The Colorado football team begins fall camp on Monday and Brennan Marion’s G0-Go offense will be the central focus.
After a disappointing Year 3 of the Deion Sanders era, the Buffs hired a new offensive coordinator and brought in a bevy of exciting players for the 2026 season. The former Sac State head coach is tasked with improving a Colorado offense that averaged just 20.9 points per game last season (second-worst in Big 12) and developing a young (redshirt freshman) but talented quarterback in Julian Lewis.
History suggests that the Buffs’ new OC is fully equipped to check both of those boxes.
The philosophy of Marion’s Go-Go offense is to “err on the side of creativity.” It’s a two-back, power-run scheme that specializes in exactly what Colorado has struggled to do under Coach Prime: creating explosive plays in the run game.
Marion began his installation in the spring and fall camp is the time for players to master it. It’s also the time for position battles to be won and sleepers to emerge.
Here’s a fall camp preview of the Buffs’ offense ahead of the 2026 season.
Quarterback
The Colorado football team will go as far as Julian Lewis takes it in 2026. That’s a lot of pressure on a redshirt freshman, but the former five-star recruit is built for it.
Despite starting just two games and being thrown into a difficult situation last season, Lewis showed flashes of a big-time college QB. He threw for 300 yards with two TDs in first career start at West Virginia without star left tackle Jordan Seaton and had zero turnovers on nearly 200 snaps
It’s now on Lewis (and Marion) to turn those glimpses of greatness into consistency.
“That dude has an NFL arm for sure,” Marion told The Athletic. “He can really throw the ball. We’ve seen him throw it off his back foot, where he couldn’t step up, and threw it 60 yards.”
Utah transfer Isaac Wilson and true freshman Kaneal Sweetwyne round out the Buffs’ relatively thin QB room.
Running back
DeKalon Taylor might end up being the biggest beneficiary of Marion’s Go-Go offense due to his dual-threat ability. The former Incarnate Word transfer impacted the game as both a runner and pass-catcher last season for the Buffs before suffering a season-ending injury and preserving his redshirt. He looks even faster and more explosive in 2026.
Micah Welch is the other returning contributor who could play a big role thanks to his physical running style. He led the Colorado football team in rushing last season (384 yards) and added an extra gear to his acceleration this offseason.
Marion brought a pair of his former Sac State running backs with him to Boulder, including Damian Henderson II, who looked like the No. 1 RB during spring ball. He rushed for 565 yards and five TDs last season in Marion’s Go-Go offense and led the Buffs’ spring game in rushing (39 yards on five carries).
Jaquail Smith is the other former Sac State RB on the roster and although he missed most of spring with an injury, he’s the x-factor of this group. He led the Hornets with 6.7 yards per carry last season and rushed for 100-plus yards in all four games in which he had 10-plus attempts as a true freshman.
Alabama transfer Richard Young gives the Colorado football team another bruising option who could breakout if he’s able to put it all together.
There will often be two RBs on the field in Marion’s Go-Go offense and fall camp will help determine who those top two guys will be. Henderson and Taylor appear to be the early frontrunners.
Wide receiver
Marion is a former record-setting receiver at Tulsa and he helped the Colorado football team build a room full of dynamic pass-catchers. San Jose State transfer Danny Scudero is the headliner after leading the FBS in receiving yards last season (1,291). The Biletnikoff semifinalist and Julian Lewis could be the Buffs’ next elite duo.
Lewis thrived throwing over the middle of the field as a true freshman and that’s exactly where Texas transfer DeAndre Moore Jr. did most of of his damage last season. Moore Jr. will likely be a limited participant to begin fall camp due to the injury that kept him out of spring ball, but he’s someone Marion “always wanted to coach.”
Vertical shots are a staple of Marion’s Go-Go offense which is why the Colorado football team added two of the best deep threats in college football.
Miami (OH) transfer Kam Perry averaged 22.7 yards per catch (976 yards on 43 catches) last season and earned a 99.9 receiving grade on deep targets (20-plus yards) from Pro Football Focus.
Sac State transfer Ernest Campbell is arguably the fastest football player in the Big 12 thanks to his track background. He led Marion’s offense in all receiving categories last season (37 catches, 755 yards, 8 TDs) en route to FCS Freshman All-American honors.
Joseph Williams is the top returning WR and he, like Moore Jr., is expected to be a limited participant to begin fall camp. The former Tulsa transfer racked up 489 yards and four TDs for the Buffs last season and shouldn’t be forgotten amid a few exciting additions.
Offensive line
The Colorado football team’s offensive line will help determine just how much Julian Lewis and the Buffs’ run game improves.
Georgia transfer Bo Hughley is expected to be the replacement for Jordan Seaton at left tackle. The 6-foot-7, 300-pounder played in 10 games (two starts) for the Bulldogs last season and allowed zero sacks on 123 pass-blocking snaps.
Houston transfer Demetrius Hunter gives Colorado stability at center after starting every game (24 starts) over the last two seasons for Houston and allowing just two sacks. The 6-foot-2, 310-pounder’s experience will be invaluable for Julian Lewis.
The Buffs have two (very important) positions along the offensive line figured out. Fall camp will be used to decide on the other three spots
Tight end
Coach Prime believes Zach Atkins has “pro ability” even after a relatively quiet first season with the Colorado football team. The former Division II transfer caught 20 passes for 149 yards in 2025 but Deion Sanders said in November that “we just haven’t gotten him into situations that we should’ve.”
Brennan Marion should have no problem utilizing Atkins’ skillset, especially since the 6-foot-4, 240-pounder called the Go-Go offense “every pass-catching tight end’s dream.”
Northern Colorado transfer Fisher Clements and returner Brady Kopetz will bring extra physicality in the run game.
Top position battle for Colorado football offense
The competition for both starting guard spots will be a top storyline of fall camp. Colorado has plenty of options, including returners Chauncey Gooden and Yahya Attia.
The 6-foot-3, 380-pound Gooden (redshirt freshman) is a former blue-chip recruit who was a standout of spring ball while the 6-foot-4, 340-pound Attia (redshirt sophomore) evolved into a reliable part of the Buffs’ offensive line late last season.
Sac State transfer Jose Soto is another option at guard who Brennan Marion brought with him to Boulder for a reason. The 6-foot-3, 315-pounder started 11 games and allowed zero sacks for the Hornets in 2025.
Ohio State transfer Jayvon McFadden (cousin of Jordan Seaton) is inexperienced but might have the highest ceiling of anyone in the guard competition.
The battle for right tackle will also be an important one to monitor with a few transfers in the mix. Cal transfer Leon Bell started eight games (583 snaps) at right tackle for the Golden Bears last season and appears to be the frontrunner heading into fall camp.
Former Tennessee transfer Larry Johnson III will provide competition after seven games at right tackle for the Colorado football team in 2025 and so will Missouri transfer Jayven Richardson. Rutgers transfer Taj White reportedly suffered a injury that could impact his availability for 2026.
Biggest questions for Brennan Marion’s Go-Go offense
Can the Go-Go save Colorado’s run game?
Dead last. Dead last. 103rd. Those are the Colorado football team’s rushing ranks among FBS teams the last three years. If Brennan Marion can’t save the Buffs’ run game, then perhaps no one can.
Sac State averaged 262.6 rushing yards per game last season (third in FCS), a year after Marion helped UNLV rush for 251.2 yards per game which was the most for the school in over 45 years.
It’s part of the reason why Coach Prime hired Marion. Not only could a drastically improved run game help change the narrative surrounding the Colorado football team, it should also help take some pressure off Julian Lewis’ shoulders.
Marion believes he has the personnel and scheme to get it done. Week 1 vs. Georgia Tech will be a good test of that.
Can Julian Lewis emerge under Brennan Marion?
It’s safe to say that Brennan Marion wouldn’t have taken the Colorado job if it wasn’t for Julian Lewis.
An offensive coordinator, especially one who doubles as a quarterbacks coach, is often judged by the play of his QB. That’s why it was smart for Marion to hitch his wagon as a first-time Power 4 OC to the gifted Lewis.
Marion said in April that last season at Sac State was the first time he felt “handicapped” as a play caller.
“To not really use the passing game as much was crazy to me,” Marion said.
Sac State QB Cardell Williams threw the ball just 175 times for 1,621 yards in 2025. His limitations as a passer made Marion lean even more on the ground game, but they also made Marion appreciate a talent like Lewis even more.
The last time Marion had a QB of Lewis’ caliber as an OC, he helped UNLV’s Jayden Maiava throw for 3,085 yards and 17 TDs as a freshman. Now, Maiava is viewed as one the top QBs in college football at USC.
Julian Lewis could see a similar breakout for the Colorado football team.
Sleeper players
OL Sean Kinney could prove to be a valuable part of the Colorado football team’s offense thanks to his versatility. The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder has started games at center, left guard and right guard for Lafayette over the last two seasons (1,566 total snaps).
WR Quentin Gibson earned FWAA Freshman All-American honors as kick returner last season but could be more involved as a pass-catcher this fall. He was the Colorado football team’s leading receiver during the spring game in April (38 yards on four catches).
ATH Boo Carter will get most of his action on defense, but don’t count him out as a factor in the Go-Go. Brennan Marion teased the idea of Carter at running back (where he shined in high school) this offseason.
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