Deion Sanders plans to demote a member of his on-field assistant coaching staff and hand play-calling duties to analyst Pat Shurmur this Saturday when Colorado hosts No. 16 Oregon State, according to a report from The Action Network’s Brett McMurphy.

Shurmur is in his first season as a member of the Buffaloes’ support staff. He was the head coach of the New York Giants from 2018-19 and then the offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos from 2020-21. According to McMurphy, Shurmur will call plays for the Buffaloes on Saturday while offensive coordinator Sean Lewis signals them in from the field.

In order to elevate Shurmur to a full-time role, Sanders will need to demote or fire one of his 10 on-field assistants. McMurphy reported it is not immediately clear which assistant that will be.

Shurmur worked as an offensive line coach at the college level from 1990-98 before he moved to the NFL. The offensive line has been Colorado’s most glaring weakness so far this season.

CU is the worst rushing team in the country by efficiency, averaging just 2.5 yards per carry on the ground this season. As such, Lewis has shown a reluctance to call those plays.

But with Colorado’s offense becoming entirely one-dimensional, opponents have rushed the passer with impunity. CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders was sacked seven times in a 28-16 loss to UCLA in Week 9, and Deion Sanders said after that game the offensive line lacked a “killer instinct.”

Shedeur Sanders has been sacked 42 times this season and pressured on 38% of his dropbacks.

Coach Prime’s decision to take play-calling duties away from Lewis puts his future with the program in major doubt. Lewis was the head coach at Kent State during the 2022 season, but gave up that title to join Deion Sanders’ staff at Colorado. Through the first month of the season, that decision looked like it would prove to be a fruitful one, as Lewis was a popular name on the head coaching market.

Colorado (4-4, 1-4 Pac-12) hosts Oregon State (6-2, 3-2 Pac-12) at 7 p.m. PT on ESPN this Saturday.