Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis has not yet officially been named the starter by coach Deion Sanders, but all signs point to the redshirt freshman taking over the unit under the leadership of new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion.Following a 3-9 season, not much hype surrounds the Colorado program and "Coach Prime," but Lewis was once a high-profile recruit, and the Buffs quarterback could put the team back on the national stage.Apr 11, 2026; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Julian Lewis (10) during the spring game at Folsom Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectColorado Buffaloes' Julian Lewis Set to Turn HeadsThe plan for Lewis' first year of college football seemed to be a developmental one, but the young signal caller was thrown into the fire after fellow Colorado quarterbacks Kaidon Salter and Ryan Staub were not getting the job done in 2025. How much impact Marion will have as the new offensive coordinator remains to be seen, but quarterback play was one of the biggest weaknesses for the Buffs a season ago. In limited action, Lewis completed 55.3 percent of his passes for 589 yards and 4 touchdowns. Remarkably, Lewis was successful in taking care of the football, not throwing a single interception despite his inexperience at the college level.Sacramento State Hornets head coach Brennan Marion listens to one of the assistant coaches yell at players on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings, South Dakota. | Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn ImagesEntering the 2026 season, Lewis' experience with live reps should have an impact on his development. In the spring game, Lewis completed 6 of 11 pass attempts from 60 yards, throwing the only passing touchdown of the game as well. He was sacked twice, but his escapability and mobility will be worth monitoring throughout the season as Lewis' pokcet presence continues to grow as he gets more experience.Why Julian Lewis Will Surprise in 2026 SeasonIn terms of Lewis' leadersip of Colorado, he has spent the offseason as the presumed starting quarterback of the Buffaloes. As a true freshman, Lewis was learning behind Salter and was likely not expecting to be relied upon as a leader. Moreover, Lewis is on the younger side for his class, currently 18 and set to turn 19 in September.The young quarterback turned heads with some comments on Colorado's 2025 offense while representing the Buffaloes at Big 12 Media Days, revealing he felt like he was "free balling" at times under former offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur.Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConnectWhile the college football world took Lewis' comments and ran with them, the Colorado quarterback revealed a major part of his development: reading and understanding defenses. How Shurmur and the Buffaloes' previous staff taught the quarterback position remains to be seen, but Lewis might have been relaying his ability to process what the defense is doing instead of reacting to the quicker speed of the game.If the game can slow down for Lewis and he can reach the level of confidence he played with during his high school days, the Buffaloes will surprise many this season.Lewis has a talented wide receiver corps, headlined by a trio of transfers in Danny Scudero, DeAndre Moore, and Kam Perry. The Buffaloes also added running backs JaQuail Smith and Damian Henderson to join Micah Welch in the room, and Colorado has multiple offensive line pieces to experiment with during fall camp. While the Colorado defense was arguably the biggest disappointment in 2025, the offense also has plenty of room to grow. Will Lewis take the next step forward and lead the Buffaloes to a bowl game in 2026?Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow