoming. The story really centered around Kaidon Salter, the transfer quarterback Sanders finally trusted to lead the offense after a carousel of options. He owned the game with 304 passing yards, three touchdown passes. The Buffaloes built up a dominant 28-3 lead by halftime. However, the game wasn’t all smooth sailing. The team let Wyoming creep back to 30-20 in the fourth quarter, which left Sanders unhappy with the finish. But even so, Salter definitely left his mark on Colorado’s offense.

And a performance like that attracts bittersweet comparisons, especially when you are playing for Deion Sanders. “I can’t even get mad at Salt for the 15 yd sack,” @coachkbuffs posts on X. “Seen Shedeur do the same shit for the past 2 years.” Shedeur Sanders tended to hold on to the ball a little too long, trying to work his magic. That, in turn, led to multiple sacks. And not just in college, but even creeping into his early NFL reps. For example, in 2024, Shedeur was sacked a lot, like the game against Baylor, where Shedeur was sacked 8 times! It was the most in a single game during the 2024 season. Kaidon Salter’s sack against Wyoming was similar. But it came with a much better overall game where he accounted for 3 passing touchdowns and a clutch 35-yard rushing TD.

But after all the heat Shedeur Sanders caught for his sacks the past two seasons, his close family friend Hellion ‘Boog’ Knight, the head of operations for Young Money APAA, wasn’t about to let him take it alone, even if that meant throwing the current Buffs’ QB under the bus. “Shedeur definitely didn’t have this O-Line,” Boog replied on X. “He would’ve broke every record in CFB with this O Line.” Boog has been vocal and protective, often backing Shedeur publicly whenever the heat was on. Like when Shedeur faced one of the biggest snubs of his young career. Remember when the Cleveland Browns gave away his iconic jersey number #2 to someone else? Boog wasn’t silent. He went public, unleashing on the Browns’ decision.

Boog has always sung Shedeur’s praises, standing by him through every criticism. But this time, Boog’s defense came with an unintended consequence. That side-by-side comparison with Kaidon Salter felt unnecessary to many fans, especially on the heels of Salter’s breakout performance.

Coach Sanders focused on “muscling up” with his new game plan last offseason. He brought in a trio of coaches with NFL experience. Like Gunnar White, Andre Gurode, and George Hegamin. Thus, the Buffaloes now boast one of college football’s heaviest lines, averaging 329 pounds per player. They are ranked third nationally behind only Texas State and Texas A&M.

This O-line can now give QBs like Kaidon Salter and Julian Lewis solid protection, letting the running game really take off. It’s a dramatic turnaround from 2024’s woes. But on a serious note, could Shedeur really have had a different storyline last season if he had gotten an O-line like this?

Kaidon Salter’s redemption arc

Just a week ago, Deion Sanders was stirring the pot in Boulder with one of college football’s hottest quarterback sagas. Coach Prime juggled three QBs: Kaidon Salter, Julian Lewis, and breakout Ryan Staub. Sure, Sanders’ choice to rotate QBs in the Delaware game was a bold gamble. It even had everyone questioning whether Kaidon was really getting the full trust Coach Prime had lavished on his son, Shedeur, back when he was the starter.

Critics like Buffs insider Brian Howell weren’t shy about saying it felt like the team didn’t fully believe in Salter and that if Shedeur were still behind center, none of this QB shuffle would be happening. Salter, meanwhile, had shown flashes. But inconsistency and a punchy QB room drama kept doubts lingering. Ryan Staub’s late-game heroics in the Delaware game finished off a perfect two-minute drill. That included a huge 71-yard TD that flipped the game.

Fast forward to Colorado’s game against Wyoming, and suddenly, Salter found a way to hop back into the conversation. Salter’s performance was bang on. He also added a highlight-reel 35-yard rushing touchdown that pumped the over 53000 Folsom Field crowd. It was Salter laying down a statement that Coach Prime could rely on him fully. The Buffaloes’ halftime lead? It was all Salter’s mix of passing accuracy and dual-threat energy.