CU Buffs Report: Pat Shurmur Lays Out Clear Strategy With Geno Smith-Like QB Shedeur Sanders

Shedeur Sanders is turning heads with his talent. Even though the Buffs didn’t exactly light the world on fire last year, going 4-8, Sanders shone for good. It’s no wonder the NFL scouts are praising him and comparing him to greats like Geno Smith. Now, that’s some high words. 

Analyst Daniel Jeremiah even said Shedeur is more like Geno coming out of West Virginia.  “Both of these signal-callers are more shooters than scorers,” he said. And Jeremiah’s not just blowing smoke; he knows his stuff.

So, what’s the plan for this hotshot quarterback? The new offensive coordinator, Pat Shurmur, seems to have a pretty good idea. Buffs’ reporters Brian Howell and Adam Musterteiger have created a buzz surrounding it. Howell thinks Shurmur has a clear path for Sanders. Even though Shurmur is new, his playbook looks similar to last season’s OC, Sean Lewis.

“He [Shurmur] did talk about hey we need to run the football and it sounds like you know Sean Lewis liked to run the football too. But you know I think that you know Pat Shurmur that’s going to be a big part of his offense is you’ve got to run the football,” Howell said. He thinks Sanders is in expert hands this season. 

Soon, Musterteiger chimed in, too, saying last year’s offense put a lot of pressure on the quarterback to decide when to run. But this year’s O-line is way better. They’re not going to let defenders feast on Sanders like sharks. And this time, Shedeur’s got more help with a substantial running back room! So, Shrumur’s plan to run the ball shouldn’t be a headache this season.

Shedeur Sanders has a solid support system

Last year, Shedeur Sanders completed almost 70% of his passes, even though he was sacked around 52 times. But this year, things are looking different. The Buffs beefed up their offensive line with a bunch of new, giant linemen. Now, we’re talking about OLs who are about 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds on average. And it’s not just the big guys up front. The running back room is looking solid, too.

They’ve got  Charlie Offerdahl, the returning starter, who is “the guy that leads the rest.” Then there are the new coveted 4-star RBs Isiah Augustave and Dallan Hayden. And they’re even bringing in a freshman, Micah Welch, to help out. The running backs’ job is simple: “They have to make sure they make Shedeur feel comfortable with them in the game.” The running back coach Gary Harrell said, “We’re not waiting for year 3 to win. We’re not waiting until midseason for everything to click. It has to happen now.”

It looks like the Buffs are serious about winning now. With a better offensive line and a solid running game, Shedeur should have a much easier time, which is good news for the team and Sanders’ draft stock.