Colorado’s Ryan Staub Channels His Inner Shedeur Sanders, Sparking Quarterback Debate

Staub didn’t start the game, but he ended up with the most productive outing of the three quarterbacks who saw action, completing 7 of 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns.

For a player who has quietly waited for his chance, it was a performance that could reshape Colorado’s quarterback conversation heading into Big 12 play.

Staub’s impact on the field was immediate.

Entering the game with just 45 seconds left in the first half, he orchestrated an astonishing six-play, 75-yard drive in only 36 seconds, completed by a 21-yard dart to running back Dekalon Taylor.

On Colorado’s opening drive of the second half, Staub went right back to work, connecting with wide receiver Sincere Brown for a 70-yard touchdown that electrified Folsom Field.

As Staub ran downfield to celebrate with teammates, he threw up a familiar wrist flex, of course, a move made famous by Shedeur Sanders, the most prolific passer in program history.

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The celebration wasn’t just a nostalgic nod to Sanders. It was also a statement of Staub’s readiness.

After two seasons of studying behind Colorado’s legendary passer, he’s absorbed the habits and confidence that come from learning under an NFL-caliber quarterback. After patiently waiting for his chance, Saturday became the moment when all that preparation finally paid off.

“I’ve been blessed to be able to sit behind him for two years,” Staub said after the game. “I got to see everything that he did and the way he does things day in and day out, the way he sees stuff in the film room, I’ve been right there behind it. And really, I’ve tried to take as much as I can from him because he’s gonna have an amazing career.”

While much of the offseason chatter centered around senior quarterback Kaidon Salter and freshman five-star passer Julian “JuJu” Lewis, Staub has been developing in the shadows, learning from Sanders’ example on and off the field.

Staubs’ ability to step in and perform wasn’t an accident; it was the product of two years of absorbing traits from one of the game’s rising stars.

After the game, coach Deion Sanders explained that he planned to rotate all three quarterbacks for two series each before deciding who would stay in. Staub, he said, simply earned the right to stay on the field as long as he did.

“The plan was each quarterback was going to get two series apiece, and that’s what we did, and somebody was going to come out of the pack,” Sanders said.

That statement sets up one of Colorado’s most intriguing questions heading into Big 12 play: Does Staub’s performance against Delaware give him a real chance to leapfrog Lewis and Salter heading into Houston?

Salter looked steadier than in week 1, but still could have used his legs more and missed on a throw that looked eerily similar to several misses last week in the loss to Georgia Tech. Lewis, meanwhile, briefly flashed his arm talent but ultimately struggled to find rhythm in his debut.

With Houston on deck, Sanders will have to weigh experience against production. Staub’s showing can’t be dismissed as just beating up on a lesser opponent; his efficiency, command, and confidence gave the offense its first sustained spark of the season.

For fans hoping to see Lewis emerge as the future, Saturday was a reminder that development takes time. For Staub, his performance proved he’s ready now and that Colorado’s quarterback battle is just beginning to heat up.