Colorado linebacker Jeremiah Brown joked on Wednesday that he believes anyone who doesn’t like Buffaloes safety Ben Finneseth isn’t a good person.
In the spring, freshman quarterback JuJu Lewis wasn’t a Finneseth fan, but it doesn’t mean he’s not a good person. Lewis just had to mature a bit.
“He actually hated me in the spring because I was on his tail about little things and what it takes,” Finneseth said of Lewis. “I would give the quarterbacks a depth chart based on their work ethic in the spring and I put him bottom of the pack about every single day and that’s really why he hated me. It got to him.”
Finneseth’s motivational efforts have paid off, as Lewis, the five-star freshman, is now at the top of the Buffs’ depth chart. He will make his second career start, and his first at home, when the Buffs host Arizona State on Saturday (6 p.m., ESPN2) at Folsom Field.
Lewis came to CU as a 17-year-old early enrollee and turned 18 just two months ago. He waited his turn and played well off the bench on Nov. 1 against Arizona. Then, he had a strong start on Nov. 8 at West Virginia, completing 22-of-35 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns in a 29-22 loss.
Although the Buffs (3-7, 1-6 Big 12) are in the midst of a three-game losing streak and no longer in the running for a bowl appearance, Lewis’ maturation and stellar potential provide hope for the program.
“Obviously we didn’t get the outcome we wanted against West Virginia, but there’s a positive to bring out of it and you guys saw the way that he played, too,” Finneseth said. “I hope that recruits are seeing that and are like, ‘This kid’s got a bright future.’”
That’s why Finneseth challenged him so much in the offseason.
“This summer, I didn’t have to be on his butt as much, and I was like, ‘Bro, I’m proud of you,’” Finneseth said. “And he was like, ‘You know what, thank you,’ because he appreciated the fact that I was on him the whole time and that I never gave up on him.”
Lewis has proven himself in the last two games, throwing for a total of 420 yards and three touchdowns.
The immediate opportunity in front of Lewis is to help the Buffs snap a losing streak and try to play spoiler against the Sun Devils (7-3, 5-2, No. 25 in College Football Playoff rankings) this week and Kansas State (5-5, 4-3) next week.
Lewis has already earned a great deal of respect from his older teammates.
“There’s a lot of potential there, and I just want him to make sure he like maximizes it,” senior defensive end Arden Walker said. “He’s hungry, and I could see it in his eyes. Obviously, you’ve seen when we played West Virginia, he made a couple plays that stood out.”
The greater opportunity for Lewis is to continue his long-term development as a quarterback and leader. He’s made great strides so far, but there’s certainly more to do as he goes into this week.
“Now you’ve gotten out there, you’re seeing how it is, you got a lay of the land,” CU head coach Deion Sanders said of Lewis. “Some of the mistakes you made, we don’t expect you to make those again because now you understand what we want. You got game action, you got live action.”
Sanders said he believes a lot of young quarterbacks are slow to adjust because “they think it’s 7-on-7,” which has become a huge part of youth programs.
“They’ve got to understand, no, no, this is football,” Sanders said. “You’ve got to get a little bit at a time and move the chains, move the chains, and not just chunks. So you can’t think like that. And he’s doing a great job of maturing and understanding how to study film.”
Sanders added that last week’s bye was big for Lewis, who spent a lot of time watching film and improving mentally.
Finneseth, Walker and many others have seen growth in Lewis since the spring. And, that growth is rapidly continuing as this season winds down.
“This kid is starting to understand the game a lot more mentally, psychologically,” Sanders said. “Physical tools, it is what it is. He has it. But really understanding the game and how it’s played from the defensive coordinators to our coordinators to the personnel that he has around him.”
As a quarterback and a top-rated recruit, Lewis has a lot on his shoulders at a young age, but the Buffs are all-in.
“He’s gonna continue to get a lot better, and the lights are gonna be bright for him,” Finneseth said. “So, I’m excited for JuJu. It’s gonna be awesome.”