The Colorado Buffaloes announced Brennan Marion as their new offensive coordinator after head coach Deion Sanders quietly fired Pat Shurmur following his demotion to quarterback coach in November 2025. Marion comes to Boulder after serving as head coach at Sacramento State.
Shurmur had been demoted mid-season before his eventual dismissal.
ESPN’s Eli Lederman, Max Olson, and Adam Rittenberg called Marion’s hiring a “splashy move” and praised his previous success at Sacramento State and UNLV. The network ranked Colorado’s offseason ninth among Big 12 teams.
Marion inherits an offense built around redshirt sophomore quarterback Julian Lewis. The Buffaloes added receivers Scudero, Moore, and Kam Perry to work alongside returning target Joseph Williams.
“It’s easy to get excited about what Marion is working with in his Julian Lewis-led offense. The Buffaloes reloaded at receiver with Scudero, Moore and Kam Perry coming in to complement Joseph Williams. They inked seven offensive linemen with starting experience to get things fixed up front,” Lederman, Olson, and Rittenberg wrote.
Colorado signed seven offensive linemen with starting experience to address their biggest weakness from last season.
The Buffaloes lost key pieces through the transfer portal. Left tackle Jordan Seaton transferred to LSU while receiver Omarrion Miller committed to Big 12 rival Arizona State.
Sanders faces pressure with new leadership
Colorado’s new athletic director Fernando Lovo inherited a $27 million budget deficit. The “Prime Time” revenue boost from Sanders’s early years has declined significantly.
Sanders enters his fourth season with mounting pressure after posting three losing seasons in his first three years. Another disappointing campaign could prompt discussions about his future in Boulder.
Marion and defensive coordinator Chris Marve, an internal promotion, carry significant responsibility for the program’s direction.
The coordinator changes represent Sanders’s attempt to revitalize a program that hasn’t met expectations despite high-profile recruiting wins.
