Neu Coach?

Made you flinch, didn’t I?  Amusingly, I have heard Neuheisel’s name twice mentioned as a possibility, first by the recent CU graduates behind me at the Colorado-Air Force basketball game (incidentally, the same idiots first alerted me to the Embree news-gotta get me on twitter).  Surprisingly, I haven’t heard anyone calling for Dave Logan (yet).

Local TV reporter Vic Lombardi was on the Ralphie Report podcast earlier this week and had some interesting pieces of news.  First, he said that a major reason Bohn made the move was due to the fact the he had contacted at least two coaches about possibly becoming coordinators and they both quickly declined (although one said “call me if you need a head coach”) and who would want to come to a basically lame duck situation with no security whatsoever.  We have no idea who those guys were, or what positions and situations they are currently in.  However, Embree told Ivan Maisel he had a LB guy lined up to become defensive coordinator and I find it hard to believe that Embree was lying, given the rumors last week about Cabral’s departure and the look on Cabral’s face when I called out to him before the Utah game. (There are also some rumors circulating about Cabral’s health, but I have no idea if that really is a factor for him.)  The second “scoop” Lombardi had was that two of the candidates in which CU is interested are coaching this weekend, which limits it to a few head coaches-Dave Doeren at N. Illinois, Butch Jones at Cincinnati or Gus Malzahn at Arkansas St. Or maybe Bohn has been blowing smoke and he is actually targeting some coordinators like Alabama DC Kirby Smart or either of Stanford’s coordinators.  That is why Lombardi thinks it will be at least a week to ten days for me and so many others to keep mindlessly speculating.

I am curious if the CU job can even serve as “raise-getter” for a not-really-interested coach who feigns interest in order to get his current employer to ante up even more cash to keep him. Maybe Anderson, who has lived in Utah basically his entire life? Troy Calhoun did this last time around here and Les Miles just pulled it with Arkansas to get a huge extension at LSU. 

Bohn has said his top choice is a current BCS level head coach, and I just can’t imagine anyone making that “lateral” move. Floyd Keith, executive director of the Black Coaches and Administrators, sent a list of potential black candidates, but has not heard any type of response from CU. Here is another update on some of the names still being talked about, mostly names from non-BCS conferences, in the CU coaching search:

Mike Bohn flat out said that they are not hiring Bobby Petrino; and I think that goes for anyone else with “baggage”, including Mark Mangino, who supposedly has asked to be taken out of consideration for CU-whatever Mark, your PR guy is working overtime to get your name out there! Gary Anderson, Utah State: Cal is flirting even stronger than CU and it is unlikely he leaves Logan for Boulder.

Tim DeRuyter, Fresno State: He has a connection with Bohn from their time at Air Force, but would also probably stay put in Fresno before coming to Boulder.

Sonny Dykes, Louisiana Tech: He has also been mentioned with so many other schools that I can’t imagine he would end up here.  He has reportedly interviewed with NC St. and maybe be their top choice.

Dave Doeren, Northern Illinois: He is getting a lot of attention for numerous jobs and is one of those coaches with games this weekend, but he could be compared to a poor man’s hawkins (bad PR move), coming from a smaller program, but without nearly as much national success.

Gus Malzahn, Arkansas State:  He would be a splash name, is coaching this weekend, and seems to be gaining momentum in Buff land, but he is not known as a very personable guy and doesn’t really seem like a good fit here.

Butch Jones, Cincinnati:  Woody Paige wrote a piece endorsing Jones, another getting hoter-by-the-day commodity, who is also coaching this weekend. Jones has coached with many great offensive minds and kept both Central Michigan and then Cinci rolling after he succeeded Brian Kelly at each place. [Paige also said that at least $750,000 has been donated to CU since the Embree firing.] http://www.denverpost.com/paige/ci_22095246/woody-paige-put-butch-jones-atop-colorado-football

Paige also endorses BYU’s Bronco Mendenhall (first time I have seen his name mentioned).

Another new name thrown into the mix by ESPN was Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo.  I don’t know much about him, but I believe Navy still runs the option!

Mike McIntyre, San Jose State: He has been mentioned with at least a half dozen schools but insists he has not been contacted by anyone, even though SJSU is talking contract extension.

Willie Taggart, Western Kentucky:  His AD has said no one has contacted him from any school for permission to talk to Taggart.

Jeff Tedford seems to be keeping a low profile, probably deciding how to spend and invest his $6.9million so he never has to friggin coach again.

Frank Solich, Ohio: This one kills me!

Dream on if you are really thinking Charlie Strong, who already makes $2M+ and has a huge buyout, not to mention the interest of all four SEC schools.  And no way Bohn hires a second black coach.