Former NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith defended Colorado coach Deion Sanders on Wednesday, speaking up after Colorado quarterback Julian Lewis commented on his growth heading into his sophomore season.
The situation unfolded at Big 12 Media Days this week. Lewis told ESPNU how his approach to the game has changed since last season. Arizona Wildcats beat writer Jason Scheer posted the comments online and called them “insane” and “a fireable offense” on Tuesday.
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“You can always tell who hasn’t been around young quarterbacks. Little a young player mindset. What he said is growth. Y’all just look to hate on Coach Prime. It’s wild,” Smith, who played for the Maryland Terrapins, tweeted.
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Deion Sanders Jr., the coach’s son, backed that up on X. He noted that former defensive coordinator Robert Livingston ran the coverages Lewis was talking about, not his father.
Deion Sanders is entering his fourth year at Colorado. He recently said he’s cancer-free after treatment for bladder cancer kept him away from the team for much of last year.
What Julian Lewis said about Deion Sanders
As a freshman last year, Julian Lewis played in four games. He completed 55.3% of his passes for 589 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions before redshirting.
“My play, I’m actually looking at the defense,” Lewis said.
“Last year, we weren’t really looking at defense as much. Just kind of high school free ball and just out there playing football. But, you know, it’s a lot bigger than that now. So, it should be fine.”
Colorado went 3-9 last season. Its offense ranked 112th in the country. The team fired Pat Shurmur from play-calling duties in October after a 53-7 loss to Utah.
Since then, Colorado has overhauled its roster and coaching staff. The Buffaloes added 66 newcomers this offseason. Brennan Marion now runs the offense after arriving from Sacramento State, while Chris Marve takes over as defensive coordinator following Livingston’s departure to the Denver Broncos.
Edited by Joseph Schiefelbein