Deion Sanders Should Make Swift Coaching Changes For This Colorado Position Group

When examining the Colorado Buffaloes' postmortem from 2025, anything on the linebacker position should be scribbled with a highlighter.

It was a fatal flaw of coach Deion Sanders' squad, as substandard transfers struggled mightily. A spot that led to much of the Buffaloes' success in 2024 became a liability one year later.

But as the dust settles on a 3-9 disaster, so does the position group. Season-opening starting linebackers Martavius French and Reginald Hughes, along with eventual standout Jeremiah Brown, have all graduated from the program. Now, the rebuild can begin.

Colorado's Defensive Doozy Needs Extensive Fix

Apr 19, 2025; Boulder, CO, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston during the spring game at Folsom Field. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

As it stands, the position group consists of three returners, none of whom saw non-special teams reps. Bo LaPenna, Kylan Salter and Gage Goldberg haven't played and may enter the portal, following freshman linebacker Mantrez Walker.

Three recruits are set to join the fold, but Colorado will likely repeat the transfer strategy from years past. Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston oversaw excellence with Nikhai Hill-Green and LaVonta Bentley in 2024, but instability has ruled the past several months.

Recapturing the magic Colorado's defense danced with two seasons ago won't be seamless. A stern yet necessary step one is to fire linebackers coach Andre Hart.

Oct 25, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Colorado Buffaloes linebacker Jeremiah Brown (42) reacts to a sack against the Utah Utes during the third quarter at Rice-Eccles Stadium. | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

The longtime associate of "Coach Prime" has guided the position group for three seasons. He's drawn some ire from Buffs fans for inconsistent recruiting results and questionable development.

With an extremely vital portal cycle upcoming, Colorado needs fresh position coaches to spark excitement and lead a new direction. Not all of last season's struggles fall on disappointing personnel, as coaching should have squeezed more out of French and Hughes, who were all-conference defenders at the Group of Five level before joining the Buffaloes.

That said, it's not like the room's ineptitude against the run or in corralling opposing quarterbacks was anything new. The bar was simply on the floor in 2024. So, should Colorado enter next season with an identical defensive staff? Absolutely not.

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Top to bottom, Coach Prime should evaluate and scrutinize his assistants and make swift changes. He replaced offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur with Brennan Marion, but will that be the only shift after a year where many units he won't touch severely underperformed?

If he waits too late, transfer portal targets may wane. Hart struggled to bring linebackers with Power Four experience into Boulder last cycle, resulting in a group that felt unprepared for the bright lights week over week.

Cavalry Coming?

Carthage's Carson Crawford signals first down during the 4A DII UIL Texas State Football Championship game Waco La Vega on Friday, December 20, 2024 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Naomi Skinner/Times Record News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Colorado should pursue fast, aggressive linebackers with time spent on premier programs, but who perhaps have not been afforded adequate opportunities. The position is transferring in droves this cycle, so the Buffs will have no shortage of choices.

With the right hire to coach the position, Colorado's future in the second level will brighten. However, that future is only as good as the freshmen Coach Prime brought in for next fall.

Four-star Carson Crawford, former four-star Rodney Colton Jr. and three-star Colby Johnson will arrive in Boulder with golden tickets for the gridiron if the Buffs' portal priorities don't pan out.

Crawford and Colton Jr., namely, should see the field regardless. Both possess elite traits, and with Coach Prime stressing early play time as a message to recruits, it could finally be the case at linebacker.