Shurmur's Journey With 2025 Offense Picking Up Steam

BOULDER -- Every season is a journey. Pat Shurmur and the Colorado offense have certainly been on a journey so far in 2025.

After a record-breaking season with a quarterback and wide receivers who both won awards for being the best at their respective positions, nobody expected the passing production to rival that of last season.

After a few bumps in the road early in 2025, Colorado has shown signs of improvement through the first half of the season, but the Buffs continue to focus on one thing: consistency.

"You need to be able to run the ball, protect the passer, and have quality quarterback play," Shurmur said. "You need to make plays when they're available, and we have to be greedy with points.

"Those are all things we're looking at. I think we're on our journey, and we're getting better. There are reasons to be optimistic with this team. As I mentioned earlier in the year, it's a young team that's getting better and better by playing together."

Building Relationships

While Shurmur is responsible for the success of the offense as a whole, it's his relationship with Colorado's transfer portal QB that's most important.

A veteran in the college football ranks, Kaidon Salter has the experience necessary to lead Colorado's offense.

However, he's still learning from Shurmur, and Shurmur is still learning about him.

"We're getting to know each other as we go," Shurmur said of Salter. "The recruiting processes are quick sometimes, but it's good. We're on our journey of getting to know each other better, and I can give him more things that I know he's good at. I think that will help us."

As Shurmur continues to develop his relationship with Salter, he's already seen positive signs on the field from the veteran QB.

Shurmur believes Salter's progress will ultimately lead to more consistency on the offensive side of the ball.

"He's getting better, and he's making more plays," Shurmur said. "He's involved in fewer bad plays, and that points to consistency. He's no different than the guys up front, the receiving corps, the running backs, or the tight ends. You just have to keep practicing to get better at what you're doing. He's working hard at things, and I think it's showing up in the games."

Winning Each Day

Shurmur is still learning the strengths and weaknesses of his players in this new season. To put them in the best position to succeed, Shurmur is doing his best to call plays that accentuate their strengths.

"It's been good," Shurmur said. "I think it's probably two or threefold. We went out and got, in my opinion, better players. I think the guys working with them are doing a heck of a job, and I'm trying to call games to accentuate the things that they do well because that's smart for us.

"If they're doing certain things well and we're moving the ball that way, then it makes sense to call a run or a certain pass depending on what the protection is. It all goes hand in hand, but I think the improvement of that room, personnel-wise, and then obviously the guys working with them are doing a really good job."

As the Buffs approach the second half of the season, Shurmur is focused on avoiding distractions.

While it's clear that Colorado's season will be judged on wins and losses, Shurmur is doing his best to ignore the outside noise and focus on improving each day.

"I try to avoid all the things that might point to that," Shurmur said. "I have an agenda for winning each day. Today, you see what you're faced with. Typically, in the bye week, you go back and kind of self-scout the things that you've done to this point, which I'm doing in the afternoons.

"You're also working with the players and getting their work in, which is important. We're moving forward with a couple of new concepts out here in the practice setting."

Players Mentioned

Kaidon Salter

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