Deion Sanders and Colorado are set to lose another key member of the coaching staff. Per Sports Illustrated's Buffs Beat, Director of Quality Control Dennis Thurman is set to leave the Buffaloes to become the defensive coordinator at Hawaii.

Thurman, 67, teamed up with Sanders when he was selected as coach of Jackson State in 2020 and served as Defensive Coordinator for the Tigers. He stayed alongside Sanders when he assumed the position of Colorado head football coach in 2022, joining the program as Director of Quality Control.

Thurman has a wealth of experience at the college and NFL level. He served as defensive backs coach at USC from 1993-2000 before a stint in the NFL with the Baltimore Ravens from 2002-2007 as a defensive assistant and defensive backs coach. He coached Sanders during Sanders's time in Baltimore from 2004-2005. He then departed the Ravens to join the New York Jets as defensive backs coach then defensive coordinator from 2008-2014, then Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator from 2015-2016.

Thurman's departure will certainly leave a void in the Buffaloes's coaching staff, as they lose his valuable knowledge and varied experiences at the college and pro level. He is the latest staffer to leave Colorado, joining Sean Lewis who is now the head coach of San Diego State, and Charles Kelly who is now co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach at his alma mater Auburn.

Sanders has, however, been proactive in filling the vacancies with big-time hires. He brought on former NFL offensive lineman Phil Loadholt to serve as offensive lines coach and made a huge hire by securing Florida A&M Director of Recruitment Devin Rispress amid the Rattlers coaching shakeup after head coach Willie Simmons departed the program to become running back coach at Duke.