Tag: Sean Lewis

An updated look at Deion Sanders’ Colorado coaching staff

Here’s what Colorado’s assistant coaching staff currently looks like

If anything has become clear over the past few months, it’s that Deion Sanders’ coaching staff doesn’t lack passion. Colorado’s assistants hit the ground running and have helped revitalize the Buffs’ roster in short order.

As we’ve gotten to know Coach Prime’s assistants this offseason, it has also become obvious that their expectations for next season are high with new systems and standards being set in place throughout the team. Time will tell how things work out, but there is once again excitement surrounding Colorado football thanks in part to the program’s new-look staff.

Below is a quick breakdown of Coach Prime’s position coaches:

Transfer Profile: Five things to know about new Colorado OT Savion Washington

Opposing linemen will have a hard time scaling Mt. Washington next season

The Colorado Buffaloes’ roster has been completely remade this offseason, and the offensive line has not been immune to change. There will probably be at least three new starters on the OL and there is no bigger addition, literally, than Kent State transfer tackle Savion Washington.

Washington, standing at an impressive 6-foot-8, 320 pounds, was in at right tackle with the starters during the spring game and looks to have the inside track to be the Buffs’ starter there in the season opener against TCU. Given his background (spoiler), this shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Below are the five things you need to know about the tackle I’ve nicknamed “Mt. Washington.”

WATCH: Colorado OC Sean Lewis talks game plan for Black & Gold Day scrimmage

Offensive coordinator Sean Lewis talked about his unit’s game plan for CU’s Black & Gold Day scrimmage

For a number of reasons, we likely won’t see the full potential of Colorado’s offense during the Black & Gold Day spring game on Saturday. Offensive coordinator Sean Lewis met with the media on Friday and described his call sheet as “vanilla.”

Still, he wants his Buffs’ offense to maintain its “fast” tempo and put on a show for a national television audience.

“We’re ready to go,” Lewis said. “We’re going to have a vanilla call sheet and we’re going to play fast and allow the opportunity for the guys to go make plays. Excited to see the guys compete and see all the hard work they’ve put in this spring come to fruition in front of our fans.”

Unless the cold weather becomes too much of a hindrance, fans should at least get a small taste of quarterback Shedeur Sanders and Co. navigating Lewis’ air-raid attack.

Colorado’s 2023 spring game kicks off at 1 p.m. MT on ESPN.

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Five things to watch for in Colorado football’s spring game

Here are five things worth keeping an eye on during Saturday’s spring game:

We are now one day away from what’s expected to be an electric spring game for the Colorado Buffaloes under the tutelage of head coach Deion Sanders.

There will be plenty of new faces to check out, formations to break down and the first real run of the year for Ralphie.

It’s strange to think that this will be the first time that fans get to see the new-look Buffaloes live and in living color given how much access we’ve all been granted to the program since Coach Prime’s first day. Needless to say, everyone is excited.

Here are five things you should be looking out for in Saturday’s spring game, which kicks off at 1 p.m. MT on ESPN:

Sean Lewis speaks on importance of QB depth for CU Buffs

Developing (or adding) QB depth behind Shedeur Sanders should be a priority heading into next season

Barring an unfortunate injury or unlikely transfer portal addition, Shedeur Sanders is going to be Colorado’s starting quarterback in the 2023 opener at TCU.

The Jackson State transfer stands well above anyone else in a Buffaloes’ QB room that currently includes returning backup Drew Carter, incoming freshman Ryan Staub and walk-on Colton Allen. Class of 2023 signee Kasen Weisman is also expected to join the program prior to next season.

Of those four behind Sanders, only Carter has taken college snaps. It would make sense for head coach Deion Sanders to add a more experienced backup QB from the portal but if that doesn’t work, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sean Lewis has some developmental work ahead of him.

Following the Buffs’ third spring practice last Wednesday, I asked Lewis about the importance of QB depth behind Shedeur Sanders:

“They’re learning, they’re growing,” Lewis said. “It’s day three for everyone of live reps and me getting after them a little bit and pushing them to go. I need to see the mental errors go down and I need to see them value the football and maximize their calculated shots. It’s critical to have as much depth at that position across the board so that we can have as much competitive maturity within our offensive unit to have success, right? We all know how this game goes. You have injuries, you can’t predict anything. My last game at Kent State, we beat Buffalo with our fourth-string walk-on quarterback. We need to make sure that everyone’s ready to go with that next-man-up mentality.”

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Five things to know about new Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis

Get to know Colorado’s new OC Sean Lewis

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders made one of the bigger assistant coach hires of the offseason when he named Sean Lewis the Buffaloes’ offensive coordinator.

Lewis was the head coach at Kent State and surprisingly took an assistant job, although moving to the Power Five and joining the Buffs’ new-look staff certainly brings plenty of appeals.

Lewis then was reportedly an option for the Notre Dame OC job after Tommy Rees went to Alabama, but he remained in Boulder.

There are plenty of things to like about Lewis, and he engineered one of the most electric offenses in the past few years at Kent State, so excitement is brewing in Boulder.

Here are a few notable things to know about Lewis:

OC Sean Lewis discusses importance of ground game to Colorado’s identity

New OC Sean Lewis said that running the football will be an important part of Colorado’s identity

We haven’t seen it in action yet, but Colorado’s offense is expected to operate at a quick tempo under new coordinator Sean Lewis.

The former Kent State head coach oversaw a Golden Flash attack that averaged only 30.1 seconds between snaps last year— the fourth-fastest in college football — and we should see more of that next season in Boulder.

However, going fast doesn’t mean relying on quick passes and screen plays to exhaust opposing defenses. In an offensive coaches’ press conference at CU last Thursday, Lewis reminded us that he played his college ball at Wisconsin where he learned the importance of a strong ground game. He added that owning the line of scrimmage will be critical for his offense to reach its full potential.

“I’ve got Badger blood in me from where I played,” Lewis said. “In the years that we were at Kent State, in 2021 we were the No. 3 rushing team in the country only behind two service academies. We’re going to run the football when it comes to our offensive identity. We got to control what we can control, we got to own the line of scrimmage and we have to maximize our calculated shots. We need to establish the ground game. Without that, you become too one-dimensional.”

Fortunately for Lewis, the Buffs don’t lack speed at running back either. Dylan Edwards enters the program as one of the fastest incoming freshmen in college football and Kentucky transfer Kavosiey Smoke also doesn’t lack a strong motor.

Offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle, who followed Lewis from Kent State to CU, added that his group needs to become comfortable covering ground and playing in open space.

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ESPN lists Colorado’s Sean Lewis as one of college football’s top coordinators

ESPN recognized Sean Lewis as one of college football’s top coordinators

Deion Sanders has put together a loaded football team and a star-studded coaching staff in just a couple of months as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes.

Perhaps the biggest name on the staff is Sean Lewis, who became the Buffs’ offensive coordinator after leaving Kent State, where he was the head coach. Lewis’ name even popped up in the OC search for Notre Dame, although he seems all set in Boulder.

Adam Rittenberg of ESPN compiled a list of the top assistants in college football, and Lewis made the list. Here’s what Rittenberg wrote about Lewis:

He’s not exactly an established assistant after spending the past five seasons as Kent State‘s head coach. But Lewis likely won’t need much time at Colorado — as long as he’s successful — to generate interest for higher-profile FBS head jobs. He was
among the top candidates for Cincinnati‘s head-coaching vacancy before Scott Satterfield emerged late. Lewis is only 36 but brings coveted experience leading a program — at one of the nation’s toughest jobs — and expertise running an exciting offensive scheme. The Chicago area native has worked mostly in the
Midwest and Northeast but now expands his footprint to Colorado, which will have extra eyeballs on it as the Deion Sanders era begins.

There is a lot to like about Sean Lewis, and if you watched Kent State’s offense, that is even more reason for Buffs fans to be excited. Lewis is in Boulder for now, but if he does well, he could get some more head coaching opportunities next offseason.

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Takeaways from Colorado football’s offensive coaches’ press conference

What were your takeaways from CU’s offensive coaches’ press conference?

On Thursday, the Colorado Buffaloes’ offensive coaching staff met with the media to discuss a wide range of topics, from the personnel at CU to all things Deion Sanders.

Offensive coordinator Sean Lewis was first up at the podium, followed by running backs coach Gary “Flea” Harrell, offensive line coach Bill O’Boyle, wide receivers coach Brett Bartolone and finally, tight ends coach Tim Brewster. In those five names alone, the Buffaloes have scored three former head coaches in what has become quite the staff for Coach Prime.

Expectations have been through the roof with what this staff has done through recruiting, and here is everything you need to know from the press conference:

Colorado football: Offensive coaches speak on new-look Buffs

There was a lot to like from what Colorado’s offensive assistants had to say

With spring football set to start in less than a month, Colorado’s five on-field offensive assistant coaches spoke to the media on Thursday to discuss their first few months in Boulder.

Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Sean Lewis took the podium first, followed by wide receivers coach Brett Bartolone, running backs coach Gary “Flea” Harrell, O-line coach Bill O’Boyle and tight ends coach Tim Brewster. Each talked about their decision to join Deion Sanders in Boulder, coaching philosophies and the plan moving forward for their respective unit.

Together, Coach Prime’s offensive staff certainly didn’t lack energy.

Below are my favorite quotes from each assistant: