Sanders Explains QB Switch, Injuries After Colorado Falls at Baylor
The short version
- Colorado lost 23-13 at Baylor in its Big 12 opener, falling to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
- Deion Sanders benched Julian Lewis at halftime for Isaac Wilson, who threw a 17-yard touchdown to Joseph Williams to tie it at 13.
- Linebacker Tyler Martinez left with an injury, finishing with two tackles, and was seen in a walking boot and on crutches.
- Receiver Deandre Moore Jr. was ruled out after a second-quarter hit by Travion Barnes that Colorado fans felt should have drawn a targeting call.
- Sanders said the team is frustrated and must "find our why" after losses to Northwestern and Baylor.
Colorado dropped its Big 12 opener 23-13 at Baylor, and Deion Sanders addressed the quarterback change, injuries and the team's frustration afterward.
Colorado opened Big 12 play with a 23-13 defeat against Baylor in Waco on Saturday, dropping the Buffaloes to 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in league action. After the game, head coach Deion Sanders discussed his quarterback decision, two injuries and where his team stands mentally.
Trailing 10-3 at the break, Sanders pulled starter Julian Lewis and turned to Isaac Wilson for the second half. Asked about the move, the coach called it his own call, made in an effort to spark an offense that needed points.
"It was a decision that we made. I'll take the responsibility," Sanders said. "It was a decision that I made because I was trying to get us going. That's it. Just based on, let's go. We got to get going. We got to score. We got to score some points."
Wilson started slowly, in Sanders' words arriving "a little shaky, nervous" before settling in and directing a 95-yard scoring march. It ended with a 17-yard touchdown throw to Joseph Williams that pulled Colorado even at 13 with 11:04 left to play. Baylor responded with the go-ahead touchdown and later added a 54-yard field goal to close it out.
Reflecting on the position more broadly, Sanders stressed that a quarterback at Colorado does not need to carry the offense alone. "You don't have to be the man. Just get the ball to the man, and we're good," he said. "Because we got some guys. I think you saw that today. We got some guys."
Linebacker Tyler Martinez left the contest after recording two tackles and was later seen in a walking boot on his right foot and on crutches. Sanders had no definite answer on how long Martinez would be sidelined. "He's down. I don't know about for the season, but he's down," the coach said.
Sanders added that his first thought was whether Martinez might qualify for a medical redshirt, given how much the linebacker means to the roster. He recounted that Martinez had told him the night before, "You're going to have to pull me off the field," and described him as a player who gives everything he has.
Wide receiver Deandre Moore Jr. exited late in the second quarter after absorbing a heavy hit from Baylor linebacker Travion Barnes and was ruled out for the rest of the game. Colorado supporters were critical of officials for not flagging the play as targeting. On Moore's condition, Sanders said he was doing well and was seen on the sideline encouraging teammates.
The coach praised Moore's toughness, recalling that the receiver refused to be carted off, insisting he would walk off the field under his own power. "He's a warrior," Sanders said, calling the receiver one of the team's leaders.
Colorado arrived in Waco coming off a disappointing result against Northwestern, and Sanders acknowledged the lingering frustration. "We're better than this," he said, while noting that the Wildcats proved better than expected. He observed that the Buffaloes often appear superior to their opponents on the field, yet the scoreboard says otherwise, and said the group must "find our why."
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