Pat Shurmur feels “it’s hard to cook in somebody else’s kitchen.” That’s what the Buffaloes‘ new offensive coordinator said during their fall camp. Last year, the Buffs’ offense struggled, leaving Shedeur Sanders as the most sacked quarterback in the nation.

But this year, Shurmur is confident, stating, “We felt like we needed to get more quality big men and then we install an offense that works for us. So I feel like it is a new start moving forward.” It looks like he made his own cooking spot, and it’s already gaining praise from CU Buffs alum Matt McChesney.

On the August 6 ‘Zero 2 Sixty’ podcast, McChesney praised Shurmur’s tenure: “Huge, I think he’s gonna have a huge impact. He’s gonna have a more NFL edge to it, rather than the spread edge.” Now, Shurmur just started his OC role with the Buffaloes this year, replacing Sean Lewis, who is now the head coach at San Diego State.

McChesney didn’t hold back on his opinions about the ex-OC, saying, “I don’t think he’s a good fit.” However, he’s cautiously optimistic about Shurmur, acknowledging, “He’s not the best offensive coordinator or head coach in the NFL. He had his struggles. But he’s a consistent coach with a ton of experience and has been around many good players.”

McChesney said, “I think he’s gonna do a great job.” He believes Shurmur has better offensive weapons with the Buffaloes than he did during his NFL days. So, this might be the perfect time for Shurmur to show his worth, and he seems all set to do it.

Pat Shurmur has better offensive weapons

Last year was a nightmare for the Colorado Buffaloes. They finished with a terrible 4-8 record, and their quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, was sacked as many as 52 times. And Coach Prime soon figured he had to make significant changes in the offense first.

This year, he brought in a dozen new players who look a whole lot bigger and tougher. It’s even reported that every average scholarship lineman is a massive 6’4 ¼”, weighing around 300 lbs. But having big guys isn’t enough. You need a good coach to put it all together. That’s where Pat Shurmur comes in. He’s got around two decades of NFL experience and seems like the perfect guy for the job.

Shurmur now has a simple plan: “We are going to run the ball, we need to protect the passer better, just generally speaking, that’s just what I like to call common sense football.” Now, along with the new linemen, we have receivers like LaJohntay Wester, Travis Hunter, and Jimmy Horn Jr. in the offense. Plus, let’s not forget the running backs Charlie Offerdahl, Isiah Augustave, and Dallan Hayden. Now that the running, passing, and protection games all look strong, a winning season seems much more likely.