Multiple sources, including ESPN’s Pete Thamel, reported early Tuesday that Deion Sanders, the head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, had named Ryan Staub the team’s starting quarterback for their week three matchup against Big 12 foe Houston.
However, in his press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Sanders refuted those claims and called out ESPN and the media for not being willing to verify their reporting before publishing.
Deion Sanders Denies QB1 Reports And Criticizes ESPN’s Coverage
The news that Ryan Staub would be the Buffaloes’ starter made headlines Tuesday morning after Thamel, ESPN’s college football insider, initially reported it.
It was a shocking revelation as Staub entered the 2025 season as the third quarterback on Colorado’s depth chart, behind Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and five-star true freshman Julian Lewis.
Sources: Colorado is expected to start Ryan Staub at quarterback for the game at Houston on Friday night. He entered the Delaware game on Saturday as the third-string quarterback and shined, completing 7 of 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns. pic.twitter.com/WJL3Aawd08
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 9, 2025
All three quarterbacks saw action in Colorado’s week two matchup against Delaware, but Staub was the most impressive, completing seven of 10 attempts for 157 yards and two touchdowns.
Following the game, rumors began circulating that Staub could potentially take over as the Buffaloes’ starter, and when Thamel’s report dropped, many believed it to be true.
However, in his game-week press conference on Tuesday, after being asked specifically about Thamel’s report for ESPN, “Coach Prime” denied that he had made a decision and criticized the media’s lack of verification in their reporting.
“I haven’t made that assessment and decision yet,” Sanders said. “You know, in today’s media, we don’t care about being correct anymore. We just want to be first. And there’s no subjection to you when you’re wrong. Nobody says nothing. You just go with it.”
While Sanders was clearly fed up with the media and says he has not yet made a decision at quarterback for the Buffaloes’ game against Houston, he did note that Staub has received the most first-team reps in practice this week.
So while Thamel’s report may have been premature, it does appear to be trending toward being accurate. Staub was a three-star recruit in the 2023 class. 247Sports’ composite rankings listed him as the No. 36 quarterback and the No. 733 player overall in the cycle.
In his freshman year, he backed up Shedeur Sanders, Deion’s son, throwing a total of 40 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown. He redshirted in 2024, appearing in just four games, and now looks to have a chance to take the starting job.
However, as Sanders points out, he or his staff have yet to decide on the QB1 role, and it’s clear he would prefer the media wait until their reporting is verified before publishing stories. Regardless, the “Buffs” will take on the Cougars in Houston at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.
