Deion Sanders, head coach of the University of Colorado football team, has made significant changes to boost the performance of the offensive line following a history of high quarterback sack numbers in recent seasons. According to data from USA TODAY Sports, the team gave up the most sacks in the Big 12 Conference in 2024 (43) and the second-most in the nation in 2023 (56).
Key developments since the end of the last season include:
– Hiring former Dallas Cowboys Pro Bowl offensive lineman Andre Gurode, a Colorado alum, as assistant offensive line coach with a salary of $250,000.
– Promoting Gunnar White to co-offensive line coach with a salary of $275,000, up from his previous role as a quality control analyst at $73,000.
– Appointing former Dallas Cowboys offensive lineman George Hegamin as co-offensive line coach alongside White with a salary of $250,000, after serving as the team’s director of leadership and engagement with a salary of $100,000 last year.
These coaching changes were made to fill the gap left by the departure of last year’s offensive line coach, Phil Loadholt, who moved to a similar position at Mississippi State after earning $325,000 at Colorado.
The increase in coaching staff and their salaries align with an NCAA rule change allowing an unlimited number of on-field coaches, replacing the previous limit of 10 assistants in addition to the head coach. This adjustment enabled Sanders to bring on two co-offensive line coaches and Gurode as an assistant, enhancing the team’s coaching structure.
Sanders has adopted a strategic approach by hiring former NFL players to coaching positions, leveraging their professional backgrounds and name recognition to attract recruits. Despite potential financial constraints compared to richer programs, Sanders aims to build a competitive team based on passion for the game rather than financial incentives.
While colleges are restricted to 11 “countable” coaches for off-campus recruiting, Sanders has opted not to recruit off-campus as head coach. Some of his recent coaching hires, including Marshall Faulk for running backs, lack prior college coaching or recruitment experience, emphasizing NFL expertise in his coaching staff.
Peko recently served as an assistant coach with the Cowboys, showcasing potential despite his lack of college coaching experience. While recruiting plays a crucial role in the college game, Sanders prioritizes forward-thinking over past accomplishments. An example is Robert Livingston, who, with minimal college coaching background and no prior defensive leadership experience, was appointed by Sanders as the defensive coordinator. Under Livingston’s guidance, the team excelled, leading the Big 12 in quarterback sacks in 2024, significantly improving from a 4-8 record in Sanders’ debut season in 2023 to a 9-4 finish. Colorado recognized Livingston’s contributions by awarding him a new two-year contract, elevating his salary from $800,000 to a record-breaking $1.5 million, a decision deemed necessary by the CU board of regents to remain competitive in the market. Notably, Big 12 rival Utah allocated approximately $2 million each for their defensive and offensive coordinators, highlighting a trend of investing in coaching staff across the league. For more updates, follow journalist Brent Schrotenboer on Twitter @Schrotenboer or reach out via email at bschrotenb@usatoday.com. This article was originally published on USA TODAY, detailing Colorado’s heightened commitment to enhancing their offensive line coaching.
