If Colorado moves on from Deion Sanders after the 2026 season, the search would be about a lot more than finding a new coach. It would be a defining decision for a program that would have to justify a reported $33 million buyout and choose a direction for life after Coach Prime.
The Buffaloes would have to answer a few big questions fast: keep the offensive framework built around Julian Lewis, chase a proven builder, swing for another national name, or go with someone who knows Colorado from the inside. Athletic director Fernando Lovo would have several very different paths to consider.
One option would be Brennan Marion, the cleanest choice if Colorado wants to keep things steady. Marion is already the Buffaloes’ offensive coordinator, knows the roster and has a relationship with Lewis. He could also keep the Go-Go offense he brought to Boulder, which might help limit the kind of roster turnover that often comes with a coaching change.
Marion’s case is strengthened by the fact that he has already been a head coach, spending the 2025 season at Sacramento State. He’s young, creative and has earned a reputation as a strong recruiter during stops at Texas, Pittsburgh, UNLV and elsewhere.
The question is whether Colorado would want to elevate someone already on Sanders’ staff after deciding the overall program needs a reset. His stock may hinge on how the offense performs the rest of the season.
If that side of the ball keeps humming while everything else falls apart, Marion should be in line for the first interview.
Jason Eck would be the most straightforward outside hire. Lovo already knows what he can do, having hired him at New Mexico.
Eck inherited a Lobos team projected to finish 11th in the Mountain West and promptly turned it into a 9-4 squad that tied for first in the conference and earned the program’s first bowl trip since 2016. He was named Mountain West Coach of the Year for that work.
Before New Mexico, Eck posted a 26-13 record at Idaho and took the Vandals to the FCS playoffs in all three of his seasons. He also has Colorado ties, having served as a Buffaloes graduate assistant from 2002-03.
He wouldn’t bring the splash of Coach Prime, but he has a clear track record of building with limited resources. If Lovo gets the chance to make his own football hire, Eck would be an easy name to circle.
Ryan Walters would be the budget-friendly homecoming play. He played safety at Colorado, grew up in Aurora and started his coaching career as a CU student assistant. He later earned respect for the defenses he built at Missouri and Illinois before taking over at Purdue.
The downside is obvious: his 5-19 record at Purdue, including a 1-11 second season, is hard to overlook. That kind of mark usually doesn’t buy much time.
Still, Colorado could decide Walters, now Washington’s defensive coordinator, deserves another shot. Purdue is one of the toughest jobs in the Big Ten, and he only got two years to try to fix it.
Brian Kelly would be the biggest-name pivot. Instead of hiring a rising coach, Colorado would be reaching for one of the most accomplished available coaches in the sport. Kelly went 34-14 at LSU and previously guided Notre Dame to two College Football Playoff appearances.
After a year away from the spotlight, a rebuild in Boulder could appeal to him. His résumé and recognition would instantly matter with recruits, donors and television executives.
Kelly is owed a reported $54 million after being dismissed by LSU, but his contract includes a mitigation clause that requires him to seek employment, which could make a creative arrangement possible. He may be more interested in openings in the Carolinas, but Colorado could present a compelling alternate stage if he wants to prove he can build another contender outside the usual power lanes.
Then there’s Gary Patterson, maybe the most intriguing name of the group. He turned TCU into a national force, going 181-79 over 21 seasons. Patterson delivered 11 double-digit-win seasons, authored a 13-0 run in 2010 and built some of the best defenses in college football.
He is now USC’s defensive coordinator, and there is even a path where he could be in line for Lincoln Riley’s job if that ever opens. But Patterson has long seemed better suited to running a full program than serving as an assistant. Colorado would give him a chance to take over another Big 12 program and prove TCU’s rise was no fluke.
At 66, he would probably be more of a short-term answer, and the Buffaloes would still need a succession plan. But Patterson would not need a long runway. He could set the culture, fix the defense and take charge from day one in Boulder.
In Other News...
Deion Sanders Calls Out A Colorado Issue Fans Will Hate
Deion Sanders did not like what he saw after Colorados 41-7 loss to Northwestern, and it was not just the score that bothered him. The Buffaloes were undone by turnovers and offensive inconsistency, but Sanders focused on the reaction from some players afterward, saying he was dissatisfied with the fact they were laughing after the defeat.
With Big 12 play coming next, Sanders is using the aftermath as a teaching moment about accountability and what kind of standard this team has to live up to. For Colorado, the concern now is bigger than one rough afternoon. It is whether the lesson from an ugly opening loss sticks before the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Had To Address A Troubling Colorado Issue Fast
The postgame mood around Colorado was blunt and unsettled after a 41-7 loss to Northwestern, a game that turned early when the Buffaloes gave the ball away and never recovered. Deion Sanders did not hide from it, acknowledging the mistakes that put his team in a hole while also giving Northwestern credit for how it was coached and prepared.
Sanders also had to deal with more than the scoreboard, addressing player behavior in the wake of the defeat as he tried to steady a team already under pressure. With Big 12 play looming, the message was clear enough: the Buffaloes have to clean up the details, prepare better and show much more discipline if they want the next stretch to look anything like they hoped. [Read more 🡒]
Colorado's First Loss Exposed Problems Deion Sanders Can't Ignore
Colorados first loss of the season did more than halt the early momentum around Deion Sanders team. It also put a spotlight on two issues that cant be brushed aside this early in the schedule: the depth along the interior defensive line and the Buffaloes shaky ball security. Northwestern was able to expose both, leaving Colorado with an immediate reminder that the margin for error narrows fast once the Big 12 stretch begins.
The defensive front has been thinned by injuries and eligibility issues, forcing Colorado to shuffle players into new spots just to keep the rotation workable. On the other side of the ball, turnovers from quarterback Julian Lewis and the running backs have added another layer of concern, especially with tougher league games looming. Sanders has options to adjust, but this loss made clear that the Buffaloes need cleaner play and more stability in the trenches before the schedule gets any more demanding. [Read more 🡒]