Lewis embraces new chance
About two months into his new job at Colorado, offensive coordinator Sean Lewis is pleased with his progress.
“I’m getting to know the (players) and teaching them like crazy and enjoying our time and getting to know the lay of the land,” he said. “I can make it to the facility now without using GPS, so I think I’m making strides.”
If he can get his players to toss aside the GPS and learn his offense that quickly this spring and summer, Lewis will be even more pleased.
After five seasons as the head coach at Kent State, where he led one of the fastest offenses in the country, Lewis took the leap this winter to join new CU head coach Deion Sanders in Boulder.
“It was a tremendous opportunity,” the 36-year-old Lewis said. “I knew there’d be great things that were happening here. The work that we had done at Kent State was second to none, and really proud of what we did there. But, I knew that for what I was after, what the opportunity was for my family and everything that this could provide for my family now and in the future, it was something I had to jump at.”
Kent State had produced just three winning seasons in the 40 years (1978-2017) before Lewis arrived as head coach in 2018. Lewis found a new level of success, going 24-31 in his five seasons (22-21 in the last four) with the Golden Flashes, taking them to two bowl games.
While Lewis didn’t have a prior relationship with Sanders, mutual friends got them connected after
Sanders took the job with CU in December.
“There was a lot of different moving pieces that, as it came together, making sure that for both of us, it was going to be exactly what we were looking for, and it was,” Lewis said. “It’s been a great marriage, so to speak, ever since. We’ve been rockin’ and rollin’ here and excited to do the work together and to do what we need to do.”
CU is coming off a 1-11 season and has had one of the worst offenses in the country over the last two seasons. There will be several players from last year back in the mix, but the roster has also been overhauled this offseason. Sanders’ son, Shedeur, headlines the group of newcomers as the Buffs’ starting quarterback. He starred at Jackson State the past two seasons.