Colorado’s coaching carousel so far

Colorado head coach Deion Sanders is close to finalizing his 2025 coaching staff. (Photo by Roberto Patrick Gerra/Sko Buffs Sports)

Although the college football season is over, the news cycle hasn’t slowed down for the Colorado Buffaloes. The team has remained in the spotlight throughout the coaching carousel and despite a tumultuous ride, it seems now that the team will retain its leadership. 

Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was not involved in NFL talks despite having the experience and leading an offense that will get quarterback Shedeur Sanders drafted high in the first round. Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston signed a two-year extension that included a pay raise to make him the highest-paid assistant in Colorado’s history, a strong statement from the team to keep him around, and maintaining both lead assistants. 

Of course, both coordinators stayed in place because head coach Deion Sanders also did. Sanders gave plenty of verbal indication that he would be staying in Boulder for the foreseeable future, but multiple rumors that included the Las Vegas Raiders and Dallas Cowboys kept spreading. Sanders didn’t do much to dispel these notions, talking to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, and not yet signing a contract extension at CU that’s been reportedly offered. 

It’s now late in the process and Prime is here to stay for at least one more season and subsequently, he’s filled some staff spots. Most notably, Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk was hired to coach the same position in hopes of revitalizing a running game that was largely abandoned in 2024. Faulk has little to no coaching experience, making him a risky, name-brand hire that may appeal to recruits, but whether or not he can develop the position has yet to be determined. 

Offensive line coach Phil Loadholt, a former NFL lineman who grew up in Colorado, took off for Mississippi State to coach the same position in the SEC. The line did improve throughout the season but still struggled against better competition. It’s unknown if Sanders attempted to retain Loadholt or if he just saw a better opportunity in a bigger conference. He was replaced internally by Gunnar White who was formerly an Offensive Quality Control Analyst after following Sanders from Jackson State to Colorado. 

Lastly, defensive line coach Damione Lewis also departed, leaving for Miami where he once played before his professional career. Lewis has yet to be replaced officially but there’s an ideal in-house candidate in Hall of Famer Warren Sapp who, like White, has also been a Quality Control Analyst for the team. Sapp has no coaching experience prior to joining Colorado’s staff, so it’ll be telling if he’s promoted into the role or bypassed for a more veteran coach. 

While some moving pieces remain, the Colorado Buffaloes will enter 2025 with most of their staff returning as a younger team is set to take the field. With Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter heading for the NFL, it’s time for new stars to emerge under the tutelage of coach Prime and his staff.