Tad Boyle weighs in on the state of coaching in the Big 12

Colorado head coach Tad Boyle commanding the floor against the Kansas State Wildcats. (Photo by Tyler Phillips/Sko Buffs Sports)

The coaching landscape of the Big 12 has changed drastically since Tad Boyle’s inaugural season with the Colorado Buffaloes in 2010. As the third-longest tenured coach in the conference, he weighed in its state of coaching.

One key change that has affected the role of coaches not only in the Big 12, but across the country as a whole has been the birth of N.I.L. As players have tiptoed the line between student and professional athletes, recruiting has become all but an auction.

In turn, coaches have had to work overtime to retain players in their program.

“Guys can leave any time they want, there’s no penalty for transferring anymore,” Boyle said. “There are agents that are calling…there’s a lot of stuff that goes on behind the scenes that never used to go on.”

It all starts with developing a culture that can be bought into by players. If anything can lure athletes away from the money that lies within the transfer portal, it's deep loyalty to a program cultivated by engaged coaching.

“I just want to build a program that has a culture, where being a Colorado Buffalo means something,” Boyle said. “That we have guys that go through this program for four years, graduate, get a degree, and this is what they call home.”

But constructing such a program is approached differently by each coach. 

For former Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang, he valued a no-nonsense brand of basketball. He modeled that in his coaching style, and when his Wildcats’ record fell to 10-14 (1-10 Big 12) following a 91-62 blowout by Cincinnati on their home hardwood, he voiced his frustration in the postgame press conference.

“This was embarrassing,” Tang said after the loss. “These dudes do not deserve to wear this uniform, there will be very few of them in it next year, I’m embarrassed for the university, I’m embarrassed for our fans…I have no answer, no words.”

Following his stern comments and a loss to the then-No. 3 Houston Cougars three days later, Tang was fired. 

While Boyle has no personal relationship with Tang, he holds respect for him and feels his comments didn’t warrant his termination.

“If a school wants to fire you, they’re going to find a reason,” Boyle said. “...I think that’s what K-State did, because I certainly don’t think the things he said warranted being fired. But who am I to say?”

This sentiment doesn’t just apply to Tang, but to Boyle and every other coach across the conference and the nation as a whole.

“If Colorado doesn’t want me to be the basketball coach here, they’ll find a way to get me out,” Boyle said. “That’s true of the football coach, that’s true of the basketball coach, that’s true of the volleyball coach, that’s true of any coach. That’s just the way it is, and it’s always been that way, so it’s nothing new.”

Another program that has experienced an up-and-down season is the Arizona State Sun Devils. ASU currently sports a 16-14 record (10-7), ranking 12th in the conference. Similar to Tang, Sun Devils head coach Bobby Hurley had fiery words for his team following a tough loss.

"We failed. I’m failing. I can’t get through to the team,’’ Hurley said after ASU’s loss to West Virginia. "I don’t know what else I can say."

But after Colorado’s narrow victory over Arizona State on Feb. 7, Boyle knew it was only a matter of time before the culture Hurley had been building started to pay off.

“From afar, you don’t hear many coaches admit that,” Boyle said postgame. “But [his players] have responded to him, and he has not lost that team…I’ve got a lot of respect for him, I’ve got a lot of respect for how his players compete, and always have, so…that’s a win we should be proud of.”

Following that contest in Boulder, the Sun Devils caught fire. They won four of their next six games, including wins over then-No. 13 Texas Tech and then-No. 14 Kansas.

The program’s patience with Hurley seems to be paying off, but Boyle didn’t claim to have all the answers.

“I’m not going to tell people how to conduct their business,” Boyle said. “...I think every situation is different…I’m not saying one’s right, and one’s wrong, the situation is just different.”

Regardless, as the coaching landscape has shifted across the country, Boyle has been there for all of it. Through conference realignment and 15 offseason coaching carousels, he has seen every change and diversion it has endured. 

But as he looks ahead to his 17th season with the Buffaloes, Boyle understands that in the Big 12, there’s no room for anyone to let off the gas. So in some cases, that may mean making tough decisions regarding the coaching staff.

“This league is unforgiving,” Boyle said. “You’d better be on point every night.”