Colorado’s search for a long-term offensive identity appears headed toward a conclusion. HC Deion Sanders and the Buffs are expected to hire Sacramento State HC as their new OC, a move that signals a hard pivot toward innovation after a 3-9 season. And this time, Colorado is hiring the creator of the “Go-Go” offense, Brennan Marion.

“I was led to the options,” Brennan Marion told Adam Breneman about his “Go-Go” offense in a video posted by DNVR Buffs on December 4. “Because the option, you can have undersized linemen. You don’t have to block certain people. You can leave people free. The quarterback can get you out of a bad play. One day, I just had an aha moment of, okay, I can marry all these offenses together.”

The “Go-Go” offense is an option-driven, pace-intensive scheme that he began building years before most Power Five staff knew his name. Brennan Marion started constructing the system during his early high school coaching days at Harker Academy, where he worked with inexperienced players and needed a structure that could win without top-tier talent. And what came next explains why Deion Sanders sees him as a long-term fit.

Brennan Marion transformed two struggling high school programs, one 0-10, another 1-9, into top offenses in Pennsylvania and California. His scheme relied on option principles, undersized linemen, and a QB empowered to escape bad plays. That system later advanced into college football, where it gained national recognition at Howard in 2017 and reached the NFL in 2020 when the Patriots ran a “Go-Go” variation with Cam Newton. He said it “really cool to see Belichick adapt and adjust,” but it was more than novelty — it validated his architecture at the highest level. Now the question shifts from origin story to present-day performance.

Brennan Marion, 38, would become Colorado’s fourth offensive playcaller in as many seasons. But unlike previous hires, he enters with a system that has already produced results across multiple levels. At Texas in 2022, he helped develop Xavier Worthy, who later called Marion “one of the best coaches I’ve been around” after becoming a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. At UNLV in 2024, his “Go-Go” offense elevated the Rebels into one of the top scoring teams in the Group of Five and nearly into the College Football Playoff. Those numbers matter even more when contrasted with Colorado’s 2025 struggles.

Colorado averaged fewer than 21 points per game this season. Marion’s Sacramento State offense averaged 33.8 and ranked 20th nationally in the FCS. His 2025 recruiting class also graded higher than Colorado’s, 77th to 103rd, despite leading an FCS program. His reputation as a recruiter and developer is reinforced by his history of maximizing talent irrespective of player rating or background. And this brings the focus back to Deion Sanders’ intention.

Why Brennan Marion fits Deion Sanders’ long-term vision

Deion Sanders wants a coordinator capable of functioning without NFL-level personnel. Pat Shurmur’s stint at Colorado was brief and increasingly unstable. Initially hired as an analyst in 2023 before taking over full-time play-calling duties, he helped guide the Buffs to a 9-4 season in 2024 and oversaw the development of four future NFL draft picks, including Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter. But once that core exited, Colorado’s offense collapsed. The unit averaged fewer than 21 points per game in 2025, and a 53-7 loss to Utah prompted Deion Sanders to strip Shurmur of play-calling responsibilities. And with his contract expiring on Jan. 31, change was inevitable.

Brennan Marion informed his Sacramento State staff of Colorado’s interest on Dec. 4, per KCRA Sacramento. He previously coordinated offenses at UNLV and served on staffs at Texas, Pitt, and Hawaii. With a proven offensive staff at Sac State, he is a candidate to bring assistants with him, giving Colorado a cohesive unit rather than another patchwork solution. Since 2021, Deion Sanders has cycled through six offensive coordinators. Marion is positioned to halt that turnover, not because of reputation alone, but because his system provides something the Buffs have lacked. Structure, adaptability, and year-to-year sustainability.

If Deion Sanders finalizes the hire, Colorado is adopting a blueprint built to survive roster churn, scheme adjustments, and the pressures of the Power Five. The coming months will determine whether the “Go-Go” offense becomes Colorado’s long-needed offensive identity.