BOULDER — The Colorado Buffaloes have yet to name a starting quarterback with three weeks left before their season opener at Folsom Field.
Will Brendon Lewis — breakout star of the Alamo Bowl — lead the Buffs?
Or can J.T. Shrout — a transfer portal addition from Tennessee — win the job?
“If I had to predict it right now, it’s going to be really tough, because they both have been literally 1A and 1B,” said coach Karl Dorrell. “They both are playing really well.”
Lewis and Shrout spoke with reporters Friday at CU’s annual football media day to preview the upcoming season. Both quarterbacks are listed at 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, and can make plays with their arm or feet.
Lewis: “I call myself a dual-threat. But I like to pass first. When I run, it’s just to get me out of bad situations.”
Shrout: “I’ve got a good strong arm and am very accurate. I can extend plays with my legs as well when I need to and go run the ball.”
Lewis signed to CU’s 2020 recruiting class and played behind starter Sam Noyer in a shortened regular season. When the Buffs finally put Lewis into a game — trailing Texas big in the Alamo Bowl — he engineered three touchdown drives with 95 yards passing and 73 yards rushing.
“It validated for him: Yes, I belong here. I can play at this level,” Dorrell said. “He attacked the offseason very confidently in his training and work. He had a good spring and a great summer. That’s why we’re in this situation. … We have a lot of confidence in him, too. He’s really a night-and-day difference from where he was last fall.”
Shrout, after redshirting as a Tennessee freshman, appeared in eight games with one start. He threw for 494 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. Shrout spent less than a week in the transfer portal before choosing the Buffs and has three years of playing eligibility.
“J.T. is very competitive, smart, and wants the ball in his hands,” offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini said. “If he makes a mistake, he’s hard on himself. That shows his competitive nature to want to get better. I have no problem with the way he’s handled his business in camp.
“What we saw on film is what we’re seeing in practice. He’s got a great touch and a very strong arm.”
The Buffaloes will have two more team scrimmages before hosting Northern Colorado on Sept. 3. Those scrimmages will serve as critical evaluation time for CU to decide on a starting quarterback.
“We’ll see if there is some separation,” Dorrell said. “I think it’s going to be at least a couple more weeks.”
