Colorado is handing over offensive play-calling duties to analyst Pat Shurmur as opposed to offensive coordinator Sean Lewis running the show for Saturday's game against Oregon State, according to multiple reports. Shurmur and Lewis will serve as co-offensive coordinators with Shurmur calling the plays and assisting with the offensive line, according to ESPN. Colorado will have to demote an assistant coach so that Shurmur can be elevated from analyst to full-time coach.
Shurmur has extensive experience as both a head coach and offensive coordinator at the NFL level. Prior to joining Colorado's staff in the offseason, he served as offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2020-21. That came after a two-year stint as coach of the New York Giants. Shurmur has also been the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles and Los Angeles Rams. He coached collegiately at Michigan State and Stanford before making the jump to the NFL in 1999.
As for Lewis, he was seen as a home-run hire when Colorado coach Deion Sanders convinced him to leave his head-coaching position at Kent State to take over as Buffaloes offensive coordinator. He also holds the title of quarterbacks coach, working with star signal-caller -- and Deion's son -- Shedeur Sanders.
Buffs looking for a spark
This move comes amid a rough skid for the Buffaloes. They've lost their last two games and four out of their last five after starting the season 3-0 and working their way into the AP Top 25. Colorado is coming off a loss to UCLA in which it managed just 16 points, its second-lowest scoring total of the season.
Three weeks ago, the Buffaloes scored 43 in a loss to Stanford where they had just a single touchdown in the second half while allowing the Cardinal to erase a 29-0 halftime deficit and roar back for a win in overtime. Colorado has had to put a lot on Shedeur Sanders' shoulders. The Buffaloes are averaging 330 passing yards per game, good for third-best in the Pac-12, but their rushing offense is dead last in the conference with a meager 78.6 yards per game.
Sanders averages almost 44 pass attempts per game while Colorado's running backs get about 31 combined carries each contest. Sanders is also the most sacked quarterback at the power conference level, as opponents have brought him down in the backfield 42 times.
