Colorado football has finally found an innovative playcaller to lead its offense and when you dig a little deeper, the fit seems like something out of a storybook. Brennan Marion, once a kid in Pennsylvania rocking the full Deion Sanders’ outfit (jersey, gloves and durag), is now Colorado’s offensive coordinator under his childhood idol.

Marion, 38, was hired away from Sacramento State to inject new life into a program that finished 3-9, consistently failing to get the most out of an offense that had a boatload of talented skill players. His Go-Go offense will hopefully give Colorado the jolt it desperately needs. Beyond the scheme, it’s the connection between Marion and Sanders that is even more intriguing.

In an interview with USA TODAY Sports, multiple members of Marion’s family chimed in on the news, including how Marion himself was enthralled with Sanders from a young age.

In 2008, Marion was a senior at Tulsa and listed Sanders as his childhood idol in Tulsa football’s media guide. But his connection to Sanders goes back even further. His mom told USA TODAY Sports that at his 8th birthday, the cake said “Neon Brennan” on it, referring to Deion’s nickname, “Neon Deion.” Even earlier this year, Marion posted multiple messages on social media praising Sanders’ success at Colorado, telling him he remained “the standard.”

Sanders, an active participant on social media, didn’t respond to those messages, but perhaps they prompted him to consider hiring the young playcaller.

Now, the two cowboy hat-wearing coaches will team up in Boulder, trying to turn Colorado back into a national power.

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This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Brennan Marion joins Colorado football as an idol of Deion Sanders