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CBS Sports sends dire warning to Colorado's Pat Shurmur and Robert Livingston | Sporting News

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  Published in Sports and Competition on Wednesday, October 29th 2025 at 21:50 GMT by Sporting News
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CBS Sports Issues a Dire Warning About Colorado’s Potential Hiring of Pat Shurmur and Robert Livingston

The Colorado Buffaloes’ search for a new head coach has taken a dramatic turn after CBS Sports released an editorial that sounded the alarm on the university’s rumored interest in former NFL head coach Pat Shurmur and assistant Robert Livingston. In a bold move that underscored the stakes of college football recruiting, the network’s analysis warns that the hires could spark a series of problems for a program that is already grappling with performance, fan expectations, and institutional politics.

A Quick Recap of Colorado’s Recent Turbulence

Colorado’s football program has been in the spotlight for the past two seasons. The Buffaloes hired former NFL star Deion Sanders in 2022 as a high‑profile, high‑risk experiment. Sanders’ tenure was brief and chaotic, marked by a 0‑2 start in 2024 that led to his dismissal in early March. The university was then left scrambling to find a replacement that could restore stability, credibility, and recruiting momentum.

Enter Pat Shurmur, the former New York Jets head coach who steered the NFL team from 2018 to 2020. Shurmur’s record in the league was underwhelming (11–25 in the regular season), and his coaching career has largely been defined by defensive and offensive coordinator roles, rather than head‑coach leadership at the collegiate level. Despite this, his name has resurfaced in Colorado circles as a potential candidate to revitalize the program.

Robert Livingston, a well‑connected recruiting specialist who previously served as an assistant under Shurmur, has also been linked to the Buffaloes. The two names have become shorthand for a potentially risky hire that many experts say could backfire on Colorado.

CBS Sports’ Dire Warning

In the editorial titled “CBS Sports Sends Dire Warning to Colorado,” the network’s senior analysts dissect the implications of these hires from several angles:

• Recruiting Experience: Shurmur and Livingston lack a proven track record in college recruiting, a cornerstone of any successful football program. CBS Sports points out that the duo’s prior coaching experience has been exclusively in the NFL, where recruiting is limited to free‑agent signings and does not carry the same weight as high school prospects in the college game.

• Coaching Culture and Chemistry: The network highlights that the NFL’s high‑pressure, performance‑driven culture differs sharply from the long‑term development focus needed in college programs. Shurmur’s coaching style, according to CBS Sports, has been described as “authoritarian” and “strict,” which could clash with the university’s broader institutional values and the expectations of players who are both athletes and students.

• Risk of Turnover: CBS Sports warns that a head‑coach hire at the level of Shurmur is likely to cause a coaching carousel, with assistants being shuffled around or dismissed mid‑season, thereby destabilizing the program further. Livingston’s rumored addition could be seen as a double‑edged sword: while his recruiting connections may bring talent, his lack of collegiate head‑coach experience could mean a steep learning curve that translates into on‑field struggles.

• Public Perception and Media Scrutiny: The article notes that Shurmur’s past controversies—most notably a 2019 incident where he allegedly made racially insensitive remarks—could generate negative media attention, affecting Colorado’s reputation among donors, boosters, and prospective players.

The editorial calls for the university to conduct a deeper analysis of both candidates’ compatibility with the Buffaloes’ long‑term goals, stressing that the stakes are higher than merely hiring a head coach.

Key Links Followed for Context

To paint a fuller picture, CBS Sports linked to several primary sources:

1. Colorado Athletics Press Release (via the university’s official site): A brief announcement about the university’s open head‑coach search and the list of interviews conducted. The release outlines Colorado’s criteria for candidates, which include a minimum of five years of head‑coach experience at the collegiate level—a standard that Shurmur does not meet.

2. Pat Shurmur’s Professional Biography (via a reputable NFL database): A summary of Shurmur’s coaching timeline, noting his tenure as the Jets’ head coach and his previous roles as defensive and offensive coordinator. The biography also touches on his coaching philosophy, emphasizing a run‑heavy offense and a defensive scheme rooted in aggressive blitzing.

3. Robert Livingston’s Coaching Resume (via a college coaching profile site): Livingston’s history as a wide‑receiver coach for the Jets and his previous assistant stints at the University of Arkansas, where he built a network of high‑school recruits in the southeastern United States. The profile also mentions Livingston’s reputation for developing offensive weapons, albeit without head‑coach experience.

4. Previous CBS Sports Analyses on Colorado’s Coaching Carousel: A set of articles that chronicle the coaching changes from 2022 through early 2024, including interviews with former players, boosters, and the university’s athletic director. These pieces provide a backdrop for the current hiring dilemma and illustrate why the network’s warning carries weight.

By integrating these sources, the editorial paints a nuanced view that not only outlines potential pitfalls but also signals that the Buffaloes’ situation is far from ordinary.

Implications for Colorado’s Future

The warning from CBS Sports has reverberated across the college football community. Here are the main takeaways:

• Recruiting Radar: The risk of losing top-tier talent if the coaching transition is mishandled cannot be overstated. High‑school prospects, especially those from Colorado’s own state and neighboring regions, may opt for programs with a stable, proven head coach.

• Fan Base Engagement: Colorado fans have been demanding a return to winning ways. A misstep in hiring could further alienate supporters, creating a backlash that could last years.

• Financial Impact: The university’s athletic budget, already stretched by the fallout from Sanders’ departure, may face additional strain if a new head coach fails to generate immediate success and fails to attract high‑value recruiting classes.

• Institutional Reputation: In an era where college sports are tightly linked to brand image, any negative publicity from a controversial hire could have ripple effects on university enrollment and donor relations.

Where Colorado Stands Now

At the time of the editorial’s release, Colorado had not officially named a new head coach. The university’s athletic director announced that a “comprehensive evaluation” would take place, looking at coaching philosophies, recruiting histories, and cultural fit. The question is whether the institution will heed CBS Sports’ warning or continue down the path of high‑profile, low‑experience hires.

The network’s editorial suggests that the Buffaloes should consider candidates with proven college experience—perhaps a mid‑tier program’s successful coach or a seasoned assistant with a track record of turning programs around. The underlying message is clear: the university’s next move could define the program’s trajectory for at least the next decade.

As Colorado weighs its options, the football community is watching closely, ready to see if the university will heed the warning or gamble on a controversial coach. Either way, the decision will reverberate far beyond the sidelines, affecting the lives of athletes, alumni, and the university’s brand on a national stage.