Shedeur Sanders offensive attack will be productive, but can lightning strike twice?

Colorado "Grown" QB leads the charge and needs a supporting cast in Boulder

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to believe the Colorado Buffaloes are three weeks away from the start of the 2024 football season against North Dakota State. While fans are expecting to see their team stay undefeated when time expires, it's not going to be a cake walk over the FCS Powerhouse.

The Buffs have a quarterback in Shedeur Sanders that can lead the team to the Big 12 championship game, but a few things must align for that to happen. Pat Shurmur's offense can’t average 20.2 points per game like they did to end last season. So, what has changed since CU's six-game slide?

Coach Prime saying we gotta win now and Sanders going back to his business haircut look when he set records at Jackson State in 2022 now seems like history being repeated. With 40 TD's and 344 completions, but falling short of setting the passing yards record with 3,752 yards was impressive. Sanders will have perfect timing if he can duplicate his sophomore performance. However, one variable is different compared to now.

While at JSU, Sanders was playing in Brett Bartolone's offense, which averaged 37.7 points per game. The "Air Raid" carbon copy played to Sanders strengths, allowing the offense to spread defenses and attack mismatches all over the field. One thing that stood out in that scheme was the Tigers rushed for over 1,900 yards for the season.

Shurmur will need to reach into his 2017 Minnesota Vikings play-calling bag of tricks when the Vikings were in the top 10 of NFL stats. In a few categories, such as being tied for first with four rushing touchdowns on opening possessions. Also, ranked second with nine scores (four rushing touchdowns + five field goals).

CBS Sports analyst says Shedeur Sanders would be a Heisman favorite at better program

Minnesota scored 23 points in the two-minute offense (T- 6th), and ran the ball on 47.5% of total plays. Shurmur will need to find a way to get the running game going in Boulder. But without Dylan Edwards, who moved on to Kansas State and tight end Michael Harrison, who left for San Diego State, it puts a few unknowns going into the year. Both playmakers would've helped by causing defenses to pick their poison of how Sanders will beat opposing defenses by throwing down the field or checking down to receivers’ underneath that will get big chunks of yards to keep the ball moving.

The bar is set high for the Buffs offense this upcoming season, and much will be expected from the rushing attack with incoming transfers from Ohio State's Dallan Hayden, and Arkansas' Isaiah Augustave. Don't forget about holdover Charlie Offerdahl, who has worked his way into the rotation. The bullseye is on CU's back because teams want to defeat Colorado every Saturday. It's the same reason why Shedeur said "We're everyone's Super Bowl." It's not just a quote, it's now a reality that every Big 12 team will be looking to hang "Half-a-hundred" on Coach Prime and the Buffs.

If Shurmur had any pressure during the last four games of the 2023 season, it increased ten-fold because the offensive coordinator who got the best season out of Sanders is right there on Coach Prime's staff and waiting to get things cooking. Stay tuned to see how things progress as CU's season gets started. If they start off slow, don't be shocked when Bartolone springs into action with Shurmur going back to loading up tapes as an offensive analyst.