Colorado University Athletics
Football
Brett Bartolone
- Title:
- Offensive Pass Game Coordinator/Tight Ends
Brett Bartolone was named the wide receivers coach by Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders on Dec. 12, 2022 and after one season coaching the wide receivers, moved to coach the tight ends beginning in 2024 and in 2025 added the title of offensive pass game coordinator. The final five games of the 2025 season, he was the primary play caller for the CU offense.
In 2023, he oversaw a talented receiver corp that included future Heisman Trophy Winner Travis Hunter and two other future NFL players in Xavier Weaver and Jimmy Horn Jr. Weaver led the charge that season with 68 catches for 908 yards and 4 TDs while Horn Jr. had 58 catches for 567 yards and 6 touchdowns and Hunter compiled 57 catches for 721 yards and 5 touchdowns. Â
In 2025, he tutored the likes of Zach Atkins and Brady Kopetz and oversaw a youth movement at the position with the addition of Zayne DeSouza, Corbin Laisure and Charlie Williams, all of which played roles on special teams throughout the season. Atkins became a bigger part of the offense as the season wore on and finished with 17 catches for 125 yards. Â
Bartolone came to the Buffs from Jackson State, where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2022 season. In his one season at Jackson State, he mentored Shedeur Sanders to the league's MVP honors. Shedeur Sanders completed 314-of-448 passes for 3,403 yards and 36 touchdowns to just six interceptions on the season, while also running for 175 yards and five touchdowns rushing.Â
Jackson State featured the 10th best passing offense in the FCS and ranked 12th for pass efficiency. Sanders ranked fifth nationally in passing yards per game and total offense, third in touchdown passes and 11th in pass efficiency while also ranking fourth in points responsible per game with an average of 21.0 per game.
Prior to Jackson State, Bartolone was an offensive analyst and assistant quarterbacks coach for the University of Nevada, where the Wolfpack had the fourth-ranked passing offense and 15th-ranked scoring offense in the nation in 2021. Bartolone coached Carson Strong to back-to-back Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2020-21. Strong broke the program record with 36 passing touchdowns in 2021.Â
In 2018-19, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Carleton College, where the Knicks quarterback led their conference and finished in the top 10 nationally in completions per game. He spent the 2017 season at St. Lawrence University serving as the quarterbacks coach when Sean Richardson was named honorable mention on the All-Liberty League team.Â
His first stint as an offensive coordinator came in France with the Flash Football Club, where he led the team to the French National Championship and a No. 1 ranking in France and No. 10 in Europe. His offense there averaged 31.6 points per game.
His first full-time job came at Whittier College in Los Angeles, where he was the wide receivers coach in 2016.Â
Very familiar with the Pac-12, Bartolone learned the Air Raid offense under one of it's creators, Mike Leach, while playing at Washington State. He was a member of Leach's first recruiting class at Wazzu and was named a Freshman All-American and All-Pac-12 honorable mention after leading the Cougars in receptions as a true freshman.Â
Injuries derailed his playing career, but Bartolone stayed on as a student coach, assisting with the wide receivers and the offensive coaching staff, which included a Sun Bowl win in 2015.Â
He graduated from Washington State in 2016 with a degree in Sports Management and minor in Business.
He attended high school at La Habra High School in La Habra, Calif., where led LHHS to four straight league titles and three CIF championships. LHHS had a 45-10 record in his four years when he was all-area and all-league three times and the league's offensive player of the year as a senior. He also played basketball and ran track in high school.Â
Â
In 2023, he oversaw a talented receiver corp that included future Heisman Trophy Winner Travis Hunter and two other future NFL players in Xavier Weaver and Jimmy Horn Jr. Weaver led the charge that season with 68 catches for 908 yards and 4 TDs while Horn Jr. had 58 catches for 567 yards and 6 touchdowns and Hunter compiled 57 catches for 721 yards and 5 touchdowns. Â
In 2025, he tutored the likes of Zach Atkins and Brady Kopetz and oversaw a youth movement at the position with the addition of Zayne DeSouza, Corbin Laisure and Charlie Williams, all of which played roles on special teams throughout the season. Atkins became a bigger part of the offense as the season wore on and finished with 17 catches for 125 yards. Â
Bartolone came to the Buffs from Jackson State, where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the 2022 season. In his one season at Jackson State, he mentored Shedeur Sanders to the league's MVP honors. Shedeur Sanders completed 314-of-448 passes for 3,403 yards and 36 touchdowns to just six interceptions on the season, while also running for 175 yards and five touchdowns rushing.Â
Jackson State featured the 10th best passing offense in the FCS and ranked 12th for pass efficiency. Sanders ranked fifth nationally in passing yards per game and total offense, third in touchdown passes and 11th in pass efficiency while also ranking fourth in points responsible per game with an average of 21.0 per game.
Prior to Jackson State, Bartolone was an offensive analyst and assistant quarterbacks coach for the University of Nevada, where the Wolfpack had the fourth-ranked passing offense and 15th-ranked scoring offense in the nation in 2021. Bartolone coached Carson Strong to back-to-back Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2020-21. Strong broke the program record with 36 passing touchdowns in 2021.Â
In 2018-19, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Carleton College, where the Knicks quarterback led their conference and finished in the top 10 nationally in completions per game. He spent the 2017 season at St. Lawrence University serving as the quarterbacks coach when Sean Richardson was named honorable mention on the All-Liberty League team.Â
His first stint as an offensive coordinator came in France with the Flash Football Club, where he led the team to the French National Championship and a No. 1 ranking in France and No. 10 in Europe. His offense there averaged 31.6 points per game.
His first full-time job came at Whittier College in Los Angeles, where he was the wide receivers coach in 2016.Â
Very familiar with the Pac-12, Bartolone learned the Air Raid offense under one of it's creators, Mike Leach, while playing at Washington State. He was a member of Leach's first recruiting class at Wazzu and was named a Freshman All-American and All-Pac-12 honorable mention after leading the Cougars in receptions as a true freshman.Â
Injuries derailed his playing career, but Bartolone stayed on as a student coach, assisting with the wide receivers and the offensive coaching staff, which included a Sun Bowl win in 2015.Â
He graduated from Washington State in 2016 with a degree in Sports Management and minor in Business.
He attended high school at La Habra High School in La Habra, Calif., where led LHHS to four straight league titles and three CIF championships. LHHS had a 45-10 record in his four years when he was all-area and all-league three times and the league's offensive player of the year as a senior. He also played basketball and ran track in high school.Â
Â
| Years | Position |
| 2016 | Whittier College (WR) |
| 2017 | St. Lawrence (OC/QB) |
| 2018-19 | Carleton College (OC/QB) |
| 2020-21 | Nevada (QC/QB) |
| 2022 | Jackson State (OC/QB) |
| 2023-p | Colorado (WR/TE/OPGC) |
Colorado Football Postgame Press Conference
Saturday, November 29
Mark Johnson & Gary Barnett breakdown Arizona State game | The Buffalo Stampede: Colorado Football
Sunday, November 23
Colorado Football Postgame Press Conference | Arizona State
Sunday, November 23
Mark Johnson & Gary Barnett recap the game at WVU | The Buffalo Stampede: Colorado Football
Saturday, November 08
