Coach Prime Has DEMOTED Pat Shurmur From Offensive Coordinator To Quarterback Coach In Response To The Buffs Poor Performance On That Side Of The Ball
🤫 QUIET FIRING: Coach Prime’s Stealth Demotion of Pat Shurmur Amid Offensive Collapse
Colorado Head Coach Deion “Coach Prime” Sanders has once again made a mid-season move to shake up his coaching staff, quietly demoting Offensive Coordinator Pat Shurmur from his play-calling role. The decision, which follows the Buffaloes’ abysmal offensive performances, specifically the humiliating 53-7 blowout loss to Utah, has effectively reduced Shurmur’s duties to solely Quarterbacks Coach.
The Rumor Confirmed
The demotion was not announced with a press conference or fanfare. When asked about offensive changes during his weekly media appearance, Coach Prime offered a cryptic response: “I might have already changed it, and you don’t know. I don’t do stuff and blow the whistles and make major announcements.“
Reporters soon confirmed the move: Pat Shurmur, the former NFL head coach, had been stripped of the play sheet following the Utah game. The new offensive play-caller is tight ends coach and passing game coordinator Brett Bartolone, who called plays during the Buffaloes’ subsequent 52-17 loss to Arizona. Bartolone previously served as the offensive coordinator under Sanders at Jackson State, demonstrating Coach Prime’s preference for a familiar face in the hot seat.
Fan Reaction: Relief, But Still Frustration
The fan base greeted the news with a mix of relief and lingering concern. Many saw the demotion of Shurmur as inevitable, having long criticized his predictable and often conservative play-calling, which failed to generate consistent offense. The team currently ranks near the bottom of the Big 12 in both scoring and total offense, a massive drop-off from last season’s high-flying attack.
However, the excitement over the coaching change was immediately tempered by the subsequent blowout loss to Arizona. Fans argue that simply replacing the play-caller is not enough to fix the team’s deeper structural problems, namely the continued struggles of the offensive line and the departure of star players like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. While the promotion of the younger, more aggressive Bartolone is seen as a necessary reset, the results have yet to materialize.
The demotion serves as a clear statement from Coach Prime: he is holding his staff accountable for the team’s disappointing 3-6 record. With the offense now under its third play-caller in two seasons and freshman Julian Lewis taking over at quarterback, the pressure is squarely on Bartolone to find an offensive spark and salvage the final few games of the season.
