The last season was a nightmare that Deion Sanders wants to quickly get over this year. But without a crucial piece of the puzzle in play, his job just got a whole lot tougher. The NFL has swooped in and poached a key staffer from Boulder.

Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston is leaving to join the Broncos as their new defensive pass game coordinator. He joined Colorado in 2024 and immediately created an impact on the defense. However, it suffered a massive drop in 2025, finishing last in the Big 12 in total defense.

Colorado had some good defensive players in the 2024 season, like Travis Hunter, DJ McKinney, and Dayon Haynes. That year, the Buffaloes gave up 351.9 yards per game. But in 2025, with a massive shortage of impact players, Livingston’s defense gave up a whopping 425.7 yards per game. Over the season, he was also criticized for running man coverage when it clearly brought no relief to the team. The rushing defense hit an extremely alarming low as well and struggled to capitalize on third-down opportunities.

It was the worst season Boulder experienced in the Deion Sanders era, which definitely left a sour taste for the former DC.

Interestingly, the buzz around Robert Livingston leaving Colorado is not new. According to Locked on Buffs’ Kevin Borba, the former DC interviewed with multiple NFL teams after his first season at Boulder and with one team (the Cowboys) in 2026.

He was brought onto the Broncos because of his connection with Vance Joseph, having worked under him when they were with the Bengals. That stint ended right before Livingston joined Colorado. According to Borba, he was “an NFL guy” and was “eyeing a move” to the league.

Deion Sanders will enter the 2026 season with two new coordinators. He replaced Pat Shurmur with Brennan Marion early in the year. But Colorado didn’t take much time to find a new DC. Replacing Livingston is the Buffs’ linebackers coach, Chris Marve.

What to know about the new defensive coordinator, Chris Marve

Colorado’s new defensive coordinator joined the program in December 2025, after being without a college football job for nearly a year. Prior to this stint at Boulder, Marve served as Virginia Tech’s defensive coordinator from 2022 to 2024. He also held jobs at Florida State, Mississippi State, and Vanderbilt.

Marve recorded his best season at Blacksburg in 2023. VT finished second in the ACC in total defense, allowing 316.8 yards per game. In the country, this defense was among the Top 20. But it took a step back in the 2024 season, with the Hokies giving up 363 yards per game. Then, head coach Brent Pry fired him after that year.

This sudden promotion to defensive coordinator will be a huge test for Marve. His defense at Virginia Tech was characterized by strong linebacker play, since he himself was a very good one at college. As a redshirt freshman at Vanderbilt, he led the team with 51 tackles. That experience could prove well for Colorado, since the defense struggled to look after the gaps, allowing offenses to run through. The defense never found the right rhythm with linebackers, especially with Reggie Hughes and Martavius French.

Colorado is desperate to see improvement on both sides of the ball. But there’s a lot that’s unknown on the defense, especially with Robert Livingston leaving at such a crucial time in the offseason. We will have to wait and watch if Chris Marve can orchestrate the turnover that the CU defense needs.