The Colorado Buffaloes quickly found themselves on the coaching hunt after the stunning turn of events with Mark Dantonio's sudden retirement leading to Mel Tucker leaving Colorado after one 5-7 season to coach in the Big Ten with Michigan State. The Pac-12 club officially moved on Saturday, hiring Miami Dolphins assistant coach Karl Dorrell as their next head coach. Dorrell has spent the last few years in the AFC East at the NFL level, being an assistant coach for both the Dolphins and briefly the New York Jets.
Dorrell does have experience coaching at the college level and in the Pac-12 Conference, as he was the coach of the UCLA Bruins from 2003 to 2007. In that time, he led the Bruins to five bowl game appearances, and went 35-27 overall out west. The coach was fired after the 2007 campaign, despite a bowl game appearance that season.
The Buffaloes were reportedly targeting Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who was a star running back for Colorado from 1987 to 1990. Although, Bieniemy, who has been targeted by numerous college and NFL teams this off-season, officially withdrew his name from the conversation earlier this week. Steve Sarkisian did the same in the last few days, leaving the 56-year-old Dorrell as the best option available. This will be his first college level coaching job since the 2014 season when he was Vanderbilt's offensive coordinator.
Dorrell does have experience coaching at the college level and in the Pac-12 Conference, as he was the coach of the UCLA Bruins from 2003 to 2007. In that time, he led the Bruins to five bowl game appearances, and went 35-27 overall out west. The coach was fired after the 2007 campaign, despite a bowl game appearance that season.
The Buffaloes were reportedly targeting Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who was a star running back for Colorado from 1987 to 1990. Although, Bieniemy, who has been targeted by numerous college and NFL teams this off-season, officially withdrew his name from the conversation earlier this week. Steve Sarkisian did the same in the last few days, leaving the 56-year-old Dorrell as the best option available. This will be his first college level coaching job since the 2014 season when he was Vanderbilt's offensive coordinator.
