Former Colorado backup QB Ryan Staub was just trying to describe how he’s fitting in at Tennessee. But his statement became a window to why Deion Sanders’ offense couldn’t hold up in 2025. After all, when his first month in Knoxville is making him more alive than three years in Boulder, something’s off. And this is where a former Buff stepped in with an opinion.
After watching Ryan Staub tell reporters, “In my three years of playing college football, I haven’t had as much coaching as I’ve had in the first month that I’ve been here,” Matt McChesney went straight to the root of the issue.
“That sucks. I mean, good for him, he’s getting coached,” he said on the Zero2Sixty podcast. “But this is why JuJu wasn’t ready to play as a freshman. Let’s just be real, because Pat Schumer was in charge of the quarterback development and offensive coordinating.”
His comment is blunt but it’s consistent with what we saw on the field. Colorado’s QB room under Pat Shurmur never looked fully settled outside of Shedeur Sanders. Development isn’t supposed to stop at QB1. Ryan Staub was the primary backup, not a walk-on buried on the depth chart. He started a game as a freshman and stepped in during chaos. He even showed flashes like in that Delaware game. And yet, the consistency wasn’t there. The follow-up against Houston was rough and after that, he was out of the picture.
Former Colorado QB, Current Tennessee QB Ryan Staub Says “Three Years Of Playing College Football, I Haven’t Had As Much Coaching As I’ve Had In The First Month That I’ve Been Here…”
@SixZeroAcademy & @thebaileyprice React To This On Zero 2 Sixty On Youtube! pic.twitter.com/EGzotCJc1X
— ZERO 2 SIXTY W/ MATT MCCHESNEY (@Zero2SixtyPod) March 18, 2026
So when Matt McChesney says players weren’t ready, what could you expect from a room that’s heavily tilted toward one QB, with little evidence of depth being built behind him? Ryan Staub isn’t saying Tennessee is perfect. He’s only saying he’s being coached a lot. But the whole situation sparked a big question for the 60-year-old Pat Shurmur.
“If you want to know something these days, you can find out,” McChesney added. “There’s plenty of opportunity for information. It’s a matter of the coach and the player are not on the same page, because Pat Schumer was a grandpa.”
Well, Deion Sanders looked into that matter and reset the room by bringing in a 38-year-old creative playcaller known for his “Go-Go” offense.
Did Deion Sanders hire the right OC?
Among all supporters, Matt McChesney is optimistic of Colorado bringing in Brennan Marion to replace Pat Shurmur.
“Marion is this generation, and he’s gonna be able to relate with JuJu and Wilson and all these kids, and relate to how they’re gonna study, how they’re gonna learn, how they need to be coached, and he’s actually coaching,” he said.
For a young QB, what you want is clear reads and quick execution and Brennan Marion’s offense is designed to simplify decisions and maximize talent. The “Go-Go” offense is built for modern QBs with quick reads, space, and rhythm. And early returns from spring practice suggest it’s already making an impact. Julian Lewis, the redshirt freshman expected to take over in 2026, has started to find a groove. Reports out of Boulder highlight his ability to make tight throws and operate efficiently within the system.
Only time will tell if Deion Sanders’ coaching shakeup can actually produce results in the field when Colorado faces their 2026 opener against Georgia Tech in September.
