Thanks, Shedeur

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Thanks, Shedeur

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In August, 1994, the CU media relations office was facing a dilemma.

Granted, it was a good problem to have: Three star players on the Buff offense, all capable of winning the Heisman Trophy.

Quarterback Kordell Stewart, wide receiver Michael Westbrook, and running back Rashaan Salaam were all potent stars for the 8th-ranked team in the nation. The problem, though, was if CU promoted all three stars, the voting could be diluted for CU players once Heisman talk began in earnest.

While not a bad problem to have, there was still reason for concern about how to present CU’s stars to the media. In 1990, CU had a star dual-threat quarterback in Darian Hagan, whose success cut against some of the hype surrounding All-American running back Eric Bieniemy. When December rolled around, CU was the No. 1 team in the nation, but Bieniemy finished third in the Heisman voting.

Rather than pick a favorite for promotion entering the 1994 season, the decision was made to allow the Buff stars sort themselves out on the field. With high-profile non-conference games against No. 10 Wisconsin, No. 4 Michigan, and No. 16 Texas, there wouldn’t be any trouble garnering attention for the Buff who made the most of their opportunities.

After the “Miracle in Michigan”, Kordell Stewart had the signature Hail Mary pass (like the one which propelled Doug Flutie to the Heisman in 1984), and Michael Westbrook had his signature catch.

The following week, however, Rashaan Salaam ran for 317 yards on the road in a 34-31 win over No. 16 Texas. After that, the Heisman race took on a whole new look. Following the Texas game, Salaam became the focus of CU’s national rise in the polls. Kordell Stewart would go on to have an impressive season, finishing off the year as the all-time leader in total offense in Big Eight history, but the Heisman campaign from CU was all about Salaam. With his 67-yard touchdown run against Iowa State in the regular season finale pushing him over 2,000 yards for the year, Salaam was off to New York for the Heisman ceremony.

Fast forward 30 years.

Entering the 2024 season, Buff quarterback Shedeur Sanders was listed as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, and a likely first round NFL Draft pick. Despite having been on the CU campus for only one season, Sanders was already setting numerous school records.

As the 2024 season unfolded, Sanders continued to set new standards for excellence at Colorado.

Single season records have fallen by the score:

• Most passing yards in a season (3,926 … previous record: Koy Detmer, 3,527 in 1996);
• Most passing touchdowns in a season (35 … previous record: Sefo Liufau, 28 in 2014);
• Most completions in a season (337 … previous record: Sefo Liufau, 325 in 2014);
• Season completion percentage (74.2% … previous record set by Shedeur in 2023, at 69.3%)

Despite being in Boulder, Sanders also made inroads on career records for passers at Colorado:

• Career passing touchdowns (62 … Sanders will own this record with two touchdown passes against BYU, as CU now counts bowl games in its stats. The current record of 63 is held by both Cody Hawkins and Steven Montez);
• Career passing yards (7,156 … despite playing in only 23 games, Sanders will finish fifth on CU’s all-time list)

In all, Sanders owns 90 Colorado school records … and counting.

Sanders had a season in 2024 which was worthy of a Heisman campaign. Two quarterbacks were invited to New York for the Heisman trophy presentation, Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Miami’s Cam Ward.

How did Shedeur’s numbers compare?

• In 13 games, Dillon Gabriel completed 297-of-406 passes, going for 3,558 yards, with 28 touchdowns and six interceptions;
• In 12 games, Cam Ward completed 293-of-435 passes, going for 4,123 yards, with 36 touchdowns and seven interceptions;
• In 12 games, Shedeur Sanders completed 337-of-454 passes, going for 3,926 yards, with 35 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Shedeur’s 74% completion percentage led the nation. He was second in touchdowns; third in passing yards. Shedeur accounted for 82% of Colorado’s offense, the highest number in college football … and the third-highest total in the past 25 years of college football.

Any objective review of the above stats would put Sanders in the same class as the two Heisman finalists.

Yes, Shedeur took too many sacks during the year. His back-peddling and scrambling, in his effort to make “hero” plays, often frustrated CU fans. His holding up his forearm to show off his “Rolex”, certainly annoyed fans of other teams, and likely put off more than a few national pundits.

But the numbers were there, as was the leadership. Colorado was made immeasurably better with Travis Hunter starting on offense and defense, but Colorado wouldn’t have been anywhere near 9-3 without Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders was one of the best, if not the best, quarterback in the nation in 2024 … ask any NFL scout.

Yet, when the Heisman voting was announced, however, Dillon Gabriel was third in the Heisman voting, with Cam Ward finishing fourth. Shedeur Sanders finished eighth overall, also coming in behind Arizona State running back Cam Skattebo, Army quarterback Bryson Daily, and Penn State tight end Tyler Warren.

So how did a quarterback of a 9-3 team, a team which was not lacking for national coverage (CU was on a national television network for all 12 of its games, the only team in the nation to have every game so televised), not get an invitation to New York for the Heisman trophy ceremony?

Simple … Shedeur didn’t campaign for it.

Not only did Shedeur not lobby for himself as a Heisman candidate, he lobbied heavily for his teammate.

“I feel like Trav deserve it,” Sanders said during the season. “He is the best player in college football. Not one of the best, he is the best player in college football, and I think a lot of people take him for granted in what he’s been able to do. And a lot of people tell him what he can’t do. Which is wrong, which I don’t believe in personally. If he’s going in each year after year, drive after drive, play after play, proving himself every game, so at this point, you should already expect that from Trav. He has greatness in him, and each and every game he’s able to showcase it in different ways.”

Shedeur didn’t finish the season without accolades. Sanders became CU’s first-ever winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, an award given to “the nation’s top quarterback who best exemplifies character, scholastic and athletic achievement”.

Shedeur Sanders was also named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, and was named a 2nd-team All-American, the first Colorado quarterback to earn 1st or 2nd-team All-American honors since Kordell Stewart was also 2nd-team by the Associated Press in 1994.

In numerous mock drafts, including USA Today and ESPN, Shedeur Sanders will be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft (at Fox Sports and CBS Sports, Shedeur is the No. 2 overall pick).

Colorado has never had a quarterback taken in the first round of an NFL Draft, and hasn’t had any quarterback taken in a draft since 1997. Both of those ignoble stats will take a tumble in April.

Shedeur Sanders already holds 90 Colorado records. His legacy is entrenched.

In any other season, he would have been CU’s Heisman trophy candidate.

It’s been a tremendous ride, with one more game to go.

Thanks, Shedeur …

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