Coach Prime utilizing spring ball to improve Buffs’ offensive woes

BOULDER, Colo. — The Buffaloes’ offensive production didn’t meet preseason expectations last year, and now their head coach is putting an emphasis on generating points as his team navigates through spring practice.

Deion ‘Coach Prime’ Sanders is approaching his fourth season in Boulder, and the fans are demanding improvement following Colorado’s 3-9 campaign in 2025. It’s no mystery that the offense didn’t produce many touchdowns last season, which led to Coach Prime parting ways with his longtime colleague Pat Shurmur.

From a scheme standpoint, to personnel voids, the offense is starting off fresh again, and Coach Prime didn’t want to disappoint with his replacement for Shurmur. After all, the Buffaloes averaged 32.2 points per game in 2024, but that number dwindled to 20.9 this past season, which ranked 15th in the Big 12, and 114th nationally. Coach Prime refused to settle for less, and hired an individual who he thought was worthy of what he envisioned for Colorado’s offense this fall.

“The points per game, and everybody I interviewed averaged 30 points per game,” Sanders said. “The 30 points per game is our threshold, so when we score 30 per game we win, and when we hold people under a certain number as well, we win.”

Coach Prime cherry-picked Brennan Marion out of the FCS ranks to lead the Buffaloes’ offense, and for good reasons. Marion’s unit at Sacramento State averaged 33.7 points per game last season, and scored 51 total touchdowns.

His offense is high-octane, and centered mainly around the run. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Hornets averaged 262. 6 rush yards per game, to go along with 39 touchdowns on the ground. Finding ways to score is just the tip of the iceberg for Coach Prime, considering he admires other qualities about Marion, who has a notable offensive resume.

“I needed toughness, and that type of mentality,” he said. “I needed somebody who was going to apply pressure, and understand how we get down around here.”

The Big 12 is constantly evolving, with new stars emerging every year. This will be the Buffaloes third year in the conference, but they’re still adapting to the physicality, speed and coaching styles of the league.

Quarterback Julian Lewis appears to be the front-runner for the starting job after a promising true freshman campaign. Lewis passed for 589 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions. However, he’ll need to use his mobility more in Marion’s scheme, which relies on tempo, and experience matters.

Coach Prime is going to need some playmakers to emerge at the skill positions, and blocking up front is going to be vital. The Black & Gold Day is still over a month away, and in the meantime Coach Prime is trying to gel a team together that’s full of new faces.

Regardless, Colorado’s fourth-year coach finds it encouraging that Marion has the same goals that he does, and remains confident in bringing him onboard as Offensive Coordinator.

“Not only did we find him (Marion), but he’s more than we expected, much more.”