Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders Salutes New-Look Offensive Line After Leading Power 5 in Sacks

The Colorado Buffaloes quarterback looks in line for a less painful 2024.

Colorado inarguably took significant strides in its first year under coach Deion Sanders, jumping from one win in 2022 to four in 2023 even as injuries and a deep Pac-12 took a considerable toll in the second half of the season.

However, the Buffaloes were prevented from taking a bigger leap by a thin offensive line. The Buffaloes allowed an average of 4.67 sacks per game, most in the Power 5 and second only to Old Dominion among all FBS teams.

Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, surely hoping to encounter less pressure from opposing defenses in 2024, saluted Colorado’s reformed line in a tweet on Thursday night.

Proud of the OL group 💯 https://t.co/yjmK3mr87L

— Shedeur Sanders (@ShedeurSanders) January 26, 2024

New faces in the Buffaloes’ offensive line room include Khalil Benson (another ex-Hoosier), Tyler Johnson (transfer from Houston), Justin Mayers (transfer from UTEP), Jordan Seaton (a five-star recruit from the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.), Issiah Walker Jr. (a junior college transfer from Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kan.), and Yakiri Walker (transfer from Connecticut).

Colorado opens year two under Sanders on Aug. 31 against North Dakota State.

Editors’ note, Jan. 27, 12:45 a.m ET: A previous version of this story stated that Matthew Bedford had become a member of Colorado’s football team. However, the story has been updated to reflect that Bedford transferred from Indiana to Oregon.