BOULDER — Tad Boyle stood in the back of the Dal Ward Athletic Center on Monday for the introductory news conference of Karl Dorrell, the fifth Colorado head football coach over the past 10 seasons, during which time Boyle has led the Buffaloes men’s basketball program.
As he listened to Dorrell talk about his “dream job” and his ties to CU, Boyle started to think this hire might actually stick around for a while.
“We lost a good coach (Mel Tucker), but I think we replaced him with a really good coach,” Boyle said. “I’m really impressed with his demeanor, how solid he is. It’s exciting for the program and university.”
Tucker’s unexpected exit to Michigan State left the Buffs scrambling for a replacement, and 12 days later, CU plucked Dorrell from his role as wide receivers/assistant head coach with the Miami Dolphins. Dorrell had twice previously been a CU assistant (1992-93 and 1995-98), so he knows the local landscape.
Brian Cabral, a former Buffs linebacker and longtime CU assistant coach who worked with Dorrell in the past, was thrilled with the hire.
“I love everything about Karl,” said Cabral, who was at the news conference. “He and I worked together for several years here, and I loved him then. Seeing as he’s got head coaching experience and he’s been in the NFL, he brings a lot more back with him. … When players get to know him and trust him, they’ll run through a brick wall for him.”
Barry Remington, CU’s all-time leading tackler (493) from 1982-86, did not play during Dorrell’s stints on staff, but it was their shared connection through legendary head coach Bill McCartney that lent credibility to Dorrell’s message Monday that he wants to be here long term.
“I loved it,” Remington said. “He speaks from the heart. This isn’t just a steppingstone for him, it’s a dream come true. Being that I’m a Colorado guy, I buy into all of that. When he talks about the heartbeat of the state in recruiting, that’s how it was when Mac was here. When you have a good program, you’re going to have that going for you.”
Cabral rejoined the team last summer in a volunteer role that Tucker described as a “character coach and spiritual mentor.” It allowed Cabral inside access to CU’s momentum surge in 2019, Tucker’s stunning overnight departure, and now the start of a new era.
Public opinion, it seems, will take serious convincing about why Dorrell’s college football resume makes him the right fit for CU. Dorrell was the head coach at UCLA for five years and went 35-27 with five bowl games before being fired. Cabral is convinced CU won’t suffer a slump in its quick transition from Tucker to Dorrell.
“We got better at the end of the season, so we just need to be consistently that (good) all year through the whole season,” Cabral said. “We made a lot of progress last year. Most head coaches are taking over a program in trouble. This feels very similar to when Rick Neuheisel took over for Bill McCartney. You’re going to take it where it’s already going.”
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