Colorado Cornerbacks Room Speaks Candidly About New Defensive Coordinator Chris Marve

Colorado Buffaloes cornerbacks coach Aaron Fletcher and his position group spoke highly about new defensive coordinator Chris Marve during their Wednesday press conference.

The players admire how his scheme has been putting them in position to make plays, something that Fletcher has also noticed from working alongside Marve.

Chris Marve Making an Impression

chris marve colorado buffaloes aaron fletcher mississippi state bulldogs football college defensive coordinator defense cfb — MSU defensive run game coordinator Chris Marve speaks to reporters at Media Day on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at the Leo Seal Complex. Photo by Keith Warren Msu Football Media Day | Keith Warren, Keith Warren via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Fletcher has admired the way Marve has stepped up into his new role to begin the spring season. Working on the defensive staff with him, Fletcher has watched Marve have an impact on players that most would believe to be above the pay grade as a coordinator.

“Marve is another head coach,” Fletcher said. “Marve is very detailed, he’s passionate, what you see is what you get…When you look at our staff, with [Coach Prime], Marve and [Brennan] Marion, those are three head coaches that we’re just blessed and fortunate to have in this building.”

Marve’s head-coach-like attributes come from his well-traveled coaching and playing career.

In his days as a player for the Vanderbilt Commodores, he was a hard-hitting linebacker. He racked up 398 tackles in his career in Nashville, which makes him the eighth all-time leading tackler in school history to this day.

He later joined the Commodores staff as an assistant and then a linebackers coach. He coached around the SEC and ACC, joining Mississippi State and Florida State as a linebackers coach. He then became Virginia Tech’s defensive coordinator, where he remained through 2024.

That experience not only created familiarity in the role of defensive coordinator but also gave him experience in leadership and guidance of young athletes, something he’s displayed in spring practice.

Cornerbacks RJ Johnson and Cree Thomas on Marve’s scheme

colorado buffaloes cornerback rj johnson cree thomas chris marve defensive coordinator coach prime deion sanders cu buffs cfb — Oct 19, 2024; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Colorado Buffalos safety RJ Johnson (5) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Speaking of leadership, two of the players Marve has played a large role in developing during the spring have been cornerbacks RJ Johnson and Cree Thomas.

While Johnson has been in the program for two seasons and is one of the veteran presences in the cornerback room, Thomas is approaching his redshirt-freshman season with lots of room for growth.

Thomas has burst onto the scene in the first week of spring practice, though, recording a high number of takeaways, according to coaches. But Thomas gave all the credit to his team and Marve’s system.

Cree thomas notre dame fighting irish colorado buffaloes cornerback deion sanders coach prime cu buffs defense aaron fletcher — Notre Dame corner back Cree Thomas during the Notre Dame Blue-Gold spring football game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, April 12, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“You can’t get an interception by yourself,” Thomas said. “That’s thanks to my D-line, my linebackers, the coaches putting me in the correct position and I think that speaks to coach Marve’s system, just putting us in position to make plays.”

Marve’s scheme is one that not only puts players in a position to make plays, but requires them to. Cornerbacks will be in press-man coverage on the majority of snaps. This puts the success of the secondary on their shoulders in direct one-on-one matchups

But it's a challenge the Buffalo corners are up to.

“[Marve] is a leader; he demands a lot from us as a defense,” Johnson said. “When you come here, [playing press-man] is kind of what you sign up for, to be able to play press-man, there are some pluses and negatives about it…that’s what you expect to do when you come here.”

Keeping consistent with a mindset preached by Coach Prime, Marve’s scheme encourages making plays instead of waiting for them to come. With the combined leadership of the Hall of Famer and his new defensive coordinator, the new-look Colorado secondary is fitting the mold.

“That’s definitely been my mindset . . ." Thomas said. "Ever since the spring started, and even in the offseason…I feel like I need to go make plays, I can’t let it come to me.”

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook for the latest news.