CU's Tad Boyle Plans To Be A Tougher Coach Next Year
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - The University of Colorado Buffaloes missed the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years. At 16-18, it was Buffs' first losing season under head coach Tad Boyle, who plans to be tougher next year.
During his first five years in Boulder, Boyle had the Midas touch. This year the coach found nothing but fool's gold.
"If there's one thing that I'm going to change, I'm going to be harder on our team on more of a consistent basis," Boyle said. "I think I really trusted maybe our players a little bit too much this year in terms of, 'Hey, they're going to figure it out, turn the corner.' And we never turned that corner, and that responsibility is mine and ... I'm as disappointed in myself this year as I am anybody else."
Boyle said he needs to reinforce the culture he's already established.
"That is something we're going to address. I gave our players a homework assignment this past week about culture," Boyle said. "I think our culture needs some tweaking, it needs some reinforcement to get back to competing for championships."
Colorado's first order of business is replacing the team's leading scorer, Askia Booker. It won't be a one man job, but Providence transfer Josh Fortune is a likely candidate.
"He can put ball in basket, he can he can shoot it. He's going to lessen the blow of losing a guy like Askia Booker because he can make shots," Boyle said. "I'm not going to try to tell you that Josh Fortune is greatest thing since sliced bread, but he's a pretty darn good player and he can help this basketball team."
Boyle also needs to find a true point guard. Since losing Spencer Dinwiddie the Buffs are 25-28. Sophomore-to-be Dominique Collier has some big shoes to fill.
"Dom is going to be a critical piece of our offseason in his development; he's going to be a critical piece of next year's basketball team because he's going to be our point guard; he's going to be the guy with the ball in his hands a lot, he's going to be a decision maker on the floor."
Boyle said he's going to require his players to remain in Boulder for the summer.
"The option of going home in July is off the table. It's off the table because of the way we performed this year and the fact that nobody in this program -- players, coaches, managers, administrators -- wants to see us have another year like we had."
Boyle is a former stock broker and knows the Buffs' stock is low right now. But he'd tell that fans not to bet against them.
"I would be cautiously optimistic. I wouldn't be banging my fist on the table to buy, but I do think this is one of those teams where we can surprise some people," Boyle said. "From a stock standpoint I don't know where I'd put us, but I know I'm buying."
Boyle will find out if the players are buying this week when he holds individual meetings with the entire team.
