Colorado AD Lovo Applies Pressure on Deion Sanders' Buffs

New Colorado athletic director Fernando Lovo is pushing for immediate success from coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes football program.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 5:20pm

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New Colorado Buffaloes athletic director Fernando Lovo is not waiting on the "Coach Prime" era to take shape, applying pressure for immediate success from Deion Sanders and the football program. Lovo, who previously worked at Texas, Ohio State and the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars, is looking to steer the Buffs back to relevance after a dismal 2025 season that saw them finish second-to-last in the Big 12 with just one conference win.

Why it matters

Colorado is at a critical juncture, with Lovo acknowledging the need for a "successful and healthy football program" to keep the athletic department moving forward. After years of middling performance under the previous regime, Lovo is pushing for a quick turnaround from Sanders, who is entering his fourth season as Buffs head coach.

The details

Lovo, who spent time as an administrator at Texas, Ohio State and with the Jacksonville Jaguars, has taken an outsider's approach since joining Colorado. He's emphasized providing Sanders with everything he needs to be successful, while also noting the need for trust and alignment between the two. The Buffs struggled mightily on both sides of the ball in 2025, leading to staff changes including a new offensive coordinator in Brennan Marion and defensive coordinator in Chris Marve.

  • In 2025, Colorado finished second-to-last in the Big 12 with just one conference win.
  • Deion Sanders joined Colorado as head coach in 2022, saving the job of the previous athletic director, Rick George.

The players

Fernando Lovo

The new Colorado Buffaloes athletic director, who previously worked at Texas, Ohio State and the Jacksonville Jaguars in the NFL.

Deion Sanders

The head football coach of the Colorado Buffaloes, entering his fourth season with the program.

Brennan Marion

The new offensive coordinator for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Chris Marve

The new defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the Colorado Buffaloes.

Julian Lewis

The quarterback for the Colorado Buffaloes.

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What they’re saying

“We're in a critical juncture right now in our enterprise. We need a successful and healthy football program for us to make sure that we're continuing to put our best foot forward.”

— Fernando Lovo, Colorado Buffaloes Athletic Director (The Athletic)

“Every conversation is rooted in what does Coach need to be successful and how do we deliver that to him? At the end of the day, it all comes down to trust and alignment. He has to trust me, and I have to trust him, and that only happens with time.”

— Fernando Lovo, Colorado Buffaloes Athletic Director (The Athletic)

What’s next

Lovo said he will provide Sanders with his "unequivocal support" as the Buffs look to bounce back in 2026 with a revamped coaching staff and roster.

The takeaway

Lovo's no-nonsense approach and emphasis on immediate success highlights the urgency surrounding the Colorado football program. After years of underperformance, the Buffs are at a critical juncture, and Lovo is making it clear that the Sanders era needs to produce results sooner rather than later.