Coach Prime doesn’t want to talk about controversial OC switch
Nov 7, 2023, 12:34 PM
Coach Prime isn’t in the mood to talk about his controversial decision to switch from Sean Lewis to Pat Shurmur as the team’s offensive play-caller.
The change didn’t work at all against the Oregon State Beavers, with the Buffs putting up just 19 points, including only five through three quarters.
Shurmur, who had an underwhelming stint as the Denver Broncos’ offensive coordinator, had previously been an analyst for the Buffs.
At his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Deion Sanders was pressed on the matter and if a switch could be made back to Lewis. He deflected the question, first challenging the reporter about something with his son Shedeur Sanders, before ultimately not answering it.
“Let that go man, just let it go. You’re barking up a tree that you ain’t gonna get up. Just let it go,” Sanders said.
It’s a completely fair question and one fans care about. The offense was clicking early in the season under Lewis, even scoring 41 points in a loss to USC and 43 in a defeat by Stanford. But Sanders continued, talking about the position he and his team are in and things trending the correct way.
“We’re some happy people around here, we’re ecstatic. We’re blessed, we’re highly favored. We’re not where we want to be but we ain’t where we used to be. And we’re going in the right direction, so we’re good,” Sanders said.
That’s debatable. The Buffs started 3-0 but have lost five of their last six games. They need two wins in their final three contests to make a bowl game, something that looked likely at one point and now feels like a long-shot.
And even though he didn’t say it directly, it sounds like Shurmur will still be in charge of calling offensive plays. That better improve in a hurry, or CU might not earn another victory this season.
