Unverified Veracity Looks at 5 Questions – Including is there a Big Time Silent Commitment?, How Good is Salter Really?, and is CU as Good as it Looked Against Wyoming? 

Did CU receive a big time silent commitment on Saturday?

Eagle-eyed CU fans may have noticed that there are several different photo backgrounds that CU uses with high school players on their recruiting trips. There is one background that is particularly noteworthy…..the WE COMING background.

Many of those players that take a photo with Deion Sanders and that particular background have committed to Colorado. Thus, it’s fair to link photos with this background as an indication that the player made some kind of commitment to CU while on the trip.

Now, the wall is not perfect.  For example, 4-star offensive lineman Breck Kolojay had his photo taken in front of the wall early this summer…and then promptly committed to USC.  Still, it’s fair to guess that photos at the wall are an indication of some kind of commitment to CU.

With this background, it’s very, very interesting to note that 5-star WR and current Alabama commitment Cederian Morgan had the following photo taken:

we in colorado 🦬#scobuffs #WECOMING pic.twitter.com/ZlcUBm24C8

— Cederian “CM1” Morgan⭐️ (@cedeian2) September 20, 2025

The 6’4 210-pound Morgan is ranked the #2 WR nationally and the #12 player overall.  Fans, it’s possible that the Juju Lewis to Cederian Morgan combination could be version 2.0 of the Shedeur Sanders to Travis Hunter combination. 

Is Kaidon Salter one of the top 20 QBs nationally?

Kaidon Salter was fantastic against Wyoming on Saturday night.  He completed 18 of 28 passes for 304 yards and 3 touchdowns.  He had a QBR of 93.8 for the night.  For context, the highest QBR nationally through the 2025 season is Jayden Maivia at USC with a 95.5 QBR and then Demond Williams Jr. at Washington with a 93.6 QBR.  In other words, if Salter plays like he did against Wyoming the rest of the way, CU will have one of the top 2-3 QBs nationally.

Now, should CU fans expect him to play at this level?  Probably not.  BUT, it is fair to assume that Salter will be a top 20 level QB nationally.  Currently, Salter’s QBR for the 2025 season is 80.4, which places him 19^thnationally.  That stat should surprise some people  and it’s indicative of the fact that Salter is playing at a level that should be good enough for CU to have a very good season.  

How good is CU’s football team really?

With 1/3 of the season over, it’s fair to take a step back and look at where CU fits nationally in the college football landscape.

The answer?  CU is aggressively average.

Let’s look at the statistics.  

ESPN’s power index has Colorado ranked 54^th nationally.  Their statistical model project that CU will win between 4.9 and 7.1 games.  Their projections provide a 31% chance for CU to reach 6 wins and bowl eligibility.

By way of comparison, ESPN’s power index has Georgia Tech ranked 32^nd, Delaware ranked 103^rd, Houston ranked 47^th and Wyoming ranked 106^th.   On social media, I noticed many fans claiming that the Wyoming win was a better win than the Delaware win.  Statistical models, however, don’t necessarily agree.   Wyoming was probably the worst team CU will face all season.  

Next week’s opponents, the BYU Fightin’ Mormons, are ranked 18^th in the ESPN power index   BYU is 3-0, having beaten Portland State 69-0 (and FWIW, Portland isn’t a state), Stanford 27-3, and East Carlina 34-13.  

If we switch over to a different statistical model, we get the same kind of projections.

Per Jeff Sagarin’s ratings, Colorado is ranked 62^nd nationally.  By way of comparison, Georgia Tech is 29^th, Delaware is 107^th, Houston is 46^th, Wyoming is 105^th, and BYU is 35^th.  

Sagarin notes that CU has played the 50^th most difficult schedule nationally.  BYU, on the other hand, has played the 135^th most difficult schedule nationally.  Colorado will be a material step up for the Cougars in competition level.  

With CU’s home field advantage of about 5.25 points (per Sagarin), he has the CU/BYU game as very close to a toss-up.  Las Vegas, on the other hand, has installed BYU as 5.5 point favorites.  Feel free, CU fans, to use that information as you please.

Did it get a little misty for anyone else when Ralphie VII ripped around Folsom Field Saturday night?

No?  Just me?  

I’ve been critical of CU’s Ralphie program for the Ralphie VI debacle over the last few months.  And while I still think there were some mistakes made, a lot of my ill will toward the program vanished when Ralphie VII ran – yes, ran! – down the field.  The look of jubilation on the faces of the Ralphie runners after the run was the icing on the cake.

Long live Ralphie VII!

What are your Wyoming Xs and Os observations?

–Right tackle is the biggest issue for the team’s offensive line.  Both Larry Johnson III and Andre Roye Jr. really struggled pass blocking.  Larry Johnson III had a 49.5 pass block score from PFF and Andre Roye Jr. has a 29.8 pass block score PFF score.  It was really surprising to see Roye start.  He did his best El Matador impression pass blocking, and was quickly replaced by Johnson.

–Pat Shurmur has taken a lot of heat from CU fans this season.  Some of it is fair, some of it isn’t fair.  Shurmur does have one hand tied behind his back from a running game standpoint because CU doesn’t have tight ends that are effective blockers.  From a scheme standpoint, it’s extremely difficult to effectively run the ball with only 5 offensive linemen against a 4-2 front without having average to above-average tight end play.

Zach Atkins has shown that he struggles to block effectively as this level.  Per PFF, his season-long pass blocking grade is 42.4 and his run blocking grade is 55.6, both below average.  

I was surprised not to see more of Sav’ell Smalls on Saturday night. Still, it’s fair to quesiton how much he’d help from a blocking standpoint. Smalls pass blocking PFF score is only 36.6. and his run blocking score is 60.  

In any event, this particular issue is a roster construction issue as much, if not more, than a coaching issue.

–We saw less 2 deep safeties on Saturday night than we’ve seen all season.  Part of this is due to the fact that Wyoming really struggles to throw the ball.  But I also think that CU has realized that teams are going to try to copy the Georgia Tech / Houston gameplan and run right at Colorado, and that more bodies in the box are needed.

This was a positive coaching adjustment from Rob Livingston.

— At running back, it was good to see Dallan Hayden healthy and playing.  While he played only 8 snaps, he played well.  

–Arden Walker was hell on wheels Saturday night.  He had 6 tackles and 1.5 sacks, leading to a very strong overall PFF score of 79.5.  Walker was CU’s best player on defense. 

–CU missed RJ Johnson in the secondary on Saturday night.  His replacement, Markari Vickers, struggled.  He played 67 snaps, starting at right cornerback, and finished with a PFF score of 48.4.  Right now, Vickers is better at playing the run than he is in coverage.  CU has shortened the rotation at cornerback and presumably has landed on DJ McKinney, RJ Johnson and Makari Vickers –  Teon Parks only played 5 snaps and Tyrecus Davis only played 6 snaps against Wyoming.  

–Amari McNeill was a difference maker.  He plays the run very well (as evidenced by a 82.7 run defense PFF grade).  Playing 45 snaps, he graded out with a 77.5 PFF grade.  It wouldn’t surprise to see McNeill starting in front of Brandon Davis-Swain next week.  

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