Gary Harrell labels Shedeur Sanders 'the best quarterback in the country'

Colorado running backs coach Gary Harrell made a bold declaration when explaining to media this week how the Buffalo offense plans to incorporate the run game.

In 2023, Colorado was a pass-first team and went down with the ship throwing the football around. At times, it worked, and the Buffs’ offense reached some incredible highs at various points throughout the year, but they also suffered some brutal performances. According to Harrell, in 2024, everything still revolves around quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who he says is tops in the nation.

“You know, everything is built around the quarterback that we have. We have the best quarterback in the country,” Harrell asserted when asked about countering the pass game with the run.

“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,” Harrell added. For the CU offense, decisions will be made based on what looks the defense provides.

“So, Coach (Pat) Shurmur is an NFL guy, he understands that. He’s a man that understands the run game. So we’re going to make sure that everything that we have is based on what the defense gives us,” said Harrell, noting that he and the offense would love to see a stacked box.

“You know, if you’re going to pack the box, then Shedeur is going to have a field day throwing the ball deep and underneath to Travis (Hunter) and Jimmy Horn, those guys that we have.”

But if the best quarterback in college football is torching defenses with those weapons at his disposal, perhaps teams will drop back, and then Harrell will be happy to pound the rock.

“If you want to take away the pass and have two deep and play those games, then we have guys up front that we kind of change and manifest to give us opportunity to run the football, and guys in the backfield understand their role.

“So, whatever the defense gives us, we want to make sure that we coach our guys up and, based on the scheme, it kind of dictates how we’re going to perform that week based on what the defense is giving us.”

For Gary Harrell, Pat Shurmur and the Colorado offense, the balance between running and passing the football comes down to the look the other defense is giving, while the offense as a whole is still built around the quarterback.