BOULDER, Colo. (AP) — To Deion Sanders, the plan last weekend seemed only fair: Give all three of his quarterbacks two series each to see what they could do. That way, the situation could “tell us its own story,” he explained.

That story now contains an intriguing plot development.

The Colorado coach has a dilemma at QB going into the Big 12 Conference opener Friday in Houston. It’s the sort of predicament he’s sidestepped because he’s had his son, Shedeur.

The under-center candidates include transfer and current starter Kaidon Salter, along with freshman Julian “JuJu” Lewis. Added to the mix after Saturday's stellar performance is the longtime understudy, Ryan Staub, who served as the backup to Shedeur Sanders the past two seasons.

“I know exactly how I’m going to handle the quarterback situation,” Deion Sanders said after a 31-7 win over Delaware that set the QB situation in full motion. “I’m not going to say it.”

The competition

Salter left Liberty to step in at Colorado. The dual-option threat beat out Lewis and Staub in fall camp for the starting job. He had Colorado (1-1) off to a 10-0 lead in his two series of work against the Blue Hens before giving way to Lewis, the 17-year-old highly touted recruit and future of the program.

Lewis didn't produce any points in his first two cracks at leading the team.

Next up was Staub, the third-stringer whose performance threw a curve into the quarterback plans. He tossed two TD passes — one in the closing seconds before halftime and another on a quick strike soon after the break. He stayed in the game for two more series, too.

With that, the competition appears open again.

“My decisions are not just based on what I see in the game,” explained Sanders, who enacted his two-series-each plan after the season-opening loss to Georgia Tech. "My decisions are based on a lot about what I see in practice and what I know to be true and what should happen based on preparation in practice.”

The understudy

Staub knows the offense about as well as anyone after spending the past two seasons in the shadow of Shedeur Sanders. Staub even paid homage Saturday to Sanders, now in Cleveland, by raising his wrist and doing the “Shedeur" pose after a 71-yard TD throw.

“I got to see everything that he did and the way he does things, day in and day out, the way he sees stuff in the film room,” said Staub, a redshirt sophomore from California. “Just the past couple years sitting behind him has really helped me.”

Staub finished 7 of 10 for 157 yards and two touchdown passes.

“It’s crazy to be rewarded this way,” Staub said. “It’s been a long couple of years of just working and waiting and working.”

Staub has one start on his resume — in 2023, with Sanders sidelined by an injury. Staub threw for 195 yards and his first career touchdown to Travis Hunter in a 23-17 loss at Utah.

Last season, Staub was limited to 20 snaps over four appearances in his backup role.

This season, he slipped to No. 3 on the depth chart behind Salter and Lewis. But he may have just risen up the ranks.

There was a moment on the sideline Saturday where Deion Sanders placed both hands on Staub's helmet, stared through his facemask and appeared to tell him, "I believe in you, man.”

Staub had no idea he'd play until the day before the Delaware game. Soon after finding out, he visited with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur to make some play-calling requests.

“He told me, ‘I like this, this, this, this and this, and call this here,’” Shurmur recounted. “It didn't surprise me, not one bit, that the guys in there playing were rooting for him, because he has that spirit."

Transfer portal

Staub could've left via the transfer portal. Deion Sanders would've gladly made calls to programs on his behalf, too.

That option didn't appeal to him. He wanted to succeed at Colorado.

“Worked his butt off and understands who we are, what we are, what we want from that position," Sanders said. “He balled out so much, the whole student section was chanting his name."

It reminded Sanders of “Rudy,” the 1993 movie about a college football player who overcame the odds to achieve his dream of suiting up for Notre Dame. Unlike Rudy Ruettiger, who famously played in only one game for the Fighting Irish, Staub could have a starring role with the Buffaloes.

“I was the guy who cried when I saw the movie,” Sanders said. “Those type of guys who didn’t really get opportunities or what they should, those have always been my guys.

“That means a lot to me, to see (Staub) stick around and get an opportunity when he could have easily dipped. ... He's one of those kids, man, and I'm proud."

The Broncos' defense opened the season by showing how good it can be

DENVER (AP) — After All-Pro punt returner Marvin Mims Jr.'s fourth-quarter muff, the Tennessee Titans were sitting pretty at the Denver 24, already in range for a field goal that would give them a late lead.

Back-to-back sacks by Jonah Elliss and Zach Allen pushed the Titans back to midfield and forced another punt, however, and four plays later, J.K. Dobbins' touchdown provided the finishing touches on the Broncos' 20-12 victory on Sunday.

“Yeah, I think pressure makes diamonds,” cornerback Patrick Surtain II said. “We live up to that. That’s our standard, no matter what goes on or if the pressure is on us, we love that. If we are backed up, if there’s a situation that we need, it always seems like we come through and make a play. We talk about that and we work on it every day in certain situations. It’s us getting aligned and everyone doing their 1/11th.”

The defensive stand was reminiscent of one in Cleveland a decade ago that helped propel the Broncos to a Super Bowl parade.

In that game, an interception gave the Browns the ball at the Denver 39 in overtime, but a tackle for loss and back-to-back sacks bailed out Peyton Manning, who capitalized on the mulligan his defense provided and led his team to victory.

This version of Denver's defense looks like the best since that 2015 unit, which carried a sputtering offense to the franchise's third Super Bowl triumph.

Even without two starters — inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quad) and tackle Malcolm Roach (calf) — Denver's defense piled up a half-dozen sacks and limited the Titans to 133 yards of offense. Tennessee was just 2 for 14 on third down.

“We got playmakers all around on the defense,” linebacker Nik Bonitto said.

Exhibit No. 1: The Broncos' sacks came from six players, and rookie Jahdae Barron recovered Ward's fumble on the Titans' final offensive snap.

“That’s what we expect of ourselves,” defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers said.

Quarterback Bo Nix, who had an uncharacteristic three turnovers, heaped praise on his defense, which kept the Titans out of the end zone all day.

“It’s the best feeling when you have a great defense. Just over and over, they kind of got us out of a jam and continued to do that throughout the game,” Nix said. “The one that really sticks out is they get the ball down one, and we get two sacks and get them out of field-goal range. That’ll change the game in a hurry, and it changes the environment, gets guys back into the game. It was just awesome to see different players making big plays.”

What’s working

Denver's ground game, albeit a bit late in in the day. Rookie R.J. Harvey reeled off a 50-yard scamper that set up Dobbins' 19-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter as the Broncos finally found balance after halftime.

What needs help

Nix. Coach Sean Payton was so busy sending in players on every play that the Broncos looked like a hockey team making line changes. There was no cohesion on offense in the first half and the primary culprit may have been too many moving parts.

Stock up

Denver's defense (see above).

Stock down

Special teams. Not only did Mims, a two-time All-Pro punt returner, muff a punt, but the coverage units allowed a 71-yard kickoff return in the waning seconds of the first half that led to a Tennessee field goal.

Injuries

TE Evan Engram's calf injury could sideline the key free agent addition for several weeks.

Key numbers

133 — yards of offense the Broncos yielded to the Titans.

131 —- penalty yards by the Titans on 13 accepted infractions.

Next steps

The Broncos play at Indianapolis (1-0) on Sunday.