Tag: Karl Dorrell

Commanders interviewing former college head coach for WRs coach vacancy

Dorrell has plenty of experience in college and the NFL.

New Washington Commanders offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy is looking for a wide receivers coach. Bieniemy interviewed longtime colleague and current Chiefs running backs coach Greg Lewis for the position last week, but a hiring doesn’t appear imminent.

On Monday, Washington announced multiple staff changes, including the hiring of Tavita Pritchard as quarterbacks coach and the re-assigning of former QB coach Ernie Zampese to senior offensive advisor/game management.

Next up for Bieniemy and head coach Ron Rivera is finding a WRs coach. According to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post, the Commanders are interviewing longtime NFL assistant coach and former UCLA and Colorado head coach Karl Dorrell for the vacant position on Washington’s offensive staff.

Jhabvala didn’t specify when the interview was taking place, but the team was expected to speak with some coaches at the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Washington’s front office and coaching staff are present in Indianapolis this week.

Dorrell was the head coach at UCLA from 2003-07 and at Colorado from 2020-22. He amassed a 43-42 record between the two schools. In the NFL, Dorrell has worked as a wide receivers coach for the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins and New York Jets. He also has experience as a QB coach with the Dolphins and Houston Texans.

REPORT: Karl Dorrell interviewing for Washington Commanders’ WRs coaching position

REPORT: Karl Dorrell is interviewing with the Washington Commanders for an assistant coaching position

Since his firing in early October, we haven’t heard much from former Colorado football head coach Karl Dorrell. Most assumed that he’d eventually get back into coaching, but it was unclear where.

Apparently, Dorrell is looking to get back into the NFL as Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the Washington Commanders are interviewing the 59-year-old coach for their vacant wide receivers coaching position. Head coach Ron Rivera’s Commanders recently hired another former CU Buff, Eric Bieniemy, as their offensive coordinator.

Prior to his two-plus seasons leading the Buffs, Dorrell spent time coaching wide receivers with the Miami Dolphins, New York Jets and Denver Broncos.

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The Athletic ranks Karl Dorrell the eighth ‘strangest’ head coach hire of the past dozen years

The Athletic included Karl Dorrell on this tough list

The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel ranked the 12 strangest head coach hires of the past 12 years and the Colorado Buffaloes’ now former leader Karl Dorrell was recognized at No. 8.

As Mandel mentions, athletic director Rick George was in a tough spot after Mel Tucker darted, and with spring ball about to begin (before COVID-19 hit), there likely weren’t many candidates available. Dorrell’s tenure lasted only 23 games before George cut his losses, kickstarting a new head coach search.

Here’s everything Mandel said about what he believes to be the eighth-strangest college football head coach hire of the past 12 years:

AD Rick George may have had limited options when Mel Tucker unexpectedly bolted in February, but this one came out of nowhere. Dorrell, then with the Miami Dolphins, had been a Colorado assistant 22 years earlier and went an underwhelming 35-27 as UCLA’s head coach from 2003-07. After that, he’d primarily been an NFL assistant, save for the 2014 season, when he was defensive coordinator for a 3-9 Vanderbilt team.

But, but, but … he still owned a house near Boulder and happened to be there the weekend the job came open. “I’m confident we found the right coach for Colorado, to not only build this program into a championship contender, but have sustained success for a long period of time.”

Dorrell was fired earlier this month after going 8-15 over two-plus seasons.

Other relevant names on Mandel’s list were Arizona State’s Herm Edwards, Colorado State’s Steve Addazio and Kansas’ Charlie Weis, who ranked first.

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Former Buffs QB Sam Noyer shares kind words on Karl Dorrell

Sam Noyer remains a great Buff

Remember the 2020 season?

Karl Dorrell’s only success in Boulder came in his first year when the Buffs won four games in the COVID-19-shortened campaign to earn a spot in the Alamo Bowl. That feels almost like ancient history now, though.

Leading Colorado at quarterback in 2020 was Sam Noyer, who split for Oregon State the following season. Noyer never saw the field much for the Beavers, however, and it’s fair to wonder if he would’ve started over Brendon Lewis last year.

Almost everything imaginable has gone wrong at CU since Noyer left and just two years later, Dorrell is now gone. But still, Noyer’s time in the spotlight was memorable and he had some kind words to share on Twitter upon learning of his former head coach’s dismissal:

Noyer also tweeted this:

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Tad Boyle gives his take on CU letting go of Karl Dorrell

Tad Boyle gave his thoughts on Karl Dorrell’s firing

We all knew it was coming.

After an 0-5 start, it was only a matter of time before the Colorado Buffaloes moved on from head football coach Karl Dorrell. With the bye week here, it seemed like the perfect time to get rid of Dorrell, even with the massive buyout number. 

The coaching search is on, and athletic director Rick George has a massive magic trick to pull off after the Mel Tucker debacle and the failed Dorrell experiment.

On the hardwood, men’s basketball head coach Tad Boyle spoke about the decision to fire Dorrell (h/t Pat Rooney of Buff Zone):

“I know Karl. I know his wife Kim. I think the world of him, but it’s not like we spent a lot of time together. But that’s been the case with every football coach here…I feel bad for Karl and his staff. It’s a very unforgiving business.”

It has been a very rough year for the Buffs football team, although the fanbase can get a little bit more excited with basketball season around the corner.

Boyle also spoke about how success on the football field translates to momentum on the basketball court:

“But when our football team is not successful, it’s a little bit deflating I think to the student body. Which I think naturally will bleed over into basketball. Whereas if the football team is rocking and rolling, when you roll into basketball season, there’s some momentum.”

It is a tough business to be in, but an 0-5 start and one of the worst seasons thus far in college football made it an easy decision to move on from Dorrell.

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Analysis of the Colorado head coaching search, while Arizona State considers its own options

Key question: Would any ASU and Colorado coaching candidates overlap and be in play for both schools, not just one? Let’s sort through this situation.

The 2022 college football coaching carousel is already spinning. Last year, USC fired Clay Helton in September. This year, Arizona State fired Herm Edwards in September. Karl Dorrell was just fired in October. That’s two in-season coach firings in the Pac-12, and we’re not even halfway through the season.

If you’re a coaching candidate, do you view the Arizona State job or the Colorado job as the better opening? If you’re the president at ASU or Colorado, you have to think about two big questions, not just one. You’re not just asking yourself about the man you need to hire as your next head coach; you need to wonder if you should allow your current athletic director to make the hire.

There’s plenty to sort through here. Let’s look at the Colorado coaching search and see if the Buffs would consider the same candidates ASU is looking at:

How social media reacted to Colorado firing head coach Karl Dorrell

Twitter has been lively following the firing of Karl Dorrell

It has finally happened.

After an 0-5 start to his third season, head coach Karl Dorrell was fired by the Colorado Buffaloes on Sunday.

While Dorrell’s buyout was a concern, as with any firing, athletic director Rick George decided to make the move with Colorado beginning a bye week. This will give the Buffs some time to regroup for Cal on Oct. 15. Offensive coordinator Mike Sanford is set to be the interim head coach.

Social media was of course lively on Sunday afternoon with most Buffs fans seemingly pleased.

Below are a few of the best Twitter reactions from a big day in Boulder:

Karl Dorrell fired as Colorado head coach; 2nd Pac-12 coach to be fired during 2022 season

First it was Herm Edwards at Arizona State. Now Karl Dorrell has been fired by Colorado. That’s two in-season #Pac12 coach firings. Follow @BuffaloesWire for full coverage:

We could see it coming.

Karl Dorrell, the former UCLA player and head coach who delivered a surprisingly good 2020 season at Colorado, lost hold of the CU program in 2021 and 2022. After another lopsided loss this past Saturday against Arizona, the school fired Dorrell.

Our friends at Buffaloes Wire have the story:

“Following an 0-5 start to the season,” Buffaloes Wire wrote, “the Colorado Buffaloes football program has dismissed head coach Karl Dorrell, according to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel on Sunday afternoon.

“Dorrell was in the midst of his third season at the helm and his tenure now ends with a disappointing 8-15 overall record. The 58-year-old had also led Colorado to the 2020 Alamo Bowl in his first season.

“Dorrell will be owed about an $8.7 million buyout. It’s currently unclear who the interim head coach will be.”

Follow Buffaloes Wire for complete coverage of the Colorado head coaching search and all its related storylines.

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BREAKING: CU Buffs dismiss head coach Karl Dorrell, per ESPN

BREAKING: Karl Dorrell has been fired

Following an 0-5 start to the season, the Colorado Buffaloes football program has dismissed head coach Karl Dorrell, according to a report by ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Dorrell was in the midst of his third season at the helm and his tenure now ends with a disappointing 8-15 overall record. The 58-year-old had also led Colorado to the 2020 Alamo Bowl in his first season.

It’s currently unclear who the interim head coach will be.

Thamel also reported that the Buffs have parted ways with defensive coordinator Chris Wilson, who led a unit that allowed nearly 700 yards of offense on Saturday against Arizona. Wilson’s replacement is also to be determined.

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Everything Karl Dorrell said following Colorado’s 45-17 loss to UCLA

Here’s what Karl Dorrell had to say following the Buffs’ fourth loss to begin the season

Four consecutive losses have yet to yield an enjoyable postgame press conference from Karl Dorrell.

While he tries to avoid using youth as an excuse, Dorrell is keen to remind the media that bringing along his young roster is going to take time. However, it’s still a bottom-line industry, and his 2022 CU Buffs are now 0-4 following a 45-17 loss to UCLA on Saturday.

Colorado, going up against the most experienced quarterback in the Pac-12, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, started a total of three true freshmen on offense — Owen McCown, Van Wells and Chase Sowell. Dorrell found some early success with McCown, although the QB position still seems unclear to the Buffs’ third-year leader.

Dorrell was asked about the quarterback situation and more following the game: