Deion Sanders Makes Coaching Hire for Colorado's Defensive Staff

The Colorado Buffaloes have added former NFL linebacker Xavier Adibi to the coaching staff.

Oct 25, 2007; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies linebacker Xavier Adibi (11) dejectedly walks off the field after the Hokies last second 14-10 loss to the Boston College Eagles at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

The Colorado Buffaloes have reportedy made an addition to their coaching staff with the hire of former NFL linebacker Xavier Adibi to the defensive coaching staff.

CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz reported the hire made by Colorado coach Deion Sanders and new defensive coordinator Chris Marve on Monday, June 22. With Marve initially hired as the linebackers coach for the Buffaloes before being promoted to the defensive coordinator position, bringing on some additional help in the linebacker room would make sense.

Oct 25, 2007; Blacksburg, VA, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies linebacker Xavier Adibi (11) dejectedly walks off the field after the Hokies last second 14-10 loss to the Boston College Eagles at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, VA. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Colorado's coaching staff already features Andre' Hart as the assistant linebackers coach, and Clancy Pendergast is a senior defensive analyst/linebackers coach for the Buffs. Still, Adibi's background as a player and a coach will be valuable to the defense no matter where he contributes.

Colorado is expected to hire Xavier Adibi as part of its defensive staff, sources tell @CBSSports.

The ex-NFL linebacker worked at Virginia Tech the last four seasons, including as inside linebackers coach last year. Was previously a defensive coordinator at Texas A&M-Commerce. pic.twitter.com/Mk3zLElUHH

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) June 22, 2026

Xavier Adibi Background

Adibi was a defensive analyst under Marve when the two were at Virginia Tech together, and Marve coached the inside linebackers while coordinating the defense for the Hokies. He holds the same roles in Boulder, coaching Colorado's linebacker while also coordinating the Buffs defense.

While Adibi's official position with Colorado is not yet announced, he likely works with the linebackers in some capacity given his coaching history. Adibi started as the linebackers coach for Garden City, a junior college in Kansas, before working as a defensive analyst for Arkansas.

He then worked as the defensive coordinator for Texas A&M-Commerce for three seasons before teaming up with Marve as a defensive analyst for Virginia Tech. The Hokies ranked No. 20 in the country in total defense with Marve and Adibi in 2023, and Adibi was then promoted to the associate linebackers coach for Virginia Tech.

Sept 13, 2009; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans linebacker Xavier Adibi (52) reacts after a tackle against the New York Jets in the second quarter at Reliant Stadium. | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

In his playing career, Adibi played for the Hokies before being drafted by Houston Texans in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. Adibi stayed in the NFL for five years, spending a season with the Minnesota Vikings and the Tennessee Titans before eventually turning to coaching.

Colorado Buffaloes Defensive Outlook

Not only does the Colorado defensive coaching staff feature multiple newcomers, but the Buffs roster is also filled with new faces.

Colorado linebacker Gideon Lampron is viewed as one of the top transfers in the Big 12, and linebacker Liona Lefau is a former four-star recruit ranked as the No. 14 linebacker available in the transfer portal, per 247Sports.

MSU defensive run game coordinator Chris Marve speaks to reporters at Media Day on Saturday, August 10, 2019 at the Leo Seal Complex | Keith Warren, Keith Warren via Imagn Content Services, LLC

In the secondary, Marve will have new pieces like Boo Carter, Randon Fontenette, Naeten Mitchell, Cree Thomas, Justin Eaglin, and Jah Jah Boyd to move around. On the defensive line, Colorado brought in 12 transfers, including edge players like Immanuel Ezeogu, Toby Anene, and Alexander McPherson, as well as defensive linemen Ezra Christensen, Dylan Manuel, and more.

In 2025, Colorado's scoring defense ranked No. 112 in the country, and the total defense ranked No. 123 out of 136 teams. While it can't get much worse for the Buffs, Marve has his work cut out for him when it comes to turning around the Colorado defense. A new group of transfers should certainly help after the Buffaloes struggled to get stops in 2025.

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