When Colorado took the field for their 2026 spring game, one locker sat empty as Dominiq Ponder wasn’t there. And more than a month after the March 1 tragedy that took his life, QB Julian Lewis carried the loss with him. And when the cameras caught up with him, he kept it honest and simple.
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“First word I can use is blessed, just blessed to be out here,” Julian Lewis told Darius Sanders. “God didn’t have to give me this opportunity, this chance. So, just honestly overwhelmed through my faith. Just blessed to be out here missing my brother Dom right now. Just blessed to be out here and perform for him.”
This is just a QB trying to make sense of grief while still doing his job. Dom’s passing hit Julian Lewis harder than most of the other teammates because they spent time side-by-side with their lockers next to each other. He said Dom was like an older brother and a best friend.
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“That was my locker buddy,” he said back then. “We were next to each other’s lockers. Like I said, that was my best friend. Honestly, a word to describe him was just joyous. He’s never down, always great energy and always worked hard.”
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NCAA, College League, USA Football: Georgia Tech at Colorado Aug 29, 2025 Boulder, Colorado, USA Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis 10 before the game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Folsom Field. Boulder Folsom Field Colorado USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xRonxChenoyx 20250829_szo_ac4_0013
Dominiq Ponder had been building something of his own, too. After starting at Bethune-Cookman, he spent two seasons in Boulder, appearing in two games in 2025, including a late cameo against Arizona. As his parents revealed, his love for Colorado is so big that head coach Deion Sanders called him “one of my favourites.” And when it came time to say goodbye, he delivered an emotional eulogy at the campus memorial on March 7.
Still, Ponder’s story didn’t end there. His mother, Catrina Hughes, launched the 7/22 Foundation. That name came from her son’s journey of first wearing No. 22, and then earning the right to wear No. 7 as a QB. The foundation is built to support student-athletes, assist families in need, and fund scholarships for those who show resilience and character, the same traits that defined Dom.
“What matters most to me is who Dominiq was as a person,” she told EssentiallySports. “He was a determined student-athlete, a leader, and someone with a huge heart who fiercely loved his family, his teammates, and the game of football… One bad decision can alter everything. Odds are that 95% of the population has made the same decision, but got lucky, and most would never admit to it. That is a big part of why we are starting the Dominiq Ponder 7/22 Foundation, to help student-athletes, support families, and promote awareness so other families hopefully never have to experience this kind of pain.”
Colorado isn’t letting him fade into memory. This season, they’ll wear a “DP 22” patch to honor him, to remind them that Dominiq Ponder is still part of this team. Amid everything swirling around him, Julian Lewis still had to play QB, read defenses, and command the huddle. But maybe that’s what the spring game was really about: carrying someone with you while you do it.
Julian Lewis, though, didn’t just rely on his words as he brought his friend onto the field. Before kickoff, he wrote ‘DP 22’ on his wrist tape. Later, immediately after throwing his touchdown pass of the day, Lewis tapped his chest and pointed upward. It was a quiet personal tribute to his absent locker buddy.
Julian Lewis shows growth while carrying weight
For the most part, Julian Lewis looked like someone settling in. His spring game stats, 6-of-11 for 60 yards, one touchdown, and two sacks, won’t blow anyone away. But he showed flashes of command. He looked more comfortable and decisive, although it wasn’t perfect. He threw a couple of throws he might want to redo, a couple of moments where the pocket collapsed a beat too quickly.
But well, this was Julian Lewis’ first real run with OC Brennan Marion’s “Go-Go” offense in a semi-live setting. Timing, communication, and rhythm don’t click overnight. Even Deion Sanders acknowledged the step forward.
“He was a lot better,” he said, “I think that’s very easy to obtain when you got Danny Scudero on your side. He is a dawg. Having a comfort with the playbook and the way coach Marion communicates on the set, you got to understand, that was the first time that all the coaches had the opportunity to communicate.”
That connection with Scudero showed as the two linked up for a touchdown. The starting job is far from guaranteed, as Lewis is facing a crowded quarterback room that includes Utah transfer Isaac Wilson, promising early enrollee Kaneal Sweetwyne, and potentially another transfer joining this summer. So, nothing is being handed out, but Lewis looks like someone growing into the moment, as his comments on Dom showed how he was carrying loss, expectation, and opportunity all at once.
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Himanga Mahanta