“We have the best quarterback in the country”: Colorado running backs coach showers praise on Shedeur Sanders ahead of the 2024 season

Shedeur Sanders will once again lead the Colorado offense in the 2024 college season following his brilliant performance last season. The quarterback arrived in Boulder in 2023, joining his father, Deion Sanders, at the program following his hiring as the head coach.

Ahead of the 2024 season, where Colorado will compete in the Big 12, the program's running backs coach, Gary Harrell, has poured a lot of praise on Sanders.

“You know, everything is built around the quarterback that we have," Harrell said (h/t On3). "We have the best quarterback in the country. So a lot of things we have are going to fit him, as far as throwing the football and understanding the box and knowing when to change the play, plus, if it’s a running play or stick with the pass.

Gary Harrell reiterates the importance of protecting Shedeur Sanders

Despite the wonderful performance of Shedeur Sanders for Colorado last season, he face significant challenges having to play behind the team’s weak offensive line. The Buffaloes suffered the second-most sacks in the Football Bowl Subdivision in the 2023 season.

This calls for an improvement in the team's offensive line as they transition to the Big 12, and Harrell understands this like every coach in the program. He warned that inadequate protection of the quarterback may cause a host of offensive linemen to lose their starting role.

“If you can’t protect with the O-line and fit in where you need to fit in, if you’re blowing assignments where your guy is making a sack on the Most Valuable Player, you won’t be in the game. So that’s where it starts. We’re runners, we’re gonna be running the football, we’re going to know our assignments but protection.”

Noah Fifita calls Shedeur Sanders a generational talent

At the Big 12 media days earlier this month, Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita showered praise on Sanders.

"He's (Sanders) special," Fifita told The Coloradoan. "That's a generational talent for sure. Just watching him and the things that he does, he's very competitive. I know people don't like some of his tactics but as a competitor myself, I love it.”

Both Fifita and Sanders will be competing in the Big 12 next season. The two were among the best quarterbacks in the Pac-12 last season and with the implosion of the conference, their teams made a move to the Big 12.