Colorado is still struggling to protect QB Shedeur Sanders

• Colorado's continued struggles up front: Shedeur Sanders faced pressure on 37% of his dropbacks last season. This season, despite massive turnover on the offensive line, things aren't looking much better.

• Nebraska exploited the Buffs' protection: The Cornhuskers pressured Sanders in 2.5 seconds or less on all but one of their 16 pressures in Week 2. They also more than doubled their pass-rush win rate from their matchup with Colorado last season.

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Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

Two evident truths pertain to the Colorado Buffaloes offense.

The first is that their quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, is a fantastic passer when he is given a clean pocket. The second is that his supporting cast doesn’t protect him consistently enough for the offense to succeed.

Sanders earned a 93.2 passing grade from a clean pocket last season, third in the nation behind only Heisman Trophy winners Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels. The primary issue for Sanders, especially compared to those two, is that he isn’t allowed enough clean pockets to succeed on a consistent basis.

Sanders faced pressure on 37% of his dropbacks last season. And this season, despite massive turnover on the offensive line — including transfers and the nation’s top offensive tackle recruit — Colorado is still struggling to protect the star quarterback. They did a decent job of it in the first game against North Dakota State, but the protection faltered again this past week versus Nebraska, much like it did for most of last season.

Nebraska generated pressure on 35.6% of Sanders’ dropbacks, which is actually slightly lower than the rate they posted in their matchup last year. However, there were a couple of key differences. The Cornhuskers blitzed at a far lower rate, and they disturbed Sanders quicker than they did last season.

The Cornhuskers pressured Sanders in 2.5 seconds or less on all but one of their 16 pressures on Saturday. They also more than doubled their pass-rush win rate from their matchup with Colorado last season.

Though they pressured Sanders at a similar rate last season, they were actually more dominant in their most recent matchup.

All of this evidence raises the question: Are the Buffaloes struggling even more in pass protection than in 2023? So far, the answer is yes.

Sanders finished last season with the most dropbacks under pressure in the Power Five. This season, he ranks second among that same group. His pass-blocking unit's struggles may already be trending in the wrong direction compared to their 2023 production.

Colorado‘s team pass-blocking metrics and rank among FBS schools

Last season, Colorado ranked 69th in pass-blocking grade among FBS teams, a fairly average position, though it was hurt by a tough performance against a dominant UCLA defense. This season, they’ve dropped to 112th in the same category, the fifth-worst in the Power Five.

Many of the pressures given up last season could be attributed to Sanders, who was tied for the national lead with 39 pressures partially credited to him. Through two games, he’s been charged with only four pressures, and his percentage of such pressures has dropped by over 8% from last year’s rate.

The amazing part is that Sanders continues to play well under pressure. He’s shown his ability to improvise throughout his time in Boulder, posting a top-25 passing grade under pressure last season while currently ranking eighth this season. His average time to throw in both seasons is above average but not exorbitantly high.

In summary, Sanders is being pressured more while being held responsible less often for the pressure he faces. The pivotal question is whether and how his offensive line can improve so that Colorado can find more success than last season.

For starters, their offense simply has to win their one-on-one matchups.

Colorado vs. Four or fewer pass rushers

The Buffaloes struggled with blitzes and more complicated protection assignments last season, but they were at least a respectable unit when it came to blocking a standard rush. That production has fallen off so far in 2024, and if defenses can succeed with a standard rush while keeping their full complement of players in coverage, then Sanders' job will become even more difficult than last season.

There are, of course, schematic adjustments that can be made to help the pass protection.

1. Further implementation of quick-game concepts, which Colorado used more than any team in the FBS last season. They’ve run just seven such plays this season.

2. Use extra protection, which Colorado is doing at a slightly higher rate than last season, though it has been to no avail so far.

3. More designed rollouts. Since the start of last season, Colorado is tied for 100th in the total number of designed rollout pass plays in their offense.

Of course, Colorado would also be well-served to improve in the running game, but that appears to be a secondary priority for them relative to pass protection.

A quarterback can only do so much if their protection consistently fails them. Shedeur Sanders is no exception to that principle. If Colorado doesn’t start winning individual matchups and/or make schematic adjustments to help alleviate pressure, they could be in for another long season in Boulder.