Four Colorado football storylines to watch at Big 12 Media Days

The Colorado Buffaloes, along with head coach Deion Sanders and six players, will head to Big 12 football media days early next week.

The event will be held at The Star in Frisco, Texas, where Coach Prime and the Buffs will take the stage on Tuesday, July 7. This marks the official start of his fourth season in charge, following the most challenging year of his tenure, which ended in a disappointing 3-9 finish.

How the team improves will largely depend on the performance of the 40-plus incoming transfers, as well as on Brennan Marion’s Go-Go offense and new defensive coordinator Chris Marve’s defensive structure.

Colorado player representatives include tight end Zach Atkins, quarterback Julian Lewis, wide receiver Danny Scudero, cornerback Cree Thomas and safeties Ben Finneseth and Naeten Mitchell.

Entering the conference’s annual media days, here are some storylines that are likely to come up when the Colorado reps speak:

The starting quarterback decision

Utah transfer Isaac Wilson joined the fold this offseason, and reports surfaced during spring ball that he was pushing redshirt freshman Julian Lewis for the starting job. However, Marion recently seemed to throw cold water on that idea, saying Wilson “understands the big play element..but has to learn how to hit the base [plays] a little bit more.”

How Sanders and Lewis himself view the competition, or lack thereof, will be fascinating.

Top standouts along the defensive line

Interestingly, no lineman, either offensive or defensive, will be in Frisco, perhaps signaling that no true leaders or top-end performers have stood out yet. There will be, without a doubt, questions regarding Ezra Christensen’s eligibility and whether the Buffs have the internal options to replace him in the middle.

Deion Sanders health

Last year at Big 12 media days, Sanders was clearly still recovering from his battle with bladder cancer and brushed off questions regarding his health. He would address them at a later date. While the conversation this offseason has been much more football-focused, Sanders will definitely be asked how he feels physically entering year four in Boulder.

How the secondary and backfield shake out

Colorado has several ways to line up its secondary, namely by surrounding its starting safety duo and slot position. Where does Boo Carter fit in, and who is the starting cornerback duo? Cree Thomas made a great case this spring to have one of the spots, but there are plenty of options to be on the other side.

The running back position is equally intriguing, with Micah Welch and DeKalon Taylor returning, but plenty of new faces are coming in, including Alabama transfer Richard Young. Marion’s system often requires two backs, so plenty of players will see significant snaps.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Four Colorado football storylines to watch at Big 12 Media Days