Coach Prime on Colorado’s offensive identity: ‘We’re getting there’

The Colorado Buffaloes have failed to establish an offensive identity through three games, but Coach Prime said is offense is getting there

BY TRENT FINNEGAN

Sep 16, 2025, 1:30 PM

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Run. Bubble screen. Incomplete pass. Punt. The offense of Coach Prime’s 2025 Colorado Buffaloes in a nutshell.

For anyone who watched the 2021 Denver Broncos have the worst offense in the AFC West, it looks oddly familiar. The reason why? Pat Shurmur was the one calling the plays for both offenses. The issues are also more glaring when Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter aren’t around to make an otherworldly amount of insane plays to move the ball up and down the field consistently.

The Buffs have scored 40 points total in their two losses to Power 4 opponents so far this season, and the offense has struggled to stay on the field for the majority of the time. Whether it’s because of the inability to get the ball in the hands of the team’s best playmakers, a limited amount of designed shots down the field, or the inconsistency in running the ball, the offense has been stagnant more often than not in the two losses.

For the first time in the Prime era, it’s not the offensive line’s fault. They’ve been outstanding — especially in pass protection — as they’ve posted the 10th-best pass blocking grade in the country this season, per PFF.

WHAT IS THE IDENTITY OF THE OFFENSE?

The Buffs have rotated quarterbacks, they’ve rotated receivers, they’ve rotated running backs and they’ve rotated offensive linemen. The only aspect of stability within the unit is with tight end Zach Adkins, who established himself as the top player in that room.

Not having a solidified quarterback hurts the identity of an offense, especially when the quarterbacks that the Buffs are choosing from play drastically different styles of football. Kaidon Salter is a dual threat with an arm while Ryan Staub and Julian Lewis are pocket passers who have the ability to keep defenses on their toes with their scrambling ability, similar to Shedeur Sanders.

Coach Prime was asked what he think should be the identity of the Buffs offense during his weekly media availability on Tuesday.

“I don’t want to say what things should be. I mean, because that gets you upset when you walk out of here… I should be probably five pounds heavier right now. But, you know, I had the little setbacks. We’re getting there, and we’re going to get there. Within the next, maybe Saturday, maybe a couple games after that, but we’re going to get there with the consistency that we desire. I can see it. We’re going to get there,” Prime said.

Time is ticking for Prime and the Buffs to find their identity. Saturday’s game against Wyoming is the last “easier” game on the schedule for the next month, as the next four games against conference foes will all pose an immense challenge to a team that has struggled through the first quarter of the season.

IDENTITY VS. WINNING

Prime was later asked again about his team’s identity. He answered with an emphasis on winning, something that he has only done in half of his games in Boulder (14-14 record including the 2024 Alamo Bowl).

“First of all, I don’t know coaches that seek identity. I think coaches seek wins. You could call it what you want. It looks the way it looks. I don’t I don’t care what kind of car we pull up in, long as we pull out of here with a W I’m good. So I don’t really get into the identity thing, not whatsoever,” Prime said.

For the coaches that are in Prime’s neighborhood in terms of salary, their identity is winning. The only coaches who make more than him are Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Georgia’s Kirby Smart, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Oregon’s Dan Lanning. They all have a history of winning games, which is the foundation of their identity. Colorado and Prime don’t have that same nod.

Prime then asked what the identity of some of the top teams is.

“What does that mean? What’s your identity? I don’t even know what that means… Ohio State won the national championship, right? What did they hang their hat on?”

They hung their hat on winning football games. If you need to find an identity that’s more specific than winning, they allowed the fewest points per game in the country (12.9) and always came up with a clutch fourth down stop, especially on the goal line, when needed. That’s what they hung their hat on.

It’s been three and a half weeks. The Colorado Buffaloes don’t have an identity on either side of the ball. Last season, they hung their hat on having an elite pass rush to lead an elite defense. This year, their defense is the worst in the Big 12. On offense, their identity was moving the ball with big plays down the field. This year, they have barely taken any shots.

If this team wants to win another five games and make a bowl game this season, they need to find an identity as soon as possible. They have a golden opportunity to do so against Wyoming on Saturday, the final non-conference game on the slate before the Buffs kick off a tough Big 12 schedule for good.