Tag: Robert Livingston

Robert Livingston’s Colorado defense striving for consistency down the stretch

Robert Livingston hopes to see more consistency from his defense

Led by first-year coordinator Robert Livingston, Colorado football’s improved defense is a large reason why the Buffs are sitting 6-2.

While Livingston’s unit has been susceptible to allowing big plays, it has done more than enough to take the pressure off Colorado’s offense. Through eight games, the Buffs’ defense ranks sixth among Big 12 teams in points allowed per game (22.0), first in sacks (22) and second in fumbles recovered (seven).

Still, Livingston wants his defense to become more consistent, especially in stopping the run.

“Each week we gotta stop the run,” Livingston said Wednesday. “There’s been some good weeks, there’s been some bad weeks. Football 101, right? Stop the run and protect the runner, you should feel pretty good about life. And then just consistency. I think we still live on this roller coaster — great play, bad play, great play. Let’s just live right here in the middle. I’m excited. It’s a testament to the guys. There’s a great look in their eyes. Success breeds that. Let’s not lie to each other. Let’s finish it off.”

Colorado’s defense will face arguably its greatest challenge of the season in Week 11 against Texas Tech, which leads the Big 12 in points scored per game (38.1).

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LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green taking charge as CU’s ‘enforcers’

LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green might have a new nickname

The Colorado Buffaloes’ defense has enjoyed a resurgence this season after a rough 2023. While CU has lost depth at the position because of players redshirting, starting inside linebackers LaVonta Bentley and Nikhai Hill-Green have stepped up.

Bentley is navigating his second season with the Buffs and has already racked up 19 total tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. After transferring in from Charlotte this past offseason, Hill-Green is second on the team with 32 total tackles and owns one sack. Both players are former blue-chip prospects who have flourished in Boulder.

On Tuesday, first-year CU defensive coordinator Robert Livingston described Hill-Green and Bentley as the “enforcers” of Colorado’s defense:

“It’s our job with guys like that to just get out of the way, let them read their keys and let them play fast,” Livingston said. “Their strength is they’re the enforcers. This is still a physical game and if they run between the tackles, there’s gonna be a price to pay. I can’t say enough about those two working together. Nikhai coming in really after the North Dakota State game and bringing a spark to us. Bentley’s Bentley. You love the dude, you love his energy, you love everything he brings. I’m excited we have them and excited to see the growth the rest of the year.”

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Robert Livingston explains why Colorado’s defense has thrived in the second half

Robert Livingston has impressed as a first-year defensive coordinator

Defensive coordinator Robert Livingston has been one of Colorado football’s best new hires this season, largely due to how his unit has shown the ability to make adjustments after halftime.

Through five games, no team has scored more than seven points on the Buffs’ defense in the second half. Looking at the numbers, CU has allowed 26 total points in 10 second-half quarters, an output equal to 10.4 points allowed per four quarters. Colorado’s defense may be allowing 379.6 yards per game (fifth-most in the Big 12), but Livingston’s unit has stepped up when it matters most.

Amid Colorado’s first bye week, Livingston was asked why his defense has been so difficult to score on in the second half of games:

“It’s a testament to our staff,” Livingston said. “We do a great job at halftime. Those guys come in, everybody’s got an area they work on. (Senior defensive coach) George Helow gets in front of them and talks about the run fits, (cornerbacks coach) Kevin Mathis does a great job talking about the pass concepts and I just stay out of the way. It’s a testament to the staff, the men we have here, the players. It’s not always different calls, sometimes it can be… It’s just a testament to the guys and locking in.”

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Slowing North Dakota State’s QB run game must be priority for Colorado

Both of North Dakota State’s top quarterbacks present a unique challenge for Colorado’s D

North Dakota State dual-threat quarterbacks Cam Miller and Cole Payton will each challenge Colorado football’s revamped defense during their meeting on Thursday evening.

Miller (6-foot-1, 212 pounds) and Payton (6-foot-3, 234 pounds) can both sling the rock but are also dangerous options to run the ball. Last season, Miller ran for 629 yards while Payton recorded 615 rushing yards, good for the second and third-most rushing yards on the team. They each found the end zone 13 times on the ground, which tied them for the team lead in rushing TDs. Slowing those two on the ground will be vital for Colorado defensive coordinator Robert Livingston’s unit.

Here’s what Livingston had to say about North Dakota State’s QB rushing game:

“They make you play 11-on-11,” Livingston said on Monday. “I can’t say enough about the quarterbacks. Obviously, go to their system last year. Wyoming was very similar. No. 7 (Miller) runs better than you anticipate, and No. 9 (Payton) is a phenomenal athlete. We got our hands full again when they go make it 11-on-11. We gotta tackle, we got to get off blocks and got to play fast.”

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Coach Prime speaks on decision to hire Robert Livingston as defensive coordinator

Deion Sanders opened up on why he hired Robert Livingston as Colorado’s DC

During last week’s Big 12 football media days in Las Vegas, Colorado head coach Deion Sanders opened up on his decision to hire Robert Livingston as the Buffs’ new defensive coordinator/safeties coach.

Livingston, who replaces Charles Kelly, joined Sanders’ staff in February after spending the last 12 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals. A former safety at the College of William & Mary in Virginia, he was the Bengals’ secondary coach for the last eight years.

Coach Prime shared that Livingston’s decade-plus of NFL coaching experience made him an attractive hire.

“I like the relationships and the thought process of a pro,” Sanders said at Big 12 media days. “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. His interview process and his consistency and his thought process and his relateability placed him well above the other applicants. I’m happy I made the decision. When we look back on it, first of all, 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.”

Colorado safeties who will be learning from Livingston this fall include Shilo Sanders, Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig, Carter Stoutmire, Herman Smith III and others.

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Robert Livingston shares approach to first spring camp at Colorado

Playing hard is a non-negotiable for Colorado’s newest DC

Hard work is a must in the NFL, and it’s apparent that new Colorado Buffaloes defensive coordinator Robert Livingston has brought that mindset with him.

Livingston had been with the Cincinnati Bengals since 2012 before joining head coach Deion Sanders’ staff earlier this offseason. Known for his work with the Bengals’ secondary, Livingston is getting his first crack as a defensive coordinator with the Buffs and is ensuring that work ethic won’t be an issue.

Livingston met with the media after practice on Wednesday to discuss his personnel and several other topics. There, he shared that playing hard and taking stock of Colorado’s defensive talent will be the top priorities.

“I don’t have one (a defensive philosophy). I have non-negotiables,” Livingston said. “We’ll be the hardest playing team in the country. That’s how I see it. That’s how we need to be. We’ll be great communicators and we’ll have a tribe mentality, meaning there’s no job too big and no job too small. It takes all 11. What the first huddle call is vs. North Dakota State, I couldn’t tell you. We’re going to take the offseason and we’re going to look at what we do well.”

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Colorado football assistant coaches to make record amount in 2024

Colorado’s assistant coaches will be making a record amount this year

Deion Sanders’ coaching staff will look a little different entering his second season leading the Colorado Buffaloes.

Both of last year’s coordinators and multiple position coaches have moved on, and defensive coordinator Robert Livingston, O-line coach Phil Loadholt and wide receivers coach Jason Phillips are all new to Boulder. Pat Shurmur has been promoted to full-time offensive coordinator and defensive analyst Vincent Dancy will be coaching Colorado’s outside linebackers.

With that, Coach Prime’s 2024 staff will be the highest-paid in program history. According to BuffZone, Colorado’s 10 full-time assistant coaches will be paid a “combined $4.65 million in base and supplemental salary,” up from last year’s previous record amount of $4.59 million.

Here’s how much each of Colorado football’s new/promoted assistant coaches will be making in 2024:

Contract details revealed for new Colorado DC Robert Livingston

Robert Livingston’s contract includes quite the incentive to stay in Boulder past this season

If new Colorado football defensive coordinator Robert Livingston stays with the Buffs past this upcoming season, he’ll become the highest-paid assistant coach in program history — barring any other significant hires.

USA TODAY Sports reporter Brent Schrotenboer revealed on Friday that Livingston signed a two-year contract last week that has him getting paid $800,000 in 2024 and $995,000 in 2025. As Schrotenboer pointed out, Livingston’s contract incentivizes him to remain in Boulder for more than one season, which would have him earning that record salary of just under $1 million.

Livingston, 38, joins head coach Deion Sanders’ staff after spending the past eight seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals’ secondary coach. There, the former William & Mary safety mentored standout defensive backs such as Jessie Bates III, Vonn Bell and Cam Taylor-Britt. This upcoming season will be his first as a defensive coordinator at any level.

Other new names joining Coach Prime’s staff include Jason Phillips (wide receivers) and Phil Loadholt (O-line).

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What Colorado’s defense could look like under Robert Livingston

Here’s what the hiring of Robert Livingston means for Colorado’s D:

As confirmed by BuffZone, Colorado football head coach Deion Sanders has hired former Cincinnati Bengals secondary coach Robert Livingston as his new defensive coordinator.

So, with Livingston now coming to Boulder, what will he bring to CU’s defense? Livingston has spent most of his coaching career with the Bengals, but he did spend two years in the college ranks before joining Cincinnati as a scout in 2012. We’ll have to wait and see what he brings to the recruiting front besides NFL connections.

Colorado is getting a heck of an X’s and O’s type of coach, and the team’s defensive backs should be jumping for joy as well. With the Bengals, Livingston helped develop premier NFL safeties Jessie Bates III and Vonn Bell. Expect to see Buffs DBs such as Shilo Sanders, Trevor Woods and Myles Slusher take a step forward under his tutelage.

We should also see a lot of four-man fronts moving forward on the Buffs’ defensive line. From the film I found, Livingston played in a 4-3 defense as a safety at William & Mary, and the Bengals have played in that base defense for as long as I can remember. If Livingston does roll out a 4-3 defense, that would speak well of his confidence in Colorado’s improved D-line.

Last season, Livingston’s Cincinnati secondary produced plenty of game-changing plays, too. The Bengals finished the season with 17 interceptions, including four from Cam Taylor-Britt.

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Social media reacts to Colorado’s expected defensive coordinator hire

How do you feel about Colorado’s expected DC hire?

Keeping track of head coach Deion Sanders and the Colorado football team is never boring.

On Wednesday, the Buffs signed a new linebacker and Coach Prime announced a new partnership on Instagram. But the biggest news of the day came when Ian Rapoport reported that Colorado is expected to hire Robert Livingston as its new defensive coordinator.

After playing college football at William & Mary, Livingston worked his way up from a scout to an assistant coach with the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. Now, it appears he will be leading Sanders’ defensive unit next season.

Here’s how social media reacted to Colorado’s expected DC hire: