Colorado OC Sean Lewis headed to SDSU; 5 replacements to consider

Colorado football will have a new offensive coordinator in 2024.

San Diego State announced the hiring of Sean Lewis as its head coach on Wednesday after he spent the 2023 campaign with Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes. Lewis called offensive plays for the first eight games of the season before "Coach Prime" handed play-calling duties over to former NFL head coach Pat Shurmur.

During Lewis' eight games as Colorado's play caller, the Buffaloes went 4-4, were ranked fifth nationally in passing yards per game (330) and averaged 408.6 total yards per game. Colorado's offense struggled after Lewis' demotion, averaging just 20 points and 273 yards per game as quarterback Shedeur Sanders missed the final game and a half with injuries.

Lewis is the second member of the Buffaloes' coaching staff to leave the program since season's end, joining former tight ends coach Tim Brewster (now with UNC Charlotte).

"Coach Prime" will have a massive decision to make on who the Buffaloes' next offensive coordinator will be. With that in mind, here are five coaches who should be considered.

Dana Holgorsen

Houston fired Holgorsen as its head coach on Sunday after going 4-8 in the Cougars' inaugural Big 12 season. Despite the tough end to his tenure (31-28 record across five seasons), Holgorsen led Houston to a 12-2 record in 2021 that included a Birmingham Bowl win over Auburn.

With experience as both an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Holgorsen could be a viable option to help Shedeur Sanders and the Buffaloes' offense revert back to their early season form.

Brennan Marion

Marion is a popular name this offseason who has received OC interest from Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Penn State, Arkansas and others, according to Sports Illustrated's Jacob Davis. The UNLV offensive coordinator helped the Rebels average 35.6 points per game (19th in the nation) and become bowl eligible for the first time since 2013.

If Marion doesn't take a head coaching job somewhere (he's received HC interest from Houston, Oregon State and UTEP), the 36-year-old should be a prime candidate for Colorado's staff.

Byron Leftwich

Before Shedeur led a 98-yard, game-tying touchdown drive that led to a double-overtime win over Colorado State in September, he had just one thing on his mind.

"At the two (yard line), all I was thinking was (Tom) Brady mode," Shedeur said.

Byron Leftwich is the last offensive coordinator to help Tom Brady win a Super Bowl and that just might be enough for Shedeur to want the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator (2019-22) in Boulder. Add to that the fact that he has been seen on the sidelines of Colorado games this year, it should come as no surprise if Leftwich is the Buffaloes' OC in 2024.

Junior Adams

Adams "has a track record of developing NFL talent at the wide receiver position," according to Oregon head coach Dan Lanning. During his five-year stint at Eastern Washington, the Ducks' co-offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach recruited and mentored current NFL superstar and Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix is a Heisman Trophy candidate and currently leads FBS in passing yards (3,906). With a proven track record of developing elite offensive talent, Adams could very well help the Buffaloes reach new heights.

Pat Shurmur

Shurmur likely isn't the candidate Colorado fans want after a rough finish to the season, but he can't be ignored. When asked Saturday after Colorado's season finale if staff changes would include Shurmur, Deion Sanders said, "I don't know about that one."

"Pat and I communicate really well. Pat and Sean (Lewis) communicated really well. Pat and Shedeur communicate REALLY well. So, I think he did a great job. I really did," he said.

The Buffaloes averaged just 20 points per game after Shurmur assumed play-calling duties (they scored at least 36 points in five of eight games before Lewis' demotion) and reached 20 points in a game just once in the month of November (a 34-31 loss to No. 21 Arizona). However, Deion Sanders' praise of Shurmur shouldn't be discounted and "Coach Prime" may very well want to give the former NFL head coach an entire offseason as the Buffaloes' full-time OC.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Who will be Colorado's OC in 2024 after Sean Lewis' departure?