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Colorado offensive coordinator Sean Lewis is moving on from the program. The former Buffs play caller has accepted a head coaching position with San Diego State.
It comes after an interesting first year in Boulder where he was demoted despite his offense posting respectable numbers.
Colorado jumped out to a quick 3-0 start in 2023, taking down TCU, Nebraska, and Colorado State. In those three matchups, the Buffs averaged 41 points per game.
The offense was brought back to reality against Oregon, but it continued on to score 41 against USC and 43 against Stanford. Colorado was still losing these games, but that was due to the defense giving up huge chunk plays on the field.
In eight games, Lewis’s unit averaged 32 points a night.
He was unexpectedly relieved of play calling duties after a 28-16 loss to UCLA, though. Deion Sanders expanded on that decision, which many viewed as the wrong one.
“Sean is a good man; I think he is a good play caller,” Coach Prime said. “We needed to try something else at the time, and that’s what we did. I don’t look back on it. I don’t second-guess myself whatsoever, because there’s more to it than what you may know.”
Of course, a number of others did second-guess that demotion after the Colorado offense mustered just 52 yards and three points in its first half without Sean Lewis as coordinator.
With losses continuing to pile up for the Buffaloes, Lewis was labeled as a scapegoat used to deflect attention away from Sanders and the team’s play on the field.
Now, though, he’s landed a promotion in the form of a head coaching position.
Sean Lewis accepts job at SDSU
Sean Lewis will be San Diego State’s coach, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Lewis was Kent State’s coach from 2018-22 before joining Colorado as OC this season. Lewis was stripped of his play-calling duties after 8 games by Deion Sanders
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) November 28, 2023
San Diego State head coach Brady Hoke retired after the season which saw the Aztecs go just 4-8. Lewis, who was previously a head coach at Kent State, will try to get the Mountain West program back on track.
College football fans online have quickly posted reactions to the news.
“I mean, I think it was clear Lewis wasn’t the problem this year at CU. Prime just wanted a scapegoat.”
“Got off the sinking ship before it was too late.”
“Good landing spot for Lewis after what happened at Colorado this year.”
“Best coach at Colorado. Sneaky GREAT hire.”
It will be interesting to see how both programs handle the change.