One of the nation’s most highly regarded assistants, Brennan Marion is the architect of the innovative “Go-Go Offense,” which led him to earning Mountain West Wire Coordinator of the Year honors and being a nominee for the prestigious Broyles Award in just his first season at UNLV. The initial results with the Rebels were stunning: a school-record six games scoring 40+ points, including four consecutively; scored at least 24 points in a school-record 10 straight games and record 12 overall; tied with Oregon and Old Dominion for the national lead in touchdown drives under a minute with 11, including posting three touchdown drives under 10 seconds in a win at New Mexico; finished sixth in the nation in third-down conversions at 49.3%, posting more third-down conversions than any team in the country with 101; tied for eighth in the nation for red-zone offense at 93.1%; and finished 22nd in the nation in scoring with 34.4 points per game -- the second most in school history and most since 1980.
The Mountain West Regular-Season Co-Champion offense boasted a First Team All-American in wide receiver Ricky White III, a Mountain West Freshman of the Year in quarterback Jayden Maiava and a rookie who led the nation among all freshmen in rushing touchdowns with 12 in Jai’Den Thomas as part of a school-record 39 overall rushing scores.
Marion came to campus from the University of Texas where he served the 2022 season as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach. The Longhorns finished with a top 25 scoring offense (34.5 PPG) while Marion tutored Big 12 Conference receiving touchdowns leader Xavier Worthy, who became the 28th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Before moving to Austin, Marion coached 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner Jordan Addison at the University of Pittsburgh. The nation’s top wideout was a consensus first team All-American after setting a school single-season record with 100 catches for 1,593 yards and an FBS-leading 17 touchdowns. He would become a first round NFL Draft pick by the Minnesota Vikings.
UNLV marks Marion’s second stop in the Mountain West as he served as wide receivers coach at the University of Hawaii in 2020. On the islands, he oversaw the development of All-MW receiver Calvin Turner who was named the New Mexico Bowl Most Outstanding Offensive Player after compiling 252 all-purpose yards and scoring two touchdowns in the Rainbow Warriors’ 28-14 win over Houston.
In 2019, Marion was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at William & Mary, where he dramatically improved the Tribe’s production in every major statistical category. William & Mary nearly doubled its scoring average while its total offensive output increased by almost 100 yards per contest.
Marion’s first Division I coaching opportunity came at Howard University, where he posted two exceptional seasons (2017-18) as the Bisons’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In 2017, quarterback Caylin Newton was named the MEAC Rookie of the Year after becoming the first freshman in conference history to surpass 3,000 yards of total offense (3,185). Marion’s offense sparked Howard to a 7-4 record in 2017, including a memorable 43-40 win over UNLV at Sam Boyd Stadium in the season opener.
Before Marion coached the running backs at Oklahoma Baptist University in 2016 hespent the 2015 season in the Pac-12 Conference as an offensive quality control assistant at Arizona State.
A 2009 graduate of Tulsa, Marion was a record-setting receiver for the Golden Hurricane. In two seasons at Tulsa (2007-08), he compiled 2,356 yards on 82 receptions with 19 touchdowns. He was a two-time All-Conference USA selection and the 2007 C-USA Newcomer of the Year. Marion set NCAA records for yards per catch in both a season (31.9 in 2007) and a career (28.7).
Prior to Tulsa, he was a standout at De Anza College. In 2006, he led California’s junior colleges with 1,196 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns on 60 receptions. Following his collegiate playing career, Marion signed free agent contracts with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, as well as the Canadian Football League’s Montreal Alouettes.
A native of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Marion was a four-year letterman in three different sports (football, basketball and track) at Greensburg Salem High School. Marion has three children, Mariah, Brennan and Melrose.
MARION’S COACHING FILE
2023-PR UNLV – Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks
2022 Texas – Passing Game Coordinator, Wide Receivers
2021 Pittsburgh – Wide Receivers
2020 Hawai’i – Wide Receivers
2019 William & Mary – Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks
2017-18 Howard – Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks
2016 Oklahoma Baptist – Running Backs
2015 Arizona State – Offensive Quality Control Assistant
2014 Waynesboro Area (PA) HS – Head Coach
2013 St. Patrick-St. Vincent (CA) HS – Head Coach
2012 The Harker School (CA) HS – Wide Receivers
2011 West Valley (CA) CC – Wide Receivers
