Brennan Marion Sounds Off On DeAndre Moore Jr. Addition

In the first week of Colorado Buffaloes’ fall camp, new offensive coordinator Brennan Marion is already drawing attention after offering high praise for wide receiver DeAndre Moore Jr., whose departure from Texas became a hot topic of conversation earlier this summer.

Moore, who spent three seasons at Texas before transferring to Boulder this offseason, was originally recruited by Marion while serving as the Longhorns’ wide receivers coach. The two never had the opportunity to collaborate in Austin, however, as Marion departed for UNLV before Moore arrived on campus.

Now reunited in Boulder, Marion made it clear during the first week of fall camp that he believes Colorado landed more than just another talented receiver, offering a much different perspective on Moore than the one that surfaced out of Austin earlier this summer.

An Immediate Connection

When Marion was asked what it meant to finally coach Moore after recruiting him to Texas, he spoke about the immediate connection they’ve shared since the recruiting process.

“Yeah, he’s just family. From the first day that we met, we just hit it off,” Marion said during a press conference. “And it’s not just him; it’s his entire family, so I’m excited for him to be here.”

For Marion, a former collegiate wide receiver himself, the connection has always been personal. Now, after missing the opportunity to coach Moore in Austin, the two finally have the chance to work together in Boulder.

Steve Sarkisian’s Comments on Ongoing Transfers

While Marion is excited to have Moore in Boulder, earlier this summer, Texas Coach Steve Sarkisian explained that the Longhorns had to make roster decisions that required them to move on from several talented players, including Moore.

“To make the moves we make, to bring in a Cam Coleman, to bring in a Hollywood Smothers, to bring in a Raleek Brown, to bring in a Mike Masunas at tight end; we had to let DeAndre Moore go,” Sarkisian said on The Paul Finebaum Show. “We had to let Parker Livingstone, Tre Wisner, and CJ Baxter go.”

Sarkisian’s comments implied that Moore and several others were shown the door in Austin to help reshape the roster around star quarterback Arch Manning.

“We had to let some pretty good players leave to create the cap space to bring those guys in,” he said. “I think strategically, there were some tough decisions to make. But we made them. I think we all can agree that we’re probably better around Arch today than we were a year ago at this time.”

The comments quickly made the rounds online, prompting Moore to repost a graphic of the quote on social media with three yawning emojis.

Brennan Marion’s Response

Marion never specifically mentioned the Longhorns or Sarkisian by name, but when he was asked what he likes about Moore, he didn’t hide who he was talking about when he pointed directly to Moore’s track record.

“People can say what they want, but when he was on certain teams, he helped people win,” Marion said.

Last season, Moore became one of quarterback Arch Manning’s most reliable targets, hauling in 38 receptions for 532 yards and four touchdowns while helping Texas to a 10-3 season.

And with the loss of Omarion Miller, Colorado’s leading receiver last season, Moore’s proven production will certainly be needed. However, Marion believes Moore’s greatest value isn’t the production he brings to the field. It’s the qualities that don’t show up on the stat sheet.

“I’m glad he’s on our team because he knows how to lead, he knows how to win, and every team that kid has been on they’ve been a winner,” Marion said. “People think that leadership only comes from the quarterback room or the head coach… receivers can lead as well, and he’s one of those guys.”

For a Colorado team desperate to claw its way back into Big 12 contention after last season’s disappointing 3-9 finish, adding a player like Moore, who knows how to win and can show younger players how a winner moves, could be invaluable to reestablishing the winning attitude that players like Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter brought to Boulder.

Marion also described Moore as the type of player willing to contribute in every phase of the game while also holding teammates accountable when necessary.

“He’s going to try to play every special teams,” Marion said. “He’s going to try to do everything right. He’s going to show up every day. He’s going to work hard, and he’s going to say something when he sees something … if you want to be a leader, you actually have to have confrontational moments sometimes … and he’s done that every single day that he’s been here.”

While Sarkisian and Texas seem confident in the decisions they made this offseason, Coach Marion sounds just as confident in what Colorado gained.

Now, if Moore can pair his proven production with the leadership Marion described, Colorado may have landed one of its most important offseason additions needed to reestablish a winning culture in Boulder.

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