Is Tad Boyle’s career at a crossroads?

Building a consistent winner has been difficult in recent years for longtime Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball coach Tad Boyle. (Photo by Cristian Blanco/Sko Buffs Sports)

Coach Tad Boyle has been a stalwart with the Colorado Buffaloes’ basketball program since he took over for Jeff Bzdelik in 2010. Boyle has led the Buffs to six NCAA Tournament appearances in his time with the Buffs, but has never made it past the second round. However, his tenure — and career — could be at a crossroads. 

Boyle’s time with the Buffs has had its ups and downs, and he has had some incredible coaching jobs, like taking the 2020-21 team to a 23-9 record and a second-round appearance in the NCAA tournament. He also made the Round of 32 two seasons ago. There is no denying that Tad is a great coach, but does he want to continue with this program?

College sports have taken a wild turn these past few years. The introduction of NIL in 2021 was just the start of its twists and turns. Players are now paid for play directly from their school’s revenue-sharing pool, and there has been a major tampering problem. 

Boyle has not been quiet about the recent changes. Recently, James Nnaji, a former NBA draft selection and pro, was granted eligibility to play with Baylor this season. Charles Bediako did the same at Alabama.

“It makes no sense to me,” Boyle told reporters of Nnaji's reinstatement. “I’ve listened to (Michigan State coach) Tom Izzo, and I’ve talked to Tom Izzo. … And both [he spoke with John Calipari as well] those guys, what they said and how they said it, I couldn’t agree more. And I think 95% of coaches feel the way they do.”

Echoing the sentiment of other long-tenured coaches, Boyle is frustrated with the system the NCAA has allowed. Does an older, more experienced coach who cut his teeth in the pre-NIL and transfer portal era want to stick around and deal with all the extras that come with college coaching?

Much of Boyle’s tenure has been a rollercoaster ride, but recent trends have made this year’s bumpier than most. The team started 8-0, and freshman guard Isaiah Johnson showed Buffs fans what he was all about. However, the Buffs have since lost eight games, including five in a row. Three of those five losses were at home. 

The team has seen a lack of consistency from the center position, mostly due to Elijah Malone’s continued struggles on defense and with rebounding. In some games, he has barely made his way off the bench. The defense has been inconsistent at best, as the team struggles to slow down runs from opposing offenses. Does Boyle want to stick around next year and try to solve these same issues?

All that being said, the Buffs could absolutely make a run at the NCAA Tournament. Not only do they have the talent, but they also have some very manageable games coming up. Away at No. 8 Iowa State will be tough and likely result in a loss, as the Cyclones continue their run towards a high finish in the Big 12. 

But after that, the Buffs have a run of TCU (12-7, 3-4 Big 12), Baylor (11-9, 1-7 Big 12) and Arizona State (11-10, 2-6 Big 12). Those are three games that Colorado should win and have to if it wants to make the tournament. Kansas State, Oklahoma State and Utah all provide winnable matchups that could determine how this season winds up for the Buffs. 

Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball coaches the huddle during a win over California Baptist last December. (Fidel Gonzalez/Sko Buffs Sports)

Boyle will be a big part of the Buffs’ tournament efforts, and if he does make the tourney, it strongly increases the likelihood that he will be back next year. But if he doesn’t pull it off, does he consider walking away from the inconsistency of college basketball?

He has done a great job in his time at Colorado and will continue to coach the Buffs well as long as he is there. He has clearly not lost his eye for underrated talent, as Johnson was unranked by ESPN and ranked a 3-star by other major recruiting services, and is now the Buffs' leading scorer.

Boyle has also done a great job recruiting and building his style of program. He has shown that he wants to continue to build via freshman classes and developing players within the program. This past offseason, he brought in four freshmen and just two transfers into the building. 

This model is becoming much harder to build sustained success with, as it comes with the expectations of freshmen playing early. With so many other schools bringing in heavily experienced players from the portal, that is a big ask. It’s easier to build a roster, but “it’s infinitely harder to make a program,” he said at last October’s Big 12 media day.

Boyle's not getting any younger, and the sport is not getting any easier to deal with. His statements on roster building, the transfer portal and other crazy aspects of the sport show his frustration, but to the point of retirement? That remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: his career at Colorado could be reaching a Boyling point.