Why multiple quarterbacks will determine Saturday's game vs. Oregon State

Last Saturday’s win will live in the memories of every CU fan, coach and player for the foreseeable future.

Interim head coach Mike Sanford’s energy has got the Buffs on a wave of momentum but a trip to Oregon State is on the schedule this weekend and could prove to be difficult for the Buffs in more ways than one.

Owen McCown led the initial charge on Saturday but it was J.T. Shrout who closed the game out and delivered a win for the Buffs. Coach Sanford said the reason why Shrout entered the game was an injury to McCown and that the decision was not performance related.

Colorado may need Shrout to step up again this weekend as McCown will be a game-time decision heading into Saturday’s road trip against the Beavers.

“Owen’s the kind of guy that he was going to rally through whatever,” Sanford said. “But I wanted to put our football team and Owen in the best position to be successful.”

Coach Sanford relied on the experience he has from playing quarterback and coaching the position for over a decade when it came to his decision to replace McCown in the third quarter last week.

“I always say that to me, to be a really good quarterback coach, you have to have played that position or groomed that position your entire life because there’s a look in the eyes of a quarterback,” Sanford said. “You can tell when things are really good and there are times when you know somebody’s banged up.”

Sanford continued, “I think it’s a benefit having played the position, lived the position and coached the position for most of my adult life.”

Shrout only threw 12 passes but completed eight including the game-winning touchdown. It was an impressive performance by Shrout; coming off of the bench, entering a tightly contested game and playing well to deliver his team to victory.

Whether it’s McCown or Shrout, the Buffs’ interim head coach thinks both players are capable of leading Colorado to victory. While the starting quarterback situation is surrounded by uncertainty this week, Sanford only had positive things to say about the bond that the Buffs’ top two quarterbacks share.

“Their relationship is so close, they have great synergy,” Sanford said. “They’ve grown so much and Owen has really been mentored by J.T. starting back in June when he showed up.”

Oregon State has been handling a quarterback carousel of its own as Beaver’s head coach Jonathan Smith has bounced back and forth between Chance Nolan and Ben Gulbranson.

Coach Sanford said the Buffs will be preparing for both quarterbacks but it’s Jack Colletto who plays linebacker, running back and quarterback for Oregon State that could be Colorado’s biggest issue.

Sanford expressed the respect he has for Colletto’s ability to play both ways.

“You’ve got to be wired differently to do that. There are not many humans on planet earth who can do this in power five football,” Sanford said. “If you’re doing that, obviously it shows the love he has for the game, that he has a massively varied skill set and is an incredibly tough football player. They’ve developed an identity around him.”

The story of the day at Tuesday’s practice was about another quarterback, one that is no longer on the Buffs’ roster.

Brendon Lewis entered the transfer portal on Tuesday but it was no surprise to Sanford.

“We’ve had ongoing conversations for weeks, myself and he,” Sanford said. “I’m wanting to lend a helping hand in regard to the relationships I have in the industry. At the end of the day, I think B-Lew needed a fresh start. I’m in his corner and always will be and have a tremendous relationship with B-Lew. Our team wishes him well.”

Lewis struggled as a passer at CU but his athleticism and dual-threat ability often led to discussions amongst fans about Lewis playing exclusively as a wildcat quarterback or possibly changing positions altogether. It turns out Sanford and Lewis never had those discussions.

“I believe Brendon Lewis is a quarterback,” Sanford said. “If we’re going to move someone to another position, I want somebody who’s fully invested, fully committed to playing that position. So those discussions never happened, I know his passion and drive for playing the position of quarterback.”

Despite the drama in the quarterback room at the moment, the Buffs’ offensive line has started to find a rhythm. Against Cal, Colorado only allowed two hurries and one sack in their first win of the season. 

Jake Wiley played a great game against the Golden Bears and Sanford recognized the sophomore’s high level of play.

“Jake Wiley played great football on Saturday, he gets better and better and his confidence is growing,” Sanford said. “I think he’s going to be one of the great CU Buff offensive linemen.”

Van Wells has become one of the Buffs’ most impressive freshman players and played well enough to stand out early in the preseason according to Sanford.

“That’s a rare position to start at as a true freshman, [Wells’] communication is getting better,” Sanford said. “I think it’s been a really positive addition to our offense.”

Colorado is starting to find a groove but it will be another tough test this weekend for the resurgent Buffs as they take on an Oregon State team that has scored at least 24 points in every win they’ve had this year.

The Buffs have only managed to score 20 points twice this year but it’s happened in their last two games.

Colorado enters Saturday’s matchup against Oregon State as 23.5-point underdogs on the road.