Colorado’s new defensive coordinator, Chris Marve, wasted no time putting his stamp on fall camp.
After Colorado promoted the linebackers coach following Robert Livingston’s departure, the move already looks promising. Marve opened the first team meeting of camp with a forceful message, then laid out four goals for his defense. The one that stood out most was about putting the group ahead of individual talent.
“[A goal in fall camp] is making sure we identify our best 11, not our 11 best,” Marve said. “...
I don’t need the 11 best players on the field if you’re not working together. We need a unit, a unit that is going to play how we play.”
That line captured the tone of his speech: direct, demanding, and centered on building a defense that functions as one. A video by Well Off Media showed Marve setting an intense pace at the start of camp, and the reaction in the room suggested his players were buying in.
Colorado’s issues with leadership were a major part of last season’s struggles, especially on defense. Safety Ben Finneseth was one of the few vocal presences on that side of the ball, but his season ended against the West Virginia Mountaineers when he suffered a season-ending injury.
Finneseth said at Big 12 Media Days that he felt the leadership problem was bigger than any one player, and that he included himself in that assessment.
“The thing with last year was we just didn’t have the players that wanted to lead and were willing to lead, and it starts with me,” said Finneseth at Big 12 Media Days. “I didn’t feel confident enough in myself. After getting this past year under my belt and gaining some confidence, knowing I can play at this level, it’s significantly helped me.”
Marve’s arrival gives Colorado a different kind of voice in the room, and players have already started gravitating toward it. His presence is part energy, part accountability, and that combination has clearly landed.
There’s also substance behind the message. Marve’s 2023 Virginia Tech defense was one of the best in the nation, and its secondary was especially stingy, finishing with the third-fewest passing yards allowed in the country behind only Ohio State and Notre Dame.
That history matters because it matches the message. Marve isn’t just preaching a team-first approach; he’s built one before.
In Other News...
Colorado Fall Camp Opens With A Coaching Change Fans Cant Ignore
Colorados fall camp opened with a staffing wrinkle that did not go unnoticed, as the Buffaloes official coaching directory no longer lists receivers coach Jason Phillips and he was not part of the teams fall camp introductions. For a program trying to settle into its next phase, any change on the staff page tends to draw a little extra scrutiny, especially when it involves a position group as central to the offense as the receivers.
Rashad Davis, who had previously worked as an inside receivers coach, appeared to be handling Phillipss role as camp got underway. The Buffaloes have not officially confirmed what happened or offered an explanation, leaving the move to speak for itself while fans and observers try to read between the lines about how the offensive staff is being shaped. [Read more 🡒]
Deion Sanders Enters Fall Camp With Colorado Facing Early Pressure
Fall camp opened with the Buffaloes shifting preseason work to Colorado Springs, where 104 players reported as Deion Sanders and his staff started putting the roster through its first real tests of the season. Sanders has made the coaching staff and roster philosophy a central part of how this program is being built, and the start of camp is always the first checkpoint for whether that approach is translating from talk to practice.
Colorado also enters camp with an unexpected personnel note, as the program announced Jason Phillips is no longer with the team so he can attend to a family matter. It adds another layer to a week that is already about evaluation and urgency, because every early absence changes how the depth chart is shaped and how much flexibility the staff has as it sorts out the pieces before the real pressure starts. [Read more 🡒]
Colorados New OC Just Raised The Stakes For This Offense
Colorados offseason reset brought a clear message on offense, with the program turning to Brennan Marion to run the attack after its 2025 season. Marion arrives from Sacramento State, where he served as head coach, and he is expected to install his up-tempo go-go system while Chris Marve takes over as defensive coordinator. For a Buffaloes team trying to sharpen its identity, the staff changes point to a more aggressive look on both sides of the ball.
The timing makes the quarterback situation especially worth watching, because redshirt freshman Julian Lewis is projected to open the year as the starter against Georgia Tech. That is a lot to ask of a young passer in a new system, but it also gives Colorado a chance to find out quickly how fast Marions offense can take hold. The real intrigue is whether the scheme and the QB can mesh quickly enough to make the Buffaloes dangerous right away. [Read more 🡒]