In the high-stakes world of college football recruiting, continuity is king. That’s a lesson Deion Sanders is putting into practice in Boulder, turning a key departure into a testament to his program’s internal culture.

Corey Phillips, who was the director of player personnel, is leaving Colorado to become the general manager for the Memphis Tigers. This move opened up a critical position within the Buffs’ organization. Instead of searching externally for a replacement, Coach Prime decided to promote someone already familiar with the system and culture he’s building in Boulder. Phillips took to X to congratulate Darden-Box on the promotion.

The man getting the promotion is Darrius Darden-Box. He has been serving as the director of recruiting for the past three seasons. By moving him into the director of player personnel role, the team is ensuring a smooth transition. Corey Phillips actually gave Darrius a shout-out right after his own announcement, showing mutual respect and support between the two men as they transition into their new respective jobs.

This promotion is a significant accomplishment for Darden-Box, whose work ethic has often been praised and looked up to. There is a great story about his early days in the industry: he used to work for free in college football offices in the morning just to gain experience, and then drive a FedEx truck at night to pay his bills.

Interestingly, both Darden-Box and Phillips have a history together. They previously worked side-by-side in the recruiting department at Vanderbilt University.

They both joined Coach Prime’s staff at Colorado back in December 2022, so they were familiar with each other’s work long before this recent shift in responsibilities. Safe to say the hustle finally paid off for both of them. Meanwhile, Deion Sanders and Colorado are not holding back, committing big money to their new offensive hire in Boulder.

 The Buffaloes are breaking the bank for the new OC

The University of Colorado has approved a major pay raise for one of Deion Sanders’ top assistant coaches, even though the athletic department is expecting a large budget shortfall. The school’s Board of Regents signed off on a new contract for offensive coordinator Brennan Marion, giving him a salary of $1.5 million per year through January 2028. This decision comes as Colorado projects a $27 million deficit by the end of the 2026 fiscal year.

Marion got hired last week after being the head coach at Sacramento State. He will now make almost twice as much as Colorado’s former offensive coordinator, Pat Shurmur, who earned $850,000 this season. Shurmur lost his play-calling role after a blowout loss to Utah in October, and the school chose not to renew his contract, which runs through January 2026.

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Colorado is clearly willing to spend big on its coaching staff under Deion Sanders. Along with Marion’s deal, defensive coordinator Robert Livingston also received a major raise earlier this year, with his salary jumping to $1.5 million and rising to $1.7 million in 2026 with a retention bonus. As a result, Marion and Livingston are now the highest-paid assistant coaches in school history.