Starbucks stores in Boulder are typically open before the sun rises, and even that’s not too early for Chris Marve lately.
Hired by head coach Deion Sanders in December as Colorado’s linebackers coach, Marve was promoted to defensive coordinator on Feb. 25 when Robert Livingston left to take a job with the Denver Broncos.
“I’ve drank a lot of coffee,” Marve said Wednesday, only a week after his promotion. “Starbucks and the person who opens the door, me and them are best friends right now, and it’ll probably continue to be that way for a while and that’s OK.”
Marve’s promotion came just five days before the Buffs opened spring practices, so he is, in a sense, hitting the ground running.
“There’ll be some overlap for sure,” he said of his philosophy compared to that of Livingston, who had coordinated the Buffs’ defense the past two years. “Certainly there’ll also be some things that I’ll bring with me from my past that I thought were extremely effective, but also helped us play fast and helped us play with a certain mentality that showed up on tape for the guys to be successful and feel like they’re playing together and that they can play aggressively.
“So, there’ll be some overlap, but also some unique nuances and distinctions between what was on tape a year ago.”
A three-time second-team All-SEC linebacker at Vanderbilt from 2009-11, Marve got his start in coaching at Vandy from 2014-18. He then coached linebackers at Mississippi State (2019) and Florida State (2020-21) before a three-year run (2022-24) as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Virginia Tech.
At Tech, Marve’s defense allowed 24.7 points in 2022 (54th nationally), improving upon that in 2023 (23.9, 51st) and 2024 (22.8, 39th). However, the Hokies lost three of their last four games in the regular season in 2024, while giving up late leads in multiple games, leading to Marve getting dismissed.
Still getting paid by Tech last year, Marve was out of coaching, but not removed from the game.
“I had a year to think about (lessons from Virginia Tech),” he said. “I learned how to be a better teacher. I did a lot of stuff in the offseason. I did internships in the NFL with the (Los Angeles) Rams and the (Arizona) Cardinals. I visited a bunch of different programs, because you have access now when you don’t have a logo on your chest. So, I got to see a lot of different things that challenged some things that I thought, but also really reinforced some things that I fundamentally believed in and still believe in. If you’re not adapting in this game, then you’re going to die. So, I learned that adapting is imperative.”
Marve said the Buffs’ defense will look different than his defense did at Virginia Tech, but his general philosophy hasn’t changed.
“First of all, it’s mindset,” he said. “How you approach the game, playing together as a unit. Certainly, you need to be situationally very efficient to exceptional. When I say situationally, I’m talking third down, talking red zone, talking understanding personnel and how offenses are attacking you. So, being really smart, playing extremely fast and aggressive, playing with tremendous effort, but also playing as a unit.”
Marve said it’ll take all 11 players on defense performing as a unit.
“That’s what it takes in order for us to be successful,” he said. “You can fix a lot of problems on defense with effort, with mindset and the style of play, as opposed to the structural things that you’re doing.”
A change at coordinator less than a week before spring practices is not ideal. Linebacker Tyler Martinez said it has led to the players learning a few new things in the past week, but Marve has already made a strong impression.
“He’ll demand excellence out of you,” linebacker Liona Lefau said. “I appreciate that because, at the end of the day, we’re all trying to be the best version of ourselves.”
Marve is leading that effort as CU’s defense aims to improve upon last year, while doing so with almost an entirely new set of players, as well as new coaches.
“I like the challenge, I like the opportunity,” Marve said. “Coach Prime and the rest of the administrative staff have done a tremendous job with the humans and men that are in that room. So, man, it’s a good challenge and I’m embracing it.”