As the annual game draws closer in Colorado, the final week of practice at the Ford Facility has taken on a rather aggressive turn. The team appears to have taken Deion Sanders’ message about toughness to heart, as repeated fights continue to break out during sessions. Coach Prime’s demanding and no-nonsense approach to training is nothing new, but the rising physicality has become a defining feature of this spring.
The latest incident happened during a closed practice. In the online video, Colorado players are split into two teams, wearing white and black jerseys. After a play, the two sides start fighting, and multiple players are seen pushing each other. Colorado QB Julian Lewis tackled a player during the scuffle. Rather than backing down, he got up, clapped, and laughed, shouting, “I love that sh-t.”
This isn’t the first time we’re seeing these visuals. Colorado players started fighting on the very first day of spring practice. After multiple squabbles, Deion Sanders chose not to put water on it. Instead, he set firm rules, reinforcing that intensity requires accountability and encourages healthy competition.
NEW: Colorado QB Julian Lewis tackled a player during a fight at today’s spring practice.
Juju then gets up, claps, and screams “I love that shit.”
Coach Prime’s program continues to have fights daily throughout the spring…
pic.twitter.com/H6cDKMJtqy
— College Transfer Portal (@CollegeFBPortal) April 8, 2026
“If you weren’t involved, why are you talking? You ain’t doin’ nothing about beefing. Because you weren’t involved, you know what time it was. Somebody got their bu-ts kicked, somebody didn’t. I don’t mind that, but we gonna keep it wholesome, if you can understand that. You go to the ground, you stop. We’re teammates. We’re teammates, but I love the competition,” said Sanders.
Julian Lewis is aiming to get the starting role next season. The high-profile recruit showed glimpses of his elite talent last year. However, he couldn’t get significant game time in a three-man rotation that also included Kaidon Salter and Ryan Staub. For the next season, the competition comes from Utah transfer Isaac Wilson.
While some fans may see Lewis’ comments in the latest scuffle as his immaturity, it also shows the coaching staff that he’s made of the right stuff. For him to stand up for his teammates, it only earns him some points on the leadership front. Moreover, considering the entire team has been fighting every now and then, the scuffle was hardly a surprise. That’s why we didn’t see any coach try to stop it.
Additionally, after what the Buffs fans saw from their team last year, they won’t mind some toughness. On3’s JD PicKell echoed the same sentiments last month.
“There should be some violence and some extra edge to everybody. Like, this is not a big deal. This is not something to look at and say, ‘Oh man, Colorado’s got a culture issue.’ No, Colorado’s got a little bit of extra fire to them, and I love that. Like, you won three games last year—there better be some fight. There better be some energy. This is what Colorado needs more of, quite frankly,” he said.
That extra edge is exactly what we’re seeing from Julian Lewis. For Coach Prime, his potential QB1 is doing all the right things in spring practice.
“His game is developing daily, and I’m proud of the strides that he’s making in both, as a potential leader as well as a quarterback that we can really count on from start to finish,” Sanders said when asked about Lewis’ growth as a leader this spring. “I’m proud of the young man.”
How is Colorado looking so far?
Juggling his health alongside the pressure of delivering a good season hasn’t slowed Coach Prime down. Despite a few ups and downs, Colorado is shaping up with an updated roster and staff.
“We’re getting better… starting with me,” Sanders said. “I like what I’m seeing from the staff, from the young men that we’ve chosen, from everything all the way around. I feel really good about what’s going on.”
The new offensive coordinator, Brennan Marion, brings ambition, innovation, and the ability to carry a big-picture vision. The architect of the go offense has improved the offensive line.
In the conference before the spring game, Sanders also proposed a potential home-and-home series against the Colorado State Rams. The idea is to form two intra-state teams to face off in a friendly spring game. It would help gain a better understanding of the team with unfamiliar opponents. However, the move is unlikely to be approved by the NCAA.
