Did Colorado just hire Deion Sanders' replacement?

Reports on Thursday indicate that the Colorado Buffaloes are set to hire Sacramento State head football coach Brennan Marion as the school's new offensive coordinator. But is there more potentially brewing in Boulder than just the hopes of improving Colorado's offense?

Marion reportedly is joining the Buffs after his first and only season at Sacramento State, leading the Hornets to a 7-5 mark. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator at UNLV, helping the Rebels become one of the most potent offenses in the Mountain West Conference. In his two seasons there using his signature “GoGo” offense that employs unorthodox formations and deception to create big plays, UNLV averaged more than 400 yards of offense per game.

That trend continued at Sacramento State, where his team averaged 425 yards per game and nearly 34 points per game.

Offensive improvements coming for Colorado Buffaloes?

Those kind of numbers would look good in Boulder after a season where the Buffs went 3-9 and averaged just 328.4 yards per game. Colorado's offense went through a carousel of quarterbacks last season and Pat Shurmur, in the middle of his second season as CU's offensive coordinator, was relieved of his duties as the Buffs tried to find answers.

Tight ends coach Brett Bartolone took over the duties after Colorado was thrashed 53-7 at Utah. The Buffs, however, lost their last four games of the season after that.

Shurmur will not return in 2026, leaving the door open for Marion to make his own mark and employ his own offense.

The question becomes just how big of a mark will the 38-year-old Marion make with weapons such as quarterback Julian Lewis and wide receiver Omarion Miller set to return in 2026.

Could this be the next Colorado coach after Deion Sanders?

Marion's arrival in Boulder comes at a time when winning is needed. Some of the luster of the Deion Sanders era in Colorado has started to wear off, with Coach Prime logging a 16-21 mark and just one bowl game appearance in his three seasons with the Buffs.

Sanders has a contract that runs through the 2029 season, but it's clear that a disastrous season in 2026 anywhere near what Colorado suffered through in 2025 would point toward Sanders' seat growing even hotter.

If Marion can turn around the Colorado offense, it's a good sign for all parties in Boulder and would certainly take the heat off the 58-year-old Sanders. Success would not only get the Buffs going in the right direction but perhaps also put Marion in the role of program savior.

That kind of elevation could put him in line to ascend to head coach when Sanders' contract runs out should Coach Prime decide then its time to hand over the reins.

For now, Marion's task is clear: Breathe life into an offense that sputtered through 2025 and restore credibility to a program that desperately needs results. His "GoGo" system promises excitement, but CU fans are demanding more than the flash they already have with Sanders. The Buffs need wins that silence the doubters and prove the Sanders experiment isn't collapsing.

If Marion delivers, he won't just save Sanders' job; he might be positioning himself to inherit it. But first comes 2026, where the Buffaloes must prove this hire is the catalyst they've been searching for, not just another coordinator passing through a program still searching for its identity.