UNLV coordinator Brennan Marion back for encore: ‘We have something good here’

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Friday, April 5, 2024 | 2 a.m.

Brennan Marion is in the driver’s seat.

As UNLV wraps spring practice and prepares to host its scrimmage showcase Saturday at Allegiant Stadium, the team’s second-year offensive coordinator is feeling confident about his squad — and his patented go-go offense. In fact, Marion is so happy with the progress he has seen on the practice field over the past month, he’s expanding the playbook.

After a morning practice this week, the 36-year-old detailed his plan to give the players as much as they can handle.

“We’ve been trying to drown them, give them as much information as possible to work on through the finish of the spring and the summer,” Marion said. “It’s been a heavy install, and the guys have done a good job of trying to execute the plan and the new stuff that we’ve given them.”

The way he teaches is the way Marion wants his players to play. More. Bigger. Faster.

Marion’s one-of-a-kind system was a smash hit in 2023. Working with an overhauled roster, he instituted his explosive, run-first offense and UNLV had immediate success, scoring 40 points in four consecutive games — a first for the program — as the Scarlet and Gray ran out to a 5-1 start.

By the time the ride was over, UNLV had finished in a tie for the Mountain West regular-season title, hosted the MWC championship game and played in a bowl for the first time in 11 years. Marion’s offense ranked No. 2 in the nation in rushing touchdowns and No. 17 in scoring.

So why tinker with success? Why the need to add even more wrinkles to an offensive scheme that left opponents utterly confused and grasping at air last season?

“We’re always trying to figure out, how do we lift up the trophy?” Marion said. “Obviously what we did last year wasn’t enough to lift up the trophy, so we needed to add more things, and we had to adapt our system now to who our new quarterbacks are.”

Marion’s point about the quarterback situation is salient, but even that could be considered nitpicking. Injuries forced UNLV to change quarterbacks midstream in 2023, with freshman Jayden Maiava assuming the job in Week 3, and there was no drop-off. Maiava excelled after being elevated, passing for 3,085 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, Maiava was so good for UNLV that he wound up the prize in an NIL bidding war between Georgia and USC shortly after the season ended. He eventually committed to USC, leaving Marion to tailor the offense to the next guy’s strengths. Senior transfer Hajj-Malik Williams (Campbell) and junior Cameron Friel took most of the snaps during spring practice, and heralded senior transfer Matt Sluka (Holy Cross) is set to join the team for fall camp.

It could have been worse. UNLV’s high-powered offense made Marion himself one of the hottest names once the coaching carousel fired up, with power conference teams interested in poaching him as an offensive coordinator and midmajors eyeing him for head coaching jobs.

He interviewed for San Diego State’s open head coach position, which eventually went to former Kent State coach Sean Lewis.

When the music stopped, Marion said he was glad to be back at UNLV, where Barry Odom gives him the freedom to run his offense the way he envisions.

Marion said his turn on the carousel was enlightening and would inform his decision-making process on the next go-round.

“I’m not interested in going somewhere where I have to change or be different than what got me to this point,” he said. “For me, being out here in this coaching search or being the hot name, there’s a lot of things that people bring to your attention. But for me, I’m just not interested in going somewhere where I don’t get the same level of autonomy that coach Odom gives me.”

Odom understands that Marion is going to be a head coach, and sooner rather than later. To prepare him for that next step, Odom is taking on a mentorship role, taking care to expand the scope of Marion's job.

“I try to be very, very active in that role,” Odom said. “I want to try to give them a foundational approach of running a program. You’ve got to open your eyes. Not only just coaching the linebackers or the safeties, but you’ve got to see things big-picture.”

In addition to the ground-level aspects of the job, Marion credited Odom for helping him navigate the offseason shuffle.

“Barry Odom, anytime an opportunity came up he was always willing to talk to me about it, go through it with me, help me if I had any questions or needed anything. Or if he knew anybody at the schools, he was willing to call for me. That’s just unheard of in college football, so I really appreciate him for that.”

Odom takes pride in nurturing his coaching tree, citing the way his mentors helped develop him from a position coach to a Division I head coach.

“If we can continue to have success, guys will have opportunities to be head coaches,” Odom said. “Our coaches, I want them all to stay, but if they’ve got aspirations to move upward and onward, then I want to be a resource for them. I think that’s important for my role. Gary Pinkel did that for me years and years ago when I was an assistant for him at the University of Missouri. He didn’t have to do that, but he did. He put me in a position of program management that really helped me develop, and I’m sure thankful for that.”

It didn't happen this offseason, but Marion is surely ticketed to take over his own program in the near future. Despite the questions at quarterback, the go-go is a player-friendly system that seems designed to produce no matter who’s handling the ball.

Last year, the team’s top three running backs split carries and combined to rush for 1,718 yards and 28 touchdowns on 4.9 yards per carry. If and until defenses catch up, Marion’s scheme is going to light up the scoreboard, and that’s going to make him a leading candidate.

But he’ll deal with that next offseason. For now, Marion is focused on the spring game and making sure his players are executing at top speed.

If the Scarlet and Gray can handle the expanded playbook, Year 2 of the go-go offense could be a blur.

“This year is the year,” Marion said. “We’ve got to go get it, go make it happen. And then at the end of the year, you look at what pops up after you do all the things that you take care of each day.

“I think we have something good here right now. It’s time to lock in and get this done.”

Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.