The 2025 season has indeed offered a rough experience for Deion Sanders’ Colorado Buffaloes. But Coach Prime is looking firmly toward the future of Colorado football, and it begins this weekend with a new name under center, Julian “JuJu” Lewis. Though he exited late in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a hand injury, Sanders reassured everyone with a new update concerning the freshman.

The former Carrollton High star has yet to prove himself in the Boulder camp, will make his debut as a starter in Colorado’s Week 11 clash against West Virginia. The proving part can wait; as of now, he needs to be fit. On November 4, Jake Schwanitz tweeted Deion’s take on X. It read, “Coach Prime on the decision to start Julian Lewis this week. “Common sense.” Coach Prime says his hand injury from Saturday is nothing to worry about. “He’s good. He’s throwing the heck out of the ball.”

After Kaidon Salter’s 11-of-15 outing for 49 yards, a touchdown, and an interception, Sanders made the switch. The young signal-caller went 9-for-17 for 121 yards and a touchdown, showing flashes of the talent that once made him the sixth-ranked quarterback prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite. Sanders surely sees something special in him.

Beyond the technical aspects, Sanders admired how Lewis asserted himself in the huddle. “He was more talkative to his teammates,” Sanders said. “What I mean by that is you got to communicate with your linemen, your backs and your receivers. You got to let them know that you’re there, you’re in command, you’re in control, because they’re looking for leadership.”

Lewis, still finding his footing in Boulder, but he’s already a cornerstone for a program trying to rise from the ground up. In many ways, both the Buffaloes and their young quarterback are on parallel journeys. learning, growing, and fighting to transform potential into power.

Deion Sanders’ soft corner for Julian Lewis exposed the head coach’s fatherly side

From appointing 101-year-old Miss Peggy to woo him, to naming Boulder’s favorite joint’s burger after him, Deion did it all to flip Lewis from USC. However, just like a father, the Buffs head coach knows when to tighten the reins. There was a time when Salter struggled against Georgia Tech, but even then, Deion kept Lewis benched. Very much like a protective dad.

After all, Coach Prime felt Lewis needed time to acclimate himself to the college football environment and playing when the stadium has a sellout crowd. So, he gave the green signal just when he found that the timing was right. In a latest presser, here came Deion’s protective side for Lewis and co. 

“I have a fatherly spirit. And I have an overseer spirit. I’m trying to shield my guys from certain things that may harm them. I know the temperature of the room. I know if they can’t handle this at this time…so my job is to protect them and put an umbrella around them until I feel like they’re ready for the attacks and the assaults,” said Deion. 

Just like an ideal figure in the Buffs camp, Coach Prime stands like a rock. Even though Lewis did enough against Arizona, his mates faltered. But the head coach did not drag his players through the mud. Instead, he himself took the blame.