The framed jerseys are already up. The flowers were out. Shedeur Sanders, along with Travis Hunter, did get their dues on the walls of Boulder. Their legacies now hang high in the CU facility, No. 2 enshrined next to No. 12—as the Colorado Buffaloes officially turn the page to the post-Prime Sons era. But behind the celebratory sendoff, the conversation in Boulder isn’t just about how much the 2024 class is leaving behind. It’s about who’s ready—or not ready—to fill the void. Because as fans argue over a QB1 battle between Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and freshman phenom Julian “JuJu” Lewis, the actual dilemma cuts deeper than just reps and arm strength.

Currently, Shedeur Sanders and Co. from the class of 2024 are preparing to enter their first pro training camps. Mat Smith said, “I also think that it will become clear in short order, again, just how much Shedeur covered up because of the level of talent that he was.” What most fans don’t realize is that Julian Lewis, for all his upside, is still just 17. Talented? No doubt. But raw? Yes. He’s getting into the groove of the pace and physics of the college game. “The other question, which is probably my biggest question about the quarterback room,” Smith said, “I know a lot of folks out there are going to want to focus on Salter versus Lewis, but I’m looking at Salter.”

That’s where to gets intriguing, because what Kaidon Salter could be is a tantalizing riddle. But his last season? A massive step backward. “He did have a drop off significantly his junior year from his sophomore year,” Smith noted. “You don’t really see that statistically—that aggressive of a change year over year.” The numbers back that up. Salter went from 2,876 passing yards, 32 touchdowns, and just six picks as a sophomore—plus another 1,089 yards and 12 scores on the ground—to a shaky, inconsistent 2024 where his decision-making and composure took a massive hit under the weight of expectations.

Liberty returned its head coach, kept enough pieces to warrant national optimism, and still, Kaidon Salter sputtered. “I don’t know why Kaidon Salter’s numbers went down and why he didn’t have the year he did,” said Brian Howell. “But it’s a big year for him to prove himself and to show that he’s the 2023 guy and not the 2024 guy.” Howell didn’t sugarcoat the stakes: “If he’s the 2024 version, I think that Colorado is going to struggle. If he’s the 2023 version of himself, I think this could be a really fun offense.”

Therein lies Colorado’s gamble. The Buffs didn’t just lose a steady QB1 in Shedeur—they lost a passer who covered up more blemishes than what met the eye. That’s a sobering reality. Shedeur Sanders masked a porous offensive line, led the team in crunch time, and gave stability to a locker room still evolving under Prime’s relentless pace. Salter got to prove he can lead grown men in a tougher league. “Guys are bigger, faster, stronger,” Smith warned. “And yes, Liberty is not FCS ball, right? But at the same time, it’s a totally different animal than what they’re dealing with up here.”

There’s also the mental and emotional curve. Salter’s step back can’t just be pinned on system changes or personnel losses, because Liberty’s infrastructure remained largely intact. Brian Howell added, “Liberty had the same coach year over year… Phil Steele said, This should be another really good year for Liberty.” Yet it wasn’t. Something in Salter regressed, whether it was the reads, rhythm, or resilience. For Colorado, betting on the 2023 version of Salter means unlocking a true dual-threat talent who can keep defenses guessing on every down. But if the 20024 Salter shows up again? CU’s offense might stall before it ever finds its gear.

JuJu sits in the wings. The burden of all this falls around guys like Drelon Miller, Omarion Miller, and DJ McKinney. They’ll have to shoulder a lot of Hunter’s production on both sides of the ball. The bar Shedeur and Hunter set wasn’t just high—it was transformational. And with their shadows still fresh on the turf, the challenge is now twofold: replace the talent, and replace the intangibles.

And that’s why the Colorado Buffaloes need baby steps before big leaps

As Deion Sanders enters Year 2 at Colorado with a whole new crew and the star power of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter officially hanging on the walls at Boulder, expectations are… loud. But amid the headlines and social media hype, there’s a reality check rolling in from the college football podcast circuit.

Appearing on Locked On Buffs, Spencer McLaughlin pumped the brakes on talk of national title contention — at least for now. “I don’t know that I’m expecting Colorado to just jump up and contend for a national championship,” McLaughlin said. “These things take time. You got to crawl before you can walk.” That’s a tough message for a program that just launched a black-and-gold rocket into the NIL-fueled transfer era. But it’s also a necessary one.

“I think that for Colorado, where their focus should be is winning the Big 12, getting to the Big 12 Championship Game,” McLaughlin continued. “Get there first. Show that you are capable of outperforming everybody else for a 12-game season… before you start thinking about that next step.” And fair enough — the Buffs went 9-4 last fall. A great jump, but life after Shedeur and Hunter won’t get easier.