“He has forced the coaches’ hand”: Joel Klatt says Ryan Staub’s rise puts Deion Sanders & Colorado in a spot they can’t ignore

College football analyst Joel Klatt believes Colorado quarterback Ryan Staub should be the Buffaloes' starter for the rest of the season.

The FOX Sports play-by-play commentator shared this during Wednesday's edition of "The Joel Klatt Show," where he emphasized why Staub should get the starting nod from Colorado coach Deion Sanders in the team's next game against Houston (2-0) on Sept. 12.

Staub went 7-for-10 for 157 yards with two touchdowns in the Buffaloes' 31-7 win over Delaware last Saturday. Klatt expects the three-star quarterback to be Coach Prime's primary quarterback in the Big 12 clash against the Cougars.

“One, there are some reports that Deion’s gonna go with Staub moving forward. Now those are not confirmed and not official whether he’ll start the game or not," Klatt said. "I anticipate that he will. The reason is because it is clear he has forced the coaches hand."

Staub's excellent game against Delaware further complicates the quarterback scene in Colorado. It was initially a two-way battle involving Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter and four-star freshman Julian Lewis.

With Staub's impressive showing in Week 2, there could be a new sheriff in town for Colorado and Klatt expects him to be the man at center in this much-anticipated clash against Houston next week.

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Coach Prime impressed with Ryan Staub's quarterback performance vs Delaware

Colorado coach Deion Sanders hailed Ryan Staub's big-time performance against Delaware, saying that he's proud of the three-star QB's desire to take advantage of the opportunity given to him in Week 2.

In Tuesday's press conference, Sanders said Staub's superb showing didn't surprise him and the team, as that was expected for each of the Buffaloes' players when called up to play on the field.

“He did what he was supposed to do,” Sanders said of his quarterfback. "Staub did what we expected him to do. You all are surprised. We weren’t. We’re thankful, appreciative and happy for him and elated for him.”

Since 2023, the 6-foot-2 sophomore has completed 30 of 54 passes with three touchdowns and zero interceptions. He has been sacked six times in his career.

This could become a factor in his next possible appearance against Houston. The Cougars' defense has been impressive, recording three sacks and two interceptions in its first two wins this season.

The Colorado-Houston encounter is on Saturday, 7:30 pm ET at the TDECU Stadium in Houston, Texas.