Technically speaking, the Coach Prime coaching tree has already sprouted two branches. TC Taylor, an assistant of Prime's at Jackson State, took over after he left for Colorado. Sean Lewis was Colorado's offensive coordinator, and is now San Diego State's head coach.
But Taylor was already on Jackson State's staff before Deion Sanders took the job in 2020, and his JSU bio lists him as "(o)ne of the greatest Jackson State Football Tigers to ever don the Blue and White." He was probably going to become his alma mater's head coach sooner or later. And Lewis... let's just say the SDSU job wasn't part of the grand plan when he left his head coaching position at Kent State to work for Prime. I'm not sure even the prolific self-promoter himself would count that as a win for Coach Prime.
As he sold the public on his vision for Colorado in 2024, Sanders predicted his new defensive coordinator Robert Livingston will be a head coach some day.
"I pray to God that I can keep him because I feel like we're going to kick butt, we're going to win, and he's going to be a head coach in college or pros or whatever he endeavors because he's that good," Sanders said.
A 2009 William & Mary graduate, Livingston's profile was about as obscure as possible for an entrenched NFL position coach. After two seasons in the college game, Livingston joined the Cincinnati Bengals as a scout in 2012, promoted to quality control in 2015 and then to secondary coach in 2016, where he still was through the 2023 and likely would have remained for the foreseeable future if not for a well-placed opening in Boulder.
Sanders said Wednesday that he values pro experience over college because the majority of his own experience is at the NFL level. And so when Charlies Kelly took a co-coordinator role at Auburn in January, Sanders reached out to Mike Zimmer, who recommended Livingston. Zimmer was the Bengals' defensive coordinator from 2008-13.
"I like the relationships and the thought process of a pro," Sanders said. "And Coach Livingston was recommended to me by a few pros that I'm well familiar with and I trust, Mike Zimmer being one of them.
"And his interview process and his consistency and his thought process and his relatability just placed him well above the other applicants. I'm happy I made the decision."
Livingston is one of four new full-time coaches on Sanders's coaching staff. Outside linebackers coach Vincent Dancy was an internal promotion, and wide receivers coach Jason Phillips and offensive line coach Phil Loadholt were external hires.
In hiring Livingston, Sanders offered his new defensive coordinator... let's put this politely: plenty of opportunity for improvement.
Colorado finished 2023 ranked 115th nationally in yards per play (6.27), 110th in rushing defense, 116th in pass efficiency defense, 96th in tackles for loss and 124th in scoring. Five of CU's 12 opponents topped 40 points in 2023.
Considering the spotlight Livingston entered in taking the Colorado job, modest improvement will lead to a swift and massive upheaval in his national profile. And who knows what happens from there.