Colorado football coach Deion Sanders plans to make a staff move, hiring Cincinnati Bengals safeties coach Robert Livingston to fill the Buffaloes’ empty defensive coordinator post, according to Matt Zenitz. Livingston is a renowned name in NFL circles, having helped Cincinnati rank third in the league in pass touchdowns allowed last season and eighth in interceptions in 2023.
The projected hire brings Livingston to Boulder after nine years on the Bengals’ coaching staff. He was the franchise’s secondary coach for eight years before focusing on the team’s safeties for six. He formerly worked as a Bengals scout, covering the Southeast region and analyzing defensive backs throughout the country, with a focus on the SEC and ACC.
Livingston’s previous college coaching stops include Vanderbilt and Furman. He worked as a defensive quality control coach with the Commodores in 2011 and began his coaching career in 2010 with the Paladins, especially with their safeties.
Livingston, a William & Mary alumnus and former collegiate football safety, guided the development of several NFL standout pass defenders, most recently Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell. Those defensive backs were consistently at or near the top of the Bengals’ tackle leaderboard during Livingston’s tenure. They are part of a group that consistently holds opposing quarterbacks to some of the league’s lowest completion rates.
Colorado’s planned coaching change replaces a crucial position on the staff that was left vacant when Charles Kelly resigned to become Auburn’s co-defensive coordinator. Kelly joined Sanders’ first Colorado crew and had mixed results. While the Buffaloes played aggressive defense and recorded 20 takeaways, they also had the fourth-lowest yards per game allowed in FBS.
The hire would be the second change to Colorado’s defensive staff this summer. Outside linebackers coach Nick Williams left the program to join Syracuse’s staff, and Sanders promptly filled the vacancy by promoting Vincent Dancy to the position.
Several changes have also occurred among the offensive staff in recent months. Sanders removed Sean Lewis from his offensive coordinator position midway through the season, and Lewis later left to become the head coach at San Diego State. Pat Shurmur took over the Buffaloes’ play-calling duties. Sanders also reassigned tight ends coach Tim Brewster to an off-field job in Week 9.
Colorado made personnel adjustments in addition to coaching changes in an attempt to improve play on both sides of the ball. Defensively, the Buffaloes signed a huge number of transfers, notably four-star defensive linemen Samuel Okunlola and Quency Wiggins, as Sanders highlighted the importance of run defense. The Buffaloes allowed an average of 176.4 yards per game on the ground last season.
