Meet Deion Sanders' Colorado coaching staff after mass 2024 turnover, from Warren Sapp to Pat Shurmur

08-29-2024
5 min read
(Getty Images)

There is no coach as high-profile as Deion Sanders. 

The NFL Hall of Famer took the college football world by storm when he made the jump from Jackson State to Colorado last season when he was tabbed to turn around the Buffaloes football program.

While the first campaign didn't go as "Coach Prime" may have expected — a 4-8 record and a six-game losing streak to end the season — Sanders is back for his second season with Colorado with high hopes of a turnaround. 

In order to facilitate those changes, Sanders elected to make changes to his coaching staff. There already was an NFL presence among his group on the sidelines; however, he's since added outside voices and promoted those from within to re-shape the coaching staff for 2024.

The leader may remain the same in Coach Prime, but it's a new look for the Buffaloes, both on and off the field. 

Here is more on Sanders' coaching staff for the 2024 NFL season. 

Deion Sanders' Colorado coaching staff

Sanders underwent a massive overhaul of his coaching staff, with a few staffers leaving and others receiving promotions. 

Both of his coordinators are new this season. Charles Kelly, who was the defensive coordinator in 2023, left to take on the co-defensive coordinator position at Auburn with Hugh Freeze, and Sean Lewis, who was the Buffaloes' offensive coordinator, was named the new head coach at San Diego State. 

Taking over the roles are Pat Shurmur and Robert Livingston — two coaches with years of NFL experience. Shurmur spent the 2023 season as a quality control analyst for Colorado's offense, but he received the promotion with Lewis leaving the program. He worked in the NFL from 1999 to 2021, and that tenure included stops as head coach of the Browns (2011-2012) and the Giants (2018-2019), and offensive coordinator for the Rams (2009-2010), Eagles (2013-2015), Vikings (2017), and Broncos (2020-2021). 

Livingston joined the Colorado staff after spending more than a decade with the Bengals. He most recently was the team's safeties/defensive backs coach from 2016 to 2023. 

Sanders added other prominent names with NFL ties, including offensive line coach Phil Loadholt, cornerbacks coach Kevin Mathis and wide receivers coach Jason Phillips. However, none are as big as the "QB Killa" — Warren Sapp. 

Sapp may not have any coaching on his resume prior to 2024, but he's a NFL Hall of Famer, Super Bowl champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and seven-time Pro Bowler. That's about as much evidence as you need when considering bringing in someone with football knowledge. Sapp was tabbed as the senior quality control analyst for the defense. 

Here is a look at the full coaching staff for the Colorado football program. 

Name Position
Deion Sanders Head Football Coach
Gary Harrell Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs
Robert Livingston Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
Pat Shurmur Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Brett Bartolone Assistant Coach/Tight Ends
Vincent Dancy Assistant Coach/Defensive Ends
Andre' Hart Assistant Coach/Linebackers
Damione Lewis Assistant Coach/Defensive Line
Phil Loadholt Assistant Coach/Offensive Line
Kevin Mathis Assistant Coach/Cornerbacks
Jason Phillips Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
Tommie Robinson Director of Quality Control
George Helow Senior Defensive Coach
Warren Sapp Senior Quality Control Analyst (Defense)
Anthony Balancier Quality Control Analyst (Defense)
Gabe Lynn Quality Control Analyst (Defense)
Michael Pollock Quality Control Analyst (Offense)
Gunnar White Quality Control Analyst (Offense)
Andrew Zimmer Quality Control Analyst 
Oliver Clear Coaching Assistant
Grant Hammer Coaching Assistant
Isaac Kresge Coaching Assistant
Skyler Mornhinweg Coaching Assistant
Rashad Davis Graduate Assistant
Josh Jynes Graduate Assistant