By: Dawn Montgomery

Every now and then, I am afforded the opportunity to witness history in the making. Experiencing this moment with someone you know personally and professionally is even more rewarding. In this case, Sacramento State University has named Coach Brennan Marion as its 13th head football coach. He is the first Black man to hold that position in school history.

“I’m truly honored by the heartfelt welcome from President Luke Wood and Director of Athletics Mark Orr to be the program’s next head football coach,” Marion said. “Sacramento State is fully invested in becoming a nationally known football program, and I’ve always relished the opportunity to build and create. My family and I can’t wait to serve the student-athletes of this program and the Sacramento community. As a university, we’re going to write history and work tirelessly to build something that the community will be proud of for generations to come.”

I became familiar with Brennan Marion during his coaching days at Howard University, where he created the “Go-Go” Offense. This offense is something that he’s been able to successfully implement at other university football programs, and he’s truly a visionary. Former NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew stated, “His Go-Go Offense has changed the way teams look at every position on the field. Brennan is one of the top recruiters in the country. I know he will bring some of the best recruiters, teachers, and developers in football. What a time for Northern California college football to bring back one of their own.”

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Sacramento State’s Athletic Director Mark Orr shared, “Coach Marion is the perfect fit for our football program, our department, our university, and our community. His demonstrated success in recruiting promising student-athletes and maximizing their talents will help us return our football program to winning conference championships. I’m confident Coach Marion possesses the dynamic ability to cultivate impactful relationships with internal and external constituents surrounding Hornet football. He will lead the student-athletes in our program to reach and surpass their aspirations of achievement both on and off the field.”

Currently, Sacramento State University is the only non-HBCU D1 university with a Black athletic director, head football coach, and president. I think you need to read that again.

(Brennan Marion speaks at the press conference where he was introduced as Sacramento State’s head football coach.). Marion is the first African American ever hired to lead the Hornets. Russell Stiger Jr., OBSERVER)

The work that Sacramento State University President Dr. Luke Wood and Athletic Director Marc Orr have ahead of them will test the patience of their fans and community during this expansion. One true test is the spring game. Most people think that spring games for college football are unnecessary, but they are a showcase of what’s to come in the fall. On Sunday, April 13, I was present for Sacramento State’s spring game, and so were over 7,000 fans.

All were in attendance: students, professors, administrative and campus support staff, community leaders, and business owners, as well as over 400 recruits checking out this team and its new head coach. This number shattered the attendance record for the university’s spring game (which normally is in the hundreds), and Sacramento State has a chance to capitalize on this moment.

Currently, Sacramento State’s football team is ranked #1 in the Transfer Portal Class in FCS, and Coach Marion has tweeted that he’s willing to help players get to Sacramento to play ball. It was also announced before the spring game that Sacramento State is working to leave FCS to become FBS. ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the university is ready to take the next step.

“Sacramento State plans to file an application with the NCAA this week to transition from the FCS to the FBS in football as an independent,” Thamel reports. “The school has already filed a waiver to transition as an independent in football, which requires NCAA approval.”

Fans have to show up and support the team as they transition in this direction. Community support is crucial at this stage, and fans must be patient during this ‘rebuilding’ season.

Sacramento Observer Larry Hicks shared that “Marion is in a small circle of Black coaches who lead Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) programs.” The lack of opportunities Black coaches rarely receive in the college football space is baffling and downright disrespectful when you see how often white coaches are fired and rehired.  Our coaches deserve an opportunity to showcase their leadership on and off the field while also showing their ability to help others achieve their dreams.

To witness history-making and feel the new wave of energy at Hornet Stadium was something I will never forget. Sacramento State University President Dr. Luke Wood shared with me, “We are excited about what’s to come, and as you can see, the community has shown up for us. It’s important that we continue to work with local media like the Sacramento Observer so that we can share not only what’s happening here but also our stories. It’s crucial to our growth, and I feel like our students and fans feel the shift happening.”

Shouts out to the Sacramento Observer newsroom for keeping us informed on what’s happening in their city.

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