Tad Boyle (left) is introduced as the 18th head coach in University of Colorado at Boulder men's basketball history by athletic director Mike Bohn on Monday evening outside of the Coors Events Center. (CU Independent/Patrick Ghidossi)
The wait is over. There is a new big man on campus, and his name is Tad Boyle.
Colorado athletic director Mike Bohn announced the hiring of the University of Northern Colorado head basketball coach to the same position at CU in a news conference on Monday afternoon outside the Coors Event Center.
“It is with great pleasure and honor and pride that I introduce the next men’s basketball coach here at the University of Colorado, Tad Boyle,” Bohn said as part of his opening statement.
Bohn then reiterated what he said many of Boyle’s supporters already believed.
“Poised leadership says an awful lot about Tad Boyle,” Bohn said. “There is no question to me that [he] represents everything that is right about college basketball. He cares deeply about his players.”
“If you want to talk about someone with an industrious work ethic, that’s Tad Boyle; he has a competitive edge.”
There was a substantial crowd present surrounding the podium next to the buffalo statue. When the new coach finally approached the podium, he was welcomed with unanimous applause from the crowd.
Boyle paused a moment to take in the music, the TV cameras and, most importantly, the excited faces.
“Wow,” Boyle said. “That’s all I have to say is wow. I’m humbled and honored to be here; for a guy who grew up in Greeley, Colorado to be standing here as the head coach at the University of Colorado is surreal for me. I cannot tell you how excited I am to be here.”
Boyle replaces Jeff Bzdelik, who was introduced last week as the new head coach at Wake Forest. He will be the 18th head basketball coach in CU history.
Much speculation circulated in recent days about Bohn, along with the rest of the selection committee, potentially promoting current associate head coach Steve McClain to the position. It was a move some players on the team openly backed.
But the committee opted for a new hire who, along with a new practice facility, could bring new excitement to the community for a young team on the brink of an NCAA tournament berth.
Despite being relatively unknown around campus, Boyle is a product of the state of Colorado. He hails from Greeley and played high school hoops for Greeley Central high school, where he helped lead the school to a state championship in 1981.
Boyle returns to Boulder, where he lived before his coaching career started, having led the UNC Bears to a 56-66 overall record in four years, including a school record 25 wins last season with a second place finish in the Big Sky conference.
Bohn lauded the fact that Boyle essentially turned the program at UNC around in four years. He made special note of how the Bears’ RPI rating skyrocketed from 336th in the country when Boyle took over, up to 124th in 2010, which was only one position behind CU.
“When he took over [at UNC] he inherited a job that was dead last in the nation,” Bohn said. “To go from 336 to 124 is an eye-opener for us.”
Boyle won the Big Sky coach of the year award in 2010 where his Bears nearly upset Oklahoma, losing by only one point in the final seconds.
Prior to coaching in Greeley, Boyle was the assistant coach at Oregon (1994-’97), director of basketball operations at Tennessee (’97-’98), assistant coach at Jacksonville State (’98-’00) and Wichita State (’00-’06) where they reached the Sweet 16 one year.
While the Big Sky is a smaller, less competitive conference, Boyle is no stranger to the Big 12. He played his collegiate ball at the University of Kansas during the 1980s under the tutelage of legendary basketball coach Larry Brown, who reportedly endorsed Boyle for the job at CU.
One of the key motivating factors for speeding up the hiring process is the fact that offseason recruiting for next year had already begun at around the same time that Bzdelik chose to leave, and the Buffaloes are in dire need of some big men on the roster.
The Buffs have already lost out on some notable potential recruits such as seven-foot center and junior-college transfer Aziz N’diaye, a four-star rated recruit who at one time considered CU, but instead signed with Washington, according to Scout.com.
But Boyle said he was not too worried with the short-notice recruiting assignment on which he is about to embark.
“One of the philosophies I’m going to have with this program is that we’re going to get better every day,” Boyle said. “We’re trying to find big guys at this time. We’re going to salvage the best we can here late.”
While Boyle’s coaching staff is yet to be determined, he acknowledged that it is a top priority along with getting better acquainted with the student-athletes and hitting the recruiting trail.
Boyle wrapped up his inaugural address with a promise to all CU fans:
“My vision for Colorado basketball is one that is going to make us competitive in one of the best conferences in the country. I will not sleep, I will not do anything until that goal is accomplished. Go Buffaloes! I’m going to try to make you proud,” Boyle said.
As Boyle continued his rally cry to the crowd of onlookers, a large wind gust hit him from the back.
“I forgot that we’re in Boulder,” Boyle said.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Gino Figlio at Gino.figlio@colorado.edu.
