COLORADO FOOTBALL PRESEASON INFORMATION 2020 - Amazon S3
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2020
COLORADO FOOTBALL
PRESEASON INFORMATION
June 4, 2020
2020 COLORADO FOOTBALL QUICK FACTS
2020 COLORADO Schedule series 2019 Results (Won 5, Lost 7; 3-6 Pac-12)
S 5 at Colorado State 67-22- 2 A 30 (Fri.) Colorado State (Denver) W 52-31 66,997
S 12 FRESNO STATE 4- 2- 0 S 7 NEBRASKA (OT) W 34-31 52,829
S 19 at Texas A&M 6- 3- 0 S 14 AIR FORCE (OT) L 23-30 49,282
S 26 *OREGON 9-13- 0 S 21 *at Arizona State W 34-31 45,786
O 9 (Fri.) *at Arizona 14- 8- 0 O 5 *ARIZONA (Family Weekend) L 30-35 52,569
O 17 *UCLA (Family Weekend) 4-11- 0 O 11 *at Oregon L 3-45 50.529
O 24 *ARIZONA STATE (Homecoming) 3- 8- 0 O 19 *at Washington State L 10-41 28.514
O 31 *at Southern California 0-14- 0 O 25 *SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA L 31-35 48,913
N 7 *WASHINGTON STATE 6- 7- 0 N 2 *at UCLA L 14-31 47,118
N 14 *at Stanford 5- 6- 0 N 9 *STANFORD (Homecoming) W 16-13 49,224
N 21 *at Washington 6-12- 1 N 23 *WASHINGTON W 20-14 44,618
N 28 *UTAH 32-31- 3 N 30 *at Utah L 15-45 46,879
D 4 Pac-12 Championship (at Las Vegas, Nev.)
*—Pac-12 game; BYE WEEK: Oct. 3
Head Coach: Karl Dorrell (UCLA ‘86) 2019 Record: 5-7
Record at Colorado: 0-0 (first season) Pac-12: 3-6 (5th/6, South Division)
Career I-A Record: 35-27 (five seasons) National Ranking: N/A
Office Telephone: 303/492-5330 Twitter: k_dorrell Bowl: N/A
Location: Boulder, Colo. (Pop., 102,500) President: Mark Kennedy (St. John’s [Minn.] ‘78)
Enrollment: 33,246 (full-time) Chancellor: Dr. Phil DiStefano (Ohio State ’68)
Nickname: Buffaloes Mascot: Ralphie VI (live buffalo) Athletic Director: Rick George (Illinois ‘82)
Conference: Pac-12 Colors: Silver, Gold & Black Football Contacts:
All-Time Record: 710-515-36 (130 seasons) Assoc. AD/Sports Information: David Plati (303/492-5626;
Website: CUBuffs.com Twitter/Instagram: @cubuffs, @CUBuffsfootball (FB) david.plati@colorado.edu)
Stadium: Folsom Field (50,183; natural grass/opened in 1924) Assistant AD/Sports Information: Curtis Snyder (720/218-4796)
Program Quick Notes: The 2020 season will be the 131st of intercollegiate football at Colorado; CU is 710-515-36 all-time, 26th in overall wins and
38th in winning percentage (.577) ... Colorado played seven bowl teams in 2019; opponents combined for an 85-68 record ... The 2020 opener at Colorado
State ends a run of seven straight seasons CU opened the year with a non-Saturday game; it will also the Buffs first visit to Fort Collins since 1996 ... The
Buffs are scheduled to visit Texas A&M on September 19, the first meeting between the two since 2009, when CU won in Boulder, 35-34, when both were
still members of the Big 12 Conference ... Colorado has had its last 113 games televised nationally or regionally, upping its total to 291 (out of 370)
dating back to 1990 (79%); 65 of CU’s last 71 regular season non-conference games (92%) have also been on the tube ... CU has been ranked 304 times
in its history, tied for the 28th most all-time ... Since 1989, CU has played the seventh most ranked teams in the nation (139), trailing LSU (158), Alabama
(157), Florida (156), Ohio State (148) and Michigan (147) ... CU’s 47 wins over ranked teams dating back to ‘89 are tied for the 20th most in the nation
(fifth in the Pac-12, behind USC 70, Oregon 57, Washington 54 and UCLA 53); all-time, Colorado’s 70 wins over ranked teams are the 23rd most in history
... Through the Spring ’20 semester, the team owned a 2.76 cumulative grade point average (its best-ever) and has 20 straight semesters over a 2.5 for
the term (data collected since 1996).
Lettermen Returning: 61 (26 offense, 32 defense, 3 specialists) Lettermen Lost: 27 (14 offense, 10 defense, 3 specialists)
Career/2019 starts in parenthesis; calculated by those with six-plus starts in 2019 or by who played the majority of snaps at a position.]
Starters Returning (15)—Offense 7: TB Alex Fontenot (11/11), LG Kary Kutsch (12/12), WR K.D. Nixon (19/11), RG Colby Pursell (17/5), TE Brady
Russell (14/11), LT Will Sherman (21/12), WR Dimitri Stanley (10/8). Defense 8: DE Mustafa Johnson (21/9), ILB Akil Jones (6/6), ILB Nate Landman
(24/12), DE Terrance Lang (12/11), S Darrion Rakestraw (11/9), NT Jalen Sami (11/11), CB K.J. Trujillo (6/6), OLB Carson Wells (16/10).
Others Returning With Significant Starting/Game Experience (19; any previous starts listed)—WR Daniel Arias, WR Maurice Bell, CB Mehki
Blackmon (5/2), OT Frank Fillip (2/2), WR Jaylon Jackson, DE Janaz Jordan (2/2), CB Tarik Luckett (2/2), TB Jaren Mangham (1/1), CB Chris Miller (4/2),
OLB Mark Perry (1/1), TE Jared Poplawski, OG Casey Roddick (2/2), DE Na’im Rodman (2/2), TB Deion Smith, ILB Jonathan Van Diest (5/5).
Starters Lost (9)—Offense 5: WR Tony Brown (14/8), OT Arlington Hambright, OT (12/12), OG Tim Lynott, Jr. (45/12), QB Steven Montez (39/12),
WR Laviska Shenault (17/9). Defense 4: CB Delrick Abrams (19/11), S Mikial Onu (11/11), OLB Davion Taylor (20/10), OLB Alex Tchangam (4/4).
Others Lost With Significant Starting/Game Experience (7; any previous starts listed)—TE Beau Bisharat (1/1), OLB Jacob Collier (2/0),
OLB Nu’umotu Falo (1/0), S Aaron Maddox (3/3), TE Jaren Harris (1/1), OG Jack Shutack (5/5), S Trey Udoffia (11/0).
Specialists Returning (3)— PK Tyler Francis, PK Evan Price, PK James Stefanou.
Specialists Lost (3)— SN J.T. Bale, P Alex Kinney, P/PK Davis Price.
Other Special Team Players Returning (13; Coverage/Return/FG PAT Units)— CB Curtis Appleton, WR Daniel Arias, TE Legend Brumbaugh,
TB Joe Davis, OLB Joshka Gustav, S Isaiah Lewis, OG Chance Lytle, DT Nico Magri, OLB Jamar Montgomery, ILB Chase Newman, OLB Alec Pell,
OG Hunter Vaughn.
Stat Rankings A look where CU ranked statistically as a team in 2019 in both the Pac-12 and NCAA (both include bowl stats):
Pac12 NCAA Category Stat Pac12 NCAA Category Stat Pac12 NCAA Category Stat
5th 79th RUSHING OFFENSE ........... 150.3 8th 61st RUSHING DEFENSE ........... 153.6 10th 92nd PUNT RETURNS ............... 5.7
10th 61st PASSING OFFENSE ............ 238.2 10th 123rd PASSING DEFENSE ........... 288.3 6th 44th KICKOFF RETURNS ........... 21.8
9th 83rd TOTAL OFFENSE ................ 388.5 8th 104th TOTAL DEFENSE ................ 441.9 4th 37th NET PUNTING ................... 39.64
8th 48th 3rd DOWN EFFICIENCY...... 41.3 12th 125th 3rd DOWN EFF DEFENSE ... 47.4 6th 43rd TURNOVER MARGIN......... +0.25
10th 100th SCORING OFFENSE ........... 23.5 9th 96th SCORING DEFENSE ........... 31.8 3rd 49th TIME OF POSSESSION ...... 30:35
2020 COACHING STAFF
Head Coach Karl Dorrell (UCLA ‘86) Asst. Director of Player Personnel Chandler Dorrell (Vanderbilt ’17)
Assistant to Head Coach Emily Funke (Texas A&M ‘19) Quality Control/Offense Reggie Moore (UCLA ‘91)
Offensive Coordinator / Receivers Darrin Chiaverini (Colorado ’99) Quality Control/Defense Bryan Cook (Ithaca ‘98)
Passing Game Coordinator / Quarterbacks Danny Langsdorf (Linfield ’95) Quality Control/Defense William Vlachos (Alabama ‘11)
Offensive Line Mitch Rodrigue (Nicholls State ‘88) Quality Control/Special Teams Chris Reinhart (Vanderbilt ‘09)
Running Backs Darian Hagan (Colorado ’96) Quality Control/Recruiting Junior Tanuvasa (N.M. Highlands ’09)
Tight Ends Taylor Embree (UCLA ’12) Director of Player Engagement Cymone George (Georgia Southern ’12)
Defensive Coordinator / Inside Linebackers Tyson Summers (Presbyterian ‘02) Graphic Designer Bo Savage (Bethany College ’15)
Cornerbacks Demetrice Martin (Excelsior ‘06) Recruiting Assistant Sam Beckenstein (Alabama ’18)
Defensive Line Chris Wilson (Oklahoma ‘92) Recruiting Assistant Matt Pick (Colorado State ’18)
Outside Linebackers Brian Michalowski (Arizona State ‘11) Recruiting Assistant Nate Randall (Gonzaga ’19)
Safeties Brett Maxie (Texas Southern ‘85) Recruiting Assistant Thomas Wells (Chadron State ’10)
Offensive Graduate Assistant Jason Grossman (Akron ‘19) Director of Football Video Jamie Guy (Cincinnati ’98)
Offensive Graduate Assistant Donovan Williams (Louisiana ’16) Video Analysis Manager Zachary Peters (Oklahoma ’09)
Defensive Graduate Assistant B.J. Johnson (Georgia Southern ‘16) Director of Strength & Conditioning Drew Wilson (King’s College ‘00)
Defensive Graduate Assistant Aziz Shittu (Stanford ‘16) Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach Justin Geyer (Mt. St. Joseph ’10)
Director of Football Operations Bryan McGinnis (San Jose State ’07) Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach D.D. Goodson (Colorado ’15)
Asst. Director of Football Operations Scott Unrein (Colorado ‘11) Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach Cody Stout (Indianapolis ’14)
Director of Player Personnel Bob Lopez (Illinois State ’77) Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach Teddy O’Connor (New Hampshire ’12)
STAFF CHANGES Mel Tucker left for the head coaching position at Michigan State on February 12; he coached just the 2019 season at
Colorado. Karl Dorrell was then named the 27th head coach in Colorado history on February 23, retaining four assistants off Tucker’s staff: Darrin
Chiaverini and Darian Hagan (who were retained by Tucker off Mike MacIntyre’s last staff in 2018); Dorrell also retained Brian Michalowski and
Tyson Summers along with Drew Wilson (strength and conditioning) and his entire staff, Bryan Cook (quality control) and several members of the
support staff.
2020 LETTERMAN PICTURE
Colorado has 61 lettermen returning for the 2020 season (57 from the 2019 team, two each from 2017 and 2018); they break down into 26 on offense, 32 on
defense and three specialists; the Buffs lose 26 lettermen off the 2019 squad (14 offense/9 defense/3 specialists). CU will return 15 starters from 2019 (7
offense/8 defense), losing nine (5 offense/4 defense); two players started at least six games at the same position offense and defense, so the starter count was
based off 12 players on each side instead of the standard 11. The 2019 starters are listed in bold (six or more starts); *—denotes letters earned primarily on
special teams; QIS—quit in season. The breakdown:
OFFENSE
Position Returning (26) Lost (14)
WR Daniel Arias, La’Vontae Shenault Laviska Shenault
WR K.D. Nixon, Maurice Bell Tony Brown
WR Dimitri Stanley, Jaylon Jackson, *Curtis Chiaverini
LT Kanan Ray Arlington Hambright, Hunter Vaughn
LG Kary Kutsch, Austin Johnson
C Josh Jynes, Heston Paige (from 2018) Tim Lynott Jr.
RG Colby Pursell, Casey Roddick, *Chance Lytle Jack Shutack
RT Will Sherman, Frank Fillip
TE/HB Brady Russell, *Luke Stillwell, Jared Poplawski (from 2017) Beau Bisharat, *Legend Brumbaugh, Jaren Harris, Darrion Jones (QIS)
QB Tyler Lytle, Sam Noyer (S in 2019) Steven Montez, *Josh Goldin, Blake Stenstrom
TB Alex Fontenot, Jaren Mangham, Deion Smith, Joe Davis Chase Sanders (QIS)
DEFENSE
Position Returning (32) Lost (10)
OLB *Jamar Montgomery, *Joshka Gustav Alex Tchangam (QIS: Jacob Callier)
DE Mustafa Johnson, Na’im Rodman, Jeremiah Doss, *Dante Sparaco (from 2017)
NT Jalen Sami, Austin Williams, Lloyd Murray, Jr., *Nico Magri
DE Terrance Lang. Janaz Jordan
OLB Carson Wells, *Alec Pell Nu’umotu Falo, Jr.
ILB Nate Landman, *Marvin Ham, Quinn Perry, Ray Robinson
ILB Akil Jones, Jonathan Van Diest, *Chase Newman
BUFF Mark Perry, *Jash Allen Davion Taylor
CB Chris Miller, Mekhi Blackmon, *Curtis Appleton Delrick Abrams
SS Derrion Rakestraw Trey Udoffia
FS Mark Perry, *Isaiah Lewis Mikial Onu, Lucas Cooper (QIS: Aaron Maddox)
CB K.J. Trujillo, Tarik Luckett, Dylan Thomas *Uryan Hudson (from 2018)
SPECIALISTS
Position Returning (3) Lost (3)
P Alex Kinney
PK James Stefanou (PK), Evan Price (PK), Tyler Francis (PK; from 2018) Davis Price (KO/P)
SN J.T. Bale `
2020 Spring Schedule
Schools are allowed 15 practices over 34 days per NCAA rules (not including spring break); sessions break down as follows, tentatively
listed below on the column on the right: three in shorts (no contact), four in pads (no tackling, or pads-NT below), five in pads (tackling
allowed 50 percent or less of the time), three in pads (tackling allowed throughout, as in extended scrimmages). The primary location
at this time will be the practice field south of the Indoor Practice Facility (where sessions will be during inclement weather).
THIS WAS THE SCHEDULE; DUE TO VIRUS, STUDENTS WERE SENT HOME IN EARLY MARCH AND CU NEVER HAD A SPRING PRACTICE.
Calendar (dates, times approximate and subject to change; confirm daily with the CU Sports Information Office)
MARCH 11— PRO TIMING DAY (1:00 p.m., Indoor Practice Facility; ’19 seniors: assorted sprints and drills)
MARCH 13— Coach Dorrell Brief Spring Primer / New Assistant Coach Meet-N-Greet (2:00-3:00 p.m., Champions Center Room 319)
MARCH 16— Practice # 1 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED shorts/helmets
MARCH 18— Practice # 2 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED shorts/helmets
MARCH 20— Practice # 3 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED pads-NT (uppers)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- SPRING BREAK (March 21-29) -----------------------------------------------------------------------
MARCH 30— Practice # 4 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED shorts/helmets
APRIL 1— Practice # 5 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED pads-NT (uppers)
APRIL 3— Practice # 6 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED full pads
APRIL 6— Practice # 7 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED pads-NT (uppers)
APRIL 7— Practice # 8 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED full pads
APRIL 9— Practice # 9 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 9:00 a.m. approx. scrimmage) OPEN (media) full pads
APRIL 13— Practice #10 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED pads-NT (uppers)
APRIL 15— Practice #11 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED full pads
APRIL 17— Practice #12 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 9:00 a.m. approx. scrimmage) OPEN (media) full pads
APRIL 20— Practice #13 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED pads-NT (uppers)
APRIL 22— Practice #14 (7:00 a.m. meetings, 8:50-11:00 a.m. practice) CLOSED full pads
APRIL 24— ANNUAL COACHES CLINIC (3:00-7:00 p.m.)
APRIL 25— SPRING GAME (Practice #15; 1:00 p.m. Folsom Field / Pac 12 Network, KOA-Radio) OPEN (all) full pads
NOTE: Due to the Coronavirus, the University of Colorado was set to take several precautions which included athletic events and practices. Coach Karl Dorrell
wanted to bit a bit more open, but due to restrictions by the school and commitment to the health and safety of our student-athletes, we were going to limit
as much contact with outsiders as possible. Thus, the following policies would have been in effect for the spring.
PRACTICE ACCESS: All practices will be closed; however, officially CU credentialed media will be allowed to watch the two spring scrimmages from the press
box (confirm with the SID office for exact times). Media must wear their 2019-20 CU season credential as anyone taking notes or photos must be approved
credentialed media. Photographer access on the field will not be permitted, but will be allowed from the stands with proper separation from the sidelines. CU’s
standard photography guidelines must still be utilized: no wide shots to show formations or recording of sound that include quarterback cadences; up close
and tight as in the fall, and coaches may request additional plays or other things not be filmed or photographed.
PARKING: Media may park in the Folsom Parking Garage—you must register your plate with the SID office in advance if you’re not already in the system.
INTERVIEWS/COVERAGE: This is the most significant change for the time being. No in-person interviews will be allowed, once again simply for precautionary
concerns. However, we will have a teleconference after every practice/scrimmage with head coach Karl Dorrell, an assistant (if requested) and anywhere from
one to three players. These will take place at 11:30 a.m. and go no more than 30 minutes, and will be videoed by CU and emailed to area media (along with
some generic video B-roll highlights). The SID office will solicit player requests from the media, a reminder that incoming freshmen are off limits for interviews
until the season (non-football requests at the discretion of the head coach). One-on-one interviews will be permitted at other times at the discretion of each
player, but again, only over a phone line.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY: On Monday, March 16, photographers/videographers will be allowed into practice for 30 minutes (at roughly 8:45 a.m.) to shoot still
photos and gather B-roll.
2020 Expanded Schedule
2019 2020
Date Opponent TV Time (MT) Record Meeting (Last Meeting; Result) Series (Last 10)
Sept. 5 at Colorado State tba TBA 5-7 92nd (2019; W, 52-31) 67-22-2 (8-2)
SEPT. 12 FRESNO STATE tba TBA 4-8 7th (2012; L, 14-69) 4- 2-0 (….)
Sept. 19 at Texas A & M tba TBA 8-5 10th (2009; W, 35-34) 6- 3-0 (….)
SEPT. 26 OREGON tba TBA 12-2 23rd (2019; L, 3-45) 9-13-0 (3-7)
Oct. 9 at Arizona tba TBA 4-8 23rd (2019; L, 30-35) 14- 8-0 (2-8)
OCT. 17 UCLA (FW) tba TBA 4-8 17th (2019; L, 14-31) 4-11-0 (4-6)
OCT. 24 ARIZONA STATE (H) tba TBA 8-5 11th (2019; W, 34-31) 3- 8-0 (3-7)
Oct. 31 at Southern California tba TBA 8-5 15th (2019; L, 31-35) 0-14-0 (0-10)
NOV. 7 WASHINGTON STATE tba TBA 6-7 14th (2019; L, 10-41) 6- 7-0 (4-6)
Nov. 14 at Stanford tba TBA 4-8 12th (2019; W, 16-13) 5- 6-0 (5-5)
Nov. 21 at Washington tba TBA 8-5 20th (2019; W, 20-14) 6-12-1 (2-8)
NOV. 28 UTAH tba TBA 11-3 67th (2019; L, 15-45) 32-31-3 (2-8)
Dec. 4 Pac-12 Championship Game tba TBA (at Las Vegas, Nev.)
BYE WEEK: Oct. 3. —Pac-12 Conference game; (H)—Homecoming; (FW)—Family Weekend. tba—to be announced (games on the selection menu of ESPN-
ABC/FOX Sports-FS1/Pac-12 Networks; most arrangements will be announced up to 12 days in advance). RADIO: All games locally on the CU Football Network.
KARL DORRELL / Q&A FROM HIRING PRESS CONFERENCE
(From February 24 press conference)
mind which is to bring a championship. We're going to get that done with our
coaching staff. That's part of the vision of our program."
"Our staff will consist of great teachers. I consider myself a teacher. I've been very
fortunate in my whole career to be able to be led by a number of people from my
coach Terry Donahue. Bill McCartney was an instrumental piece of that and Mike
Shanahan was an instrumental piece. There's a number of really great coaches,
and legends in the game, that have given me the opportunity to grow and to learn
this great game. I'm very thankful for them to be part of my background. Our staff
has to be great teachers. That's first and foremost. The number one asset for any
university is the students within it. We need to understand that as football coaches.
We're going to develop them to be the best person that they can be so that we get
the best player on the field. That's our standby. I believe that success can be
sustained consistently, year after year, if we're able to get these things done. I know
for a fact we can."
Opening Statements "It's an interesting story about how I got here. Starting way back in my early 20s
“This was a unique experience for me. This was a dream come true. You heard the and getting my first division one job. My kids were born here at Avista hospital right
last comments from Rick about how we have a home here. Being an NFL coach in Louisville. I lived in Lafayette the last time I was here as an assistant and moved
and being in the NFL the last 10 years or so, it is a very volatile business where you back to Lafayette as my homestay, even though I've been in the NFL. Everything is
move around a lot. We decided years ago that Colorado is going to be our home to aligned for me to be where I'm at right now, today. It's funny how the Lord gives
stay when it was all said and done. I did have that inkling in the back of my mind you those blessings and gives you an opportunity like this that is right there in front
though that my fondness for this university, and getting a chance to be in this of me. Especially for 32 years of hard work that's culminated in an opportunity like
position would be a dream and it came true. I'm very thankful. I'm very thankful this. You're going to get from me, the very best of me. You're going to get a guy
to be here. My brother's here and his wife. This is a family program." that's here for the long haul. I built a home to prove it, prior to getting this job."
"I just want to share my story as to why it is so important to me. I came here as an "You're going to get an exciting brand of football. I was telling our players earlier in
assistant in 1992 as a wide receiver coach, my first division one job, when I worked our meeting and I said, 'What we do as a program stays within our program, but
for Bill McCartney. I learned so much from a great man, not only from a football what we do on Saturdays will be a sight to be seen.' What we expect our players to
standpoint but also just as a person. The one thing that you wouldn't know about do and what they inspire to do this year is they think they can win now. I was
Bill McCartney is that you know what he is through and through and what he encouraged by that in our meeting this morning. So guess what, we're going
believes in. He's passionate about people and he was passionate about the sport of forward now. We're going to ride their coattails. We're going to ride and drive them
football. In his way of teaching me early in my career was, with these players you've to be as good as they need to be. They know that it's going to take hard work. They
got to make sure that when you coach them that they trust you and believe in you. know that it's going to take a commitment level, accountability, cohesiveness and
As soon as you get them to where you have a great relationship with them you will a connectedness. They know that a lot of those things that we will work on in the
get them to do almost anything and make them achieve the goals that they can process has to be established and built for us to be as good as we need to be. We're
achieve as players. That's stuck with me for a long time in my career. Being his going to go for it. We're going to put a great product out there and get it done. We're
receiver coach for two years had a lot of success. We know that the foundation of not going to use any excuses. We're not going to use those as excuses. We're going
our team, when Bill was the coach, was our defense. Our defense was stellar, to be to get it done. That's what we have to do. That's what their expectation is. When
quite honest, and had great players, players that played in the league and players young people are inspired to do great things, you don't ever want to detract from
that made a lot of accolades along the way. They were the cornerstone of the that. You want to ride that. You want them to be the best that they can be, and
success. As an offensive coach, I knew that the defense was going to get the ball they're telling you, superficially, that they're really, really ready to give you their
back for us for us to win. There were many moments like that where that was the best."
case in our success in the past. I still believe that. My story of coming here in 1992 "I'm here for the long haul to do that. That's what I want you to know. This is my
and getting a chance to work for a wonderful coach and wonderful players was very dream job. This is my dream job. You'll get the best out of me, and I'm sure that
instrumental to my makeup as I grew as a coach." it's going to be reflected in the players that you see play on Saturdays. I want to
"The unique thing about this whole process is that we all aspire to do great things. thank you and I want to thank the Boulder community. I'm happy to be back home.
I want our players to aspire to do great things. It doesn't necessarily mean it's in It's funny how I was only spending my summers, which is the only time that I would
the football arena. It can be in life. They can be in a number of different things that have a chance to spend any time here. In the NFL season, you get the summers off
they have an interest in. That's why it's so important to know the people that you're and you get four or five weeks off so I'm usually at my home in Colorado here from
dealing with. Our culture is important. I was visiting with our support staff, the mid-June to mid-July, and then I'm gone wherever I'm at. I was at the Jets for the
coaching staff, and the people that are in and around our program. We have some last four years before going to Miami. Now I don't have to make those trips
work to do. We have to understand that with me, and in this position that I'm in, anymore. I'm happy to be home and am very thankful."
it's important that we really get a chance to know our players and know them on
On What He Learned During His Five Years As UCLA's Head Coach
an intimate level and understand how they know what needs to be done to pride
them to be successful, both on the field and in the classroom. Also, to be there to "It's a great question because we all learn through the process of a lot of situations
love them when they need that, as mentors or father favors, for them in their lives. and experiences that you go through. My first head coaching experience at UCLA, it
That's the job of a coach. Our coaches will understand that. The staff that I bring was a very rewarding experience to be honest with you. It was a challenge that I
here will have the understanding that we've got to be in the people business. We think I really embraced to overcome. There were a lot of different things that were
have to develop the player, but first you have to care deeply about the person. That in and around the program that were very challenging to fix, and we were able to
is when you get the most out of him. I made that point in our meeting earlier this do. I think from that experience alone, it told me that it's really important that you
morning how that's relevant. That's what's going to get us to be a championship really build your program with the right coaches and you get to know your players
team. For us to be confident, poised, close knit, confident in the guy that's next to at an intimate level from day one. I think that was something I didn't do early in
next to you and that we all are going to do our job, which will function into playing my career at UCLA, but I think it really expounded in a number of different ways,
great football. Our coaches and culture are going to develop our players to be tough even as an assistant coach, how it's helped elevate everyone's level of coaching and
minded, battle tested, smart, to have a love to compete and have passion for the of the product that you get from your players.
game, to care deeply about each other, and most importantly, have one goal in CONTINUED …
2020 Colorado Football / DORRELL HIRING PRESS CONFERENCE QUOTES (2-2-2)
The biggest thing I would say is, like I've expressed today, our players are our On Projected Style of Play
number one asset. Everything goes through them for their success, and I'm at an "As to our style of play, I just want to give you a preview of how I envision our team.
academic institution which provides the players with the resources to do the things It really comes from my last experience here. The cornerstone of our program was
well in the classroom and on the playing field. So, those things go hand in hand our defense. I'm an offensive coach, a wide receiver coach, quarterbacks, passing
and it's really the main important factor of everything that we've done." game, all that stuff, but I know from the very heart of hearts that the program came
from a cornerstone which was our defense. Whether it was Alfred Williams, Kanavis
On His Decision To Leave The Dolphins Despite Being Promoted
McGee, Chad Brown, Deon Figures, there's a number of great players that played
"That's a good story and I'd like to share this for the Colorado faithful to understand in this league and played on a professional level, but it was the cornerstone of the
the dynamics of what happened. Rick alluded to it, but I'll go back through it. The
team. I still believe in that as an offensive coach because if I had a great defense,
NFL Combine is this week, as we speak. We had Friday off, Coach Brian Flores, the
they're turning the ball over and giving me more turns on offense. That's what an
head coach with the Miami Dolphins, gave us Friday off to kind of have a weekend
offensive coach wants is more turns, because you get more points. We didn't have
off prior to going to work and doing what we do at the combine. I left Thursday a problem scoring points when we were here offensively. I've had a couple of
night from Miami to come here to have a couple days with my wife, son and family, receivers that, matter of fact, Charles Johnson and Michael Westbrook were a 1000-
and I was flying out yesterday to go to the combine in Indianapolis. I get this call yard receiver tandem. So, we were able to function well prolifically offensively with
on Thursday afternoon about, 'Hey would you be interested in this job?' and that the defense being really the cornerstone of who we were. Special teams are critical
kind of floored me to be honest with you. It really surprised me. I said, 'Absolutely'. in today's game, like it is in any game, but I think special teams and game
Lance [Carl] asked when we could talk and I told Lance on the phone that I was management are really critical pieces to winning the tight games.
actually flying back to Colorado that Thursday night. Then he went and talked with
Rick and got back with me a little bit later that day. They asked if we could meet at "The close games against a great opponent is coming down to the wire, you know
my house and I said sure, I understood that we wanted to be discreet, so we set up there's some execution that needs to be done effectively because it's not just kicking
the meeting. After I was on the phone with both Lance and Rick, I sat back in my a field goal through the uprights but there's some decisions that need to be made
chair and I realized I needed to tell Brian Flores what was happening here. Brian's prior to getting to that position, that are going to be important as to why you win
going to be a wonderful head coach. I mean I love him, I've worked with him one those games. So special teams are just that X factor, you want to make sure that
year and I feel like we've worked together for 15 or 20 years, but I sat down with area is better than most that you go against. That's kind of my vision, it's going to
him and told him about the conversation and he was very, very supportive. He told be led by a tough stellar defense. We're a three-four base right now, we're kind of
me that it was a great opportunity and that he knew I already had a home here, so built for that. Matter of fact, the last time I was here we were a three-four team. I'm
we shook hands, hugged and when I'm leaving his office he told me how he really good with that because it's a great defense to adjust to with these offensive sets that
didn't want to lose me, but something like this just makes sense. So, I fly home, offensive coaches do. So, I think it's a good foundation for our defense. Offensively,
we have a meeting, I get offered the job and I'm still floored, like 'Wow this is going I like balance. We're going to throw the football for sure, but we need to be able to
so fast it's unbelievable.' I tell Kim [Dorrell's wife], and she was shocked by it, we run the football as well. The best it's ever been, and it probably hasn't been that
were all giddy about it, so I called Brian and I said, 'Brian I've been offered the job', way since, was when we had the Heisman Trophy runner with Rashaan [Salaam]
and he's so excited. Remember, he just promoted me to assistant head coach and and two prolific receivers outside that he had 2,000 yards rushing and they each
I really appreciated that from him because he entrusted me with being responsible had 1,000-yards receiving. I'd say that's a pretty good offense. It just depends on
for certain aspects of the professional organization, which I was very appreciative where our strengths are, but I think the goal is that we want to be balanced, we
to do. They [Miami Dolphins] made it hard because they tried to keep me, but I'll definitely want to have a run threat and be able to run the football, but we're going
tell you this, I would probably still be there because of where my career was going to be able to throw the ball as good as anybody."
in the NFL if it was another college job, but because it was Colorado, my home,
there was no one that was going to take me away from this job. I know that I'm On His Coaching Philosophy
here for a reason and I know that I've accepted the challenge of leading this "The first thing that I know as a coach, and I told our players and our support staff
program to greatness. I'm going to work tireless hours to do that because this is a as well, is that I have to earn their trust, I really do. I think the foundation of
place that I believe in. It's a part of my fabric, it's a part of my background, and you anything we do is that I want the people that are working with me and the players
guys are going to get the very best of me which is going to be a very good football that are working with me to know; what's my fabric, what's important to me, and
team." am I out for his best interest, which I am. I need to express all those things to kind
of gain the trust factor of those players to believe in the message that we're sending,
On How He Will Recruit and I need my coaches to do the same thing. They have to build that trust level
"We're going to recruit naturally in the areas that have been really productive for within their respective positions. Again, really spreading that message. I know that
us. Obviously, our state is important. We want the foundation of the best players in universities have restrictions in certain areas and I know that I've dealt with that in
our state to stay here, so we need to do a great job of taking care of home. That's my past. There's no perfect scenario. There's no perfect scenario where you're going
kind of the heartbeat of your team, right here from home, so we want to keep our to have every resource you need to to get the job done. I don't think life is perfect.
best players here. There are some good programs that have really good players here I've been through enough of those things already as a coach and we all have in
and we need to make sure we take care of that. But California has always been big everyday life. So, I think the better thing of answering the question is, are we willing
in our history of having success, Texas has been big, Louisiana, so I would say the to work with each other. Sometimes it might mean that I can't get what I need in
western region of the country, which is where our conference is, is probably our this area, but they'll try to do something over here to help improve our situation.
main primary base. From my experience in other places, you know I lived in Florida I'm very, very grateful and thankful for what I currently have to build my staff. My
for a while, my son and daughter went to high school there, we have connections salary pool is tremendous to me, and they awarded me with that and I'm very, very
there so those would be kind of spot recruiting, not primary areas but connection flattered to be able to work with those numbers. I know that there's academic
areas. I think we're going to continue with the path that we have right now. I think conditions, there's a lot of things that go on, and I've dealt with those things in the
that's been very instrumental to our success. The type of player, I think that was past, but I'm the type of coach that's willing to do what the policy is. And if there's
the other part of your question, we're going for the best players. We have a lot of certain things that need to be tweaked or anything like that then we can do that. I
proud history of great players from this team and from this program. I've had a feel like we're in really good shape. I feel that Rick and Chancellor DiStefano have
couple of great ones, Michael Westbrook, Charles Johnson and Darren Chiaverini. really given me a great opportunity to have the resources that we need for
I've coached some really good receivers here and there's been great defensive recruiting. We have the supplemental areas in and around our football program
players and great quarterbacks. We have a good history of talent to display with from dealing with the nutrition and the weight training to the mental health and
some of our family about why this place is a special place. We're going to get back the academic support, all of those things that we talked about in our meetings, they
to recruiting the best players." know how instrumental those things are for me and for our success, and they've
addressed those areas. I'm very, very pleased."Head Coach KARL DORRELL
Karl Dorrell was named the 27th full-time head Central Florida in 1989, that on the heels of his first taste in coaching as a graduate
football coach at the University of Colorado on assistant at his alma mater, UCLA in 1988.
February 23, 2020, very much a “homecoming” The Dolphins finished with a 5-11 record in 2019 after starting 0-7, showing
for him as he twice served as an assistant coach dramatic improvement over the second half of the season. Miami averaged 276
for the Buffaloes in the 1990s. passing yards per game during that stretch, with the season ending with a dramatic
Dorrell, 56, returned to CU from the National 27-24 win at New England which cost the Patriots a first round bye. Under
Football League’s Miami Dolphins, where he Dorrell’s tutoring, DeVante Parker led the team in receiving with 72 catches for
coached the receivers for the 2019 season; two 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns, with 48 for 859 yards and six scores the final
days prior to accepting the Colorado position, he nine games of the year.
had been promoted to Miami’s assistant head Prior to his second stint with Miami, Dorrell spent four seasons (2015-18)
coach. He replaced Mel Tucker, who coached the with the New York Jets as their wide receivers coach. During that span, the Jets
Buffs for one season before accepting the head coach position at Michigan State had five different players record at least 50 receptions in an individual season while
12 days before Dorrell was hired. often enduring coaching a unit ravaged with injuries. Two of his receivers were
Dorrell, 56, replaced Mel Tucker, who resigned 12 days earlier when he former Denver Broncos in Brandon Marshall (who he previously coached at
accepted an offer to become the new head coach at Michigan State after coaching Miami) and Eric Decker. In Dorrell’s first season with the Jets in 2015, he helped
the Buffaloes for just one season. Dorrell came back to Colorado from the National Marshall set franchise records for receptions (109), receiving yards (1,502) and
Football League’s Miami Dolphins, where he was the receivers coach for the 2019 receiving touchdowns (14). All three marks ranked in the top five in the NFL that
season; he had just been promoted to assistant head coach by Dolphins head season, while Decker caught 80 passes for 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns. The
coach Brian Flores two days before accepting the CU job. pair combined for the most receptions (189) and receiving touchdowns (26) by
Dorrell was coaching his second time as a member of the Dolphins staff, as any wide receiver duo in team history, while setting an NFL record by scoring
he returned as the team’s wide receivers coach on February 8, 2019. He previously touchdowns in the same game on nine occasions.
served as the receivers coach from 2008-10 and was the quarterbacks coach in He had returned to the NFL after one season (2014) at Vanderbilt University,
2011, all four years under the late head coach at the time, Tony Sparano (who where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under first-year
passed away in July 2018). head coach Derek Mason.
Bill McCartney hired him at Colorado as his receivers coach on February 20, He was the quarterbacks coach for the Houston Texans in 2012 and 2013,
1992, Dorrell’s first full-time job on the Division I-A (now FBS) level. In his first where he worked with Matt Schaub and Case Keenum. Schaub passed for 4,008
year on the staff, two of his players, Charles Johnson and Michael Westbrook, yards and 22 touchdowns in 2012, leading the Texans to a 12-4 record, the AFC
became just the fourth pair of receivers on the same team at the time to each have South Division title and a wild card playoff victory over Cincinnati before falling to
over 1,000 receiving yards in NCAA history; the first two do so at Colorado, Johnson New England in the divisional round.
caught 57 passes for 1,149 yards and five touchdowns, while Westbrook pulled in After five years as head coach of UCLA, Dorrell went back to the NFL, where he
76 receptions for 1,060 yards and eight scores. Westbrook earned first-team All- served as Miami’s wide receivers coach (2008-10) and then its quarterbacks coach
America honors for that season, becoming just the third Buffalo wide receiver to (2011). In his last year there, the Dolphins lost quarterback Chad Henne to a
do so, joining Cliff Branch (1971) and Dave Logan (1975). Johnson added another season-ending injury in the fourth game; Dorrell helped Matt Moore step in and
1,000-yard season in 1993, again hauling in 57 balls for 1,082 yards and nine TDs, pass for 2,497 yards and 16 TDs, with an 87.1 quarterback rating for his 12 starts.
earning second-team All-American accolades, with Westbrook repeating as a first- In 2010, Dorrell tutored Marshall and Davone Bess to form one of the top pass-
team his senior year in 1994. catching combinations in the NFL, as the two would combine for 165 receptions
The Buffs were 17-5-2 those two seasons, which included a win over Fresno for 1,834 yards and eight touchdowns (the receptions were the most by a Dolphins
State in the ’93 Aloha Bowl. duo in team history). In his first season in 2008, Miami won 10 games more than
After leaving for the 1994 season to coach the receivers and serve as the the previous season, posting an 11-5 mark and winning the AFC East, as three of
passing game coordinator at Arizona State under coach Bruce Snyder, he would Dorrell’s receivers – Bess, Ted Ginn Jr. and Greg Camarillo – all had over 50
receptions and 500 yards in combining for 165 catches, 1,957 yards and 10 TDs.
return to Boulder in 1995 as a member of Rick Neuheisel’s staff, reuniting with
his quarterback from their playing days at UCLA. Neuheisel, on the legendary In 2003, Dorrell was named head coach at his alma mater, UCLA. During his
McCartney’s final staff in ’94, replaced him as CU’s head coach and brought back time heading up the Bruins’ program, the school posted a 35-27 record (24-18 in
Dorrell to be CU’s offensive coordinator and receivers coach on January 12, 1995. Pacific 10 Conference games) and earned a bowl berth all five seasons. His first
He would add coaching the quarterbacks to his duties in 1998, the last season on team finished 6-7 and his second 6-6, with both suffering defeats in their bowl
the CU staff. CU’s offense under Dorrell’s direction proved electric, as the ’95 games. In his third season in 2005, UCLA went 10-2, recorded a victory over
Buffaloes were eighth in the nation in scoring (36.9 points per game), sixth in total Northwestern in the Sun Bowl and finished with a No. 13 national ranking in the
offense (486.6 yards per game, still the second most in a single season at USA Today Coaches poll (No. 16 by the Associated Press). For the team’s
Colorado) and eighth in passing offense (297.2 yards per game). CU was 33-14 in performance that year, Dorrell was named the Pac-10 Conference co-Coach of the
his second go-round on the staff, which included three bowl wins, two over Oregon Year. In 2006, his Bruins upset cross-town rival and second-ranked USC, 13-9,
in the 1996 Cotton and 1998 Aloha and over Washington in the 1996 Holiday. knocking the Trojans out of a second straight BCS Championship game. That team
It’s actually his fourth time he’ll be establishing roots in the state of Colorado. finished the year with a 7-6 mark, and his final squad there was 6-6 before he was
In addition to his two previous stints as an assistant coach for the Buffaloes, he dismissed as head coach prior to the Bruins’ Las Vegas bowl date against BYU.
was the receivers coach for the Denver Broncos for three years (2000-2002) under Dorrell’s first game as a college head coach was actually in Boulder, as UCLA
Mike Shanahan. Rod Smith’s first two career Pro Bowl selections coincided with opened the 2003 season in week two after CU defeated CSU opening week. The
Dorrell’s first two years with the team, and Smith surpassed the 1,000-yard Buffs rallied late to spoil his debut, with Joel Klatt throwing a 6-yard touchdown
receiving mark all three years under Dorrell’s tutelage. In Dorrell’s first season pass to Joe Klopfenstein with 2:15 to play to give CU a 16-14 victory.
with the team in 2000, Smith and Ed McCaffrey combined for 201 receptions for
He twice worked with the Denver Broncos’ staff during training camp in both
2,919 yards and 17 touchdowns.
1993 and 1999 as part of the NFL’s Minority Coaching Fellowship program, first
He originally came to Colorado from Northern Arizona University, where he under Wade Phillips and then under Shanahan, who would give him his first
was the offensive coordinator and receivers coach in 1990 and 1991; in his last full-time position in the professional ranks the following spring.
year there, NAU set school records for first downs (255) and total offense (4,539
yards). That followed his first full-time job as receivers coach at the University of CONTINUED …DORRELL / 2-2-2
Dorrell is not the first to be hired as the head coach at Colorado who previously He graduated from UCLA in 1986 with a degree in Psychology while earning a
was an assistant coach at the school; in fact, he is the fifth. He joins an impressive minor in Business Administration.
list of those who spent time in Boulder as an assistant before being named head Dorrell was born on December 18, 1963 in Alameda, Calif., and graduated
coach: Frank Potts (assistant for the 1927-39, 1941-43 and 1946-47 seasons), from Helix Charter High School in La Mesa, Calif. (a San Diego suburb), where in
Rick Neuheisel (1994), Gary Barnett (1984-91) and Jon Embree (1993- football he was a two-time all-league performer and an honorable mention All-
2002). Dorrell joined the Buffs the season after Barnett was named head coach American as a senior and also lettered in basketball, baseball and track. He is
at Northwestern, and Neuheisel actually had replaced Dorrell on the Colorado staff married to the former Kim Westley, and the couple has two grown children, son
under Bill McCartney. Chandler, who was a receiver at both Stanford and Vanderbilt, and daughter
He also becomes the third CU coach to take over the program after signing Lauren, who lettered three times on CU’s volleyball team from 2016-18.
day: Chuck Fairbanks arrived in Boulder on April 4, 1979 after a lengthy court
battle with the New England Patriots to release him from their contract, and AT-A-GLANCE—As a full-time coach, he has coached in 428
McCartney was hired on June 9, 1982 after Fairbanks left to coach New Jersey in career games: in Division I-A (FBS) 168 games, with his teams
the fledgling United States Football League (USFL). owning a record of 98-68-2 which includes eight bowl games
(1993 Fiesta, 1993 Aloha, 1996 Cotton, 1999 Holiday, 2003
As a student-athlete at UCLA, he lettered four times at wide receiver under Silicon Valley, 2004 Las Vegas, 2005 Sun, 2006 Emerald). In his
coach Terry Donahue from 1982-86. He caught 108 passes for 1,517 yards and two previous stints at Colorado, the Buffaloes were 50-19-2. He
nine touchdowns, and at the time of his graduation, he was second in receptions coached in 22 games in Division I-AA (now FCS), 10 games in
and fourth in receiving yards on the Bruins’ all-time charts. He played on five Division II, and in the National Football League, he coached in 224
UCLA bowl champion teams, the 1983 Rose (def. Michigan), 1984 Rose (def. regular season games (80 with Miami, 64 with the New York Jets,
Illinois), 1985 Fiesta (def. Miami-Fla. the year he redshirted), 1986 Rose (def. 48 with Denver and 32 with Houston) as well as in four NFL playoff
Iowa) and the 1986 Freedom (def. BYU); in three of those games, he combined to games (2 with Houston, 1 each with Denver and Miami).
have 14 receptions for 203 yards and three touchdowns. He signed as a free agent
with the Dallas Cowboys and played half of the 1987 season before he was placed
on injured reserve.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
1988 UCLA Graduate Assistant (offense) 2003-07 UCLA Head Coach
1989 Central Florida Wide Receivers 2008-10 Miami (NFL) Wide Receivers
1990-91 Northern Arizona Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers 2011 Miami (NFL) Quarterbacks
1992-93 Colorado Wide Receivers 2012-13 Houston (NFL) Quarterbacks
1994 Arizona State Passing Game Coordinator/Wide Receivers 2014 Vanderbilt Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
1995-97 Colorado Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers 2015-18 New York Jets (NFL) Wide Receivers
1998 Colorado Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers 2019 Miami (NFL) Wide Receivers
1999 Washington Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers 2020 Miami (NFL) Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers
2000-02 Denver (NFL) Wide Receivers
Karl Dorrell Year-By-Year Coaching Record
Overall Conference
Season School W L Pct. Pts Opp W L Pct. Pts Opp Finish/Conf.
2003 UCLA ........................................ 6 7 .462 248 305 4 4 .500 175 200 t-5th / Pacific 10
2004 UCLA ........................................ 6 6 .500 361 309 4 4 .500 252 227 t-5th / Pacific 10
2005 UCLA ........................................ 10 2 .833 469 410 6 2 .750 271 306 3rd / Pacific 10
2006 UCLA ........................................ 7 6 .417 299 259 5 4 .556 198 169 4th / Pacific 10
2007 UCLA ........................................ 6 6 .417 275 273 5 4 .556 236 192 t-4th / Pacific 10
Career Totals .............................................. 35 27 .565 1652 1556 24 18 .571 1132 1094
As a GA at UCLA (Pacific 10; 1 season, 1988) .................................. 10- 2 1 bowl (1-0) As an assistant with Denver (NFL, 3 seasons, 2000-02) ............. 28-20 (0-1
playoffs)
As an assistant at Central Florida (Ind.; 1 season, 1989) ................ 7- 3 As head coach at UCLA (Pacific 10, 5 seasons, 2003-07) ........... 35-27 4 bowl (1-3)
As an assistant at Northern Arizona (Big Sky; 2 seasons, 1990-91 . 8-14 As an assistant at Miami (NFL, 4 seasons, 2008-11) .................. 31-33 (0-1 playoffs)
As an assistant at Colorado (Big 8; 2 seasons, 1992-93) ................. 17-5-1 2 bowl (1-1) As an assistant at Houston (NFL, 2 seasons, 2012-13) ............... 14-18 (1-1 playoffs)
As an assistant with Arizona State (Pacific 10; 1 season, 1994) .... 3- 8 As an assistant at Vanderbilt (SEC, 1 season, 2014) .................. 3- 9
As an assistant with Colorado (Big 8/12; 4 seasons, 1995-98) ........ 33-14 3 bowl (3-0) As an assistant at N.Y. Jets (NFL, 4 seasons, 2015-18) .............. 24-40
As an assistant at Washington (Pacific 10; 1 season, 1999) ........... 7- 5 1 bowl (0-1) As an assistant at Miami (NFL, 1 season, 2019) ......................... 5-11
CU, STANFORD LEAD IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN HEAD COACHES
CU is one of two schools on the FBS/Division I-A level to have had three African-American head coaches lead their football programs. Since Wichita State hired
Willie Jeffries in 1979 as the first black head coach in college football’s top division, just nine schools have had as many as two full-time AA coaches. The list:
School No. Coaches (Seasons)
Colorado 3 Jon Embree (2011-12), Mel Tucker (2019), Karl Dorrell (2020-)
Stanford 3 Dennis Green (1989-91), Tyrone Whittingham (1995-2001), David Shaw (2011-present)
Bowling Green 2 Dino Babers (2014-15), Mike Jinks (2016-18)
East Carolina 2 Ruffin McNeill (2010-15), Scottie Montgomery (2016-18)
Louisville 2 Ron Cooper (1995-97), Charlie Strong (2010-13)
Michigan State 2 Bobby Williams (1999-2002), Mel Tucker (2020-)
New Mexico State 2 Tony Samuel (1997-2004), DeWayne Walker (2009-13)
South Florida 2 Willie Taggart (2013-16), Charlie Strong (2017-19)
Vanderbilt 2 James Franklin (2011-13), Derek Mason (2014-present)DORRELL / 3-3-3 DORRELL / DID YOU KNOW In his first game ever as an offensive coordinator – for Colorado on Sept. 2, 1995 at No. 21 Wisconsin, he called one of the best games by any offensive coordinator on the road against a ranked team in college football history. The Buffs rolled up 507 yards of offense (278 passing, 229 rushing) in a 43-7 win over the Badgers. It remains the most points and yards on the road against any opponent, much less a ranked foe, in the first game by an offensive coordinator in CU history. In his career he has coached a College Hall of Famer (Michael Westbrook); a Fred Biletnikoff Award finalist (Rae Carruth); three pairs of 1,000-yard receivers in the same season (Westbrook, Charles Johnson at CU; Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey at the Denver Broncos; Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker at the N.Y. Jets); four Pro Bowl selections (Smith in 2000, 2001; Matt Schaub in 2012; Marshall in 2015); three first round draft picks (Westbrook, No. 4 overall; Johnson, Carruth), and five CU receivers in all being selected (Phil Savoy in ’98 and Darrin Chiaverini in ’99). In his two previous stints at Colorado, he coached seven receivers who are still among the top 20 in school history in receptions and yards. And of the 18 games at Colorado where two receivers gained 100 or more yards in the same game, he coached in seven of those contest. Dorrell’s UCLA teams were 24-7 at home (77.4 winning percentage); that included a 6-3 mark against ranked teams. His 2005 team finished with a 10-3 record, as he was selected as the Pacific 10 Conference’s co-coach of the year. In the history of college football, 655 different head coaches have led their teams to bowl games. Of those, only 32 coached their first five teams into the postseason, and Dorrell is one of those 32, as all five of his teams at UCLA played in postseason bowls. His streak is one of only five who are currently active among the 130 FBS head coaches: 12 seasons—Dabo Swinney, Clemson; 9—James Franklin, Vanderbilt/Penn State; 8—Gus Malzahn, Arkansas State/Auburn; 6—Blake Anderson, Arkansas State; 5—Karl Dorrell, UCLA (Colorado); next up: 4—Kirby Smart, Georgia. Others among the 32 include Tom Osborne, Nebraska (first 25 teams coached earned bowl invitations), Bob Stoops, Oklahoma (18), Lloyd Carr, Michigan (13), Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee (13), Jim Tressel, Ohio State (10), Pete Carroll, USC (9), Mike Leach, Texas Tech/Washington State (9), David Shaw, Stanford (8), Chris Peterson, Boise State (7), Troy Calhoun, Air Force (6), Larry Coker, Miami-Fla. (6) and Jimbo Fisher, Florida State (6). (Twenty-five have coached their first six teams into the postseason; 20 their first seven.) Developing Players. Throughout his career, Dorrell has been challenged to develop rookies as well as take veterans to the next level. Some examples: Charles Johnson & Michael Westbrook, Colorado. Dorrell arrived at CU in an offseason where the Buffaloes were converting from an option offense for the previous seven seasons to a one-back, pro-style passing attack. But CU hadn’t really recruited for that style of an offense so as a young coach, he had great challenge from the get-go. The end result? The pair combined for 133 receptions for 2,209 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging a 16.6 yards per catch. The pair alone combined for more receiving yards than any of the previous seven CU teams had for a season. Rae Carruth. Before his well-documented troubles after graduating from CU, Carruth was a first-team All-American receiver in 1996. He emerged from the shadows of former teammates Johnson and Westbrook to have back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, joining Johnson as the only duo to accomplish the feat in program history at the time. Over his final two seasons, Carruth had monster numbers: 107 catches for 2,124 yards (19.9 yards per) and 17 touchdowns, with 75 of those receptions earning first downs. Rod Smith, Denver Broncos. In his first five seasons in the NFL, he caught 257 passes for 3,811 yards and 25 touchdowns; with Dorrell as his position coach for three years (2000-02), he had 302 receptions for 3,972 yards and 24 TDs. Ed McCaffrey, Denver Broncos. McCaffrey was in his 10th NFL season, his sixth with the Broncos, when he first came under the tutorship of Dorrell for the 2000 season. He would post career-high numbers that season: 101 receptions for 1,317 yards (with 9 touchdowns). In 2001, he suffered a broken leg in the season opener, but he would come back under Dorrell’s supervision to start all 16 games in 2002, making 69 grabs for 903 yards and two scores. Ashley Lelie, Denver Broncos. Dorrell had him for his rookie season in 2002, playing a significant role in his early development, when he emerged with the third-best numbers by the receivers on the team. Two years later, he would become a 1,000-yard receiver teaming with Smith. Brandon Marshall, N.Y. Jets. Coming off a season with the Chicago Bears that saw him produce the lowest numbers of his career since he became a starter, Marshall rebounded the second time he was under Dorrell’s coaching in 2015 to have his second best season in his 13-year career, catching 109 balls for 1,502 yards and a league-high 14 touchdowns. He had two 1,000-yard seasons with Dorrell earlier in the decade at Miami. Robby Anderson, N.Y. Jets. Signed by the Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Temple, he started eight games as a rookie and had been a regular ever since. He caught 42 passes for 587 yards (two TDs) as a rookie in 2016, and under Dorrell’s wing, caught 113 the next two seasons for 1,693 yards and 13 touchdowns, averaging a healthy 15.0 yards per catch. DaVante Parker, Miami Dolphins. Parker at best was an average receiver in his first four years in the NFL. Dorrell coached him in his fifth season in the league, and finished with career highs across the board – 72 receptions for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns – he really came on during the second half of the year when Dorrell’s coaching really took hold (48 catches for 859 yards and six scores over the final nine games), averaging an “old school" 17.9 yards per catch during that span). Davone Bess, Miami Dolphins. An undrafted free agent out of Hawai’i, Bess would blossom under Dorrell’s coaching. He caught 54 passes as a rookie in 2008, and in four years with Dorrell as his position coach, he would catch 260 passes for 2,669 yards and 11 TDs. In 2010, he teamed with Brandon Marshall to form one of the top pass-catching duos in the league, their 165 combined receptions the most by a tandem in team history Brian Hartline, Miami Dolphins. A fourth round pick out of Ohio State by the Dolphins in the 2009 draft, he was the fourth receiver on the depth chart while Dorrell was with the club. But he still got his coaching early on in his career, and when the top of the depth cleared due to attrition, he would emerge as a two-time, 1,000-yard receiver in 2012 and 2013. Matt Moore, Miami Dolphins. Dorrell also parlayed his coaching influences when he has had the opportunity to coach quarterbacks. In 2011, he molded Moore, who had started 13 games in his first three years in the league, into the team’s starter who completed 60.5 percent of his passes for 2,497 yards and 16 touchdowns (his 87.1 rating was the fifth-best in the AFC). Some eight years later, Moore has been one of the league top backup QB’s, playing a key role at times in Kansas City’s run to its first Super Bowl title in 50 years. Matt Schaub, Houston Texans. In 2012, Schaub led the Texans to a 12-4 record and the AFC South Division title by passing for 4,008 yards and 22 touchdowns. His rating (90.7) was the fourth-best in the AFC and ninth-best overall in the league. It was his second best career among 16 seasons in the NFL (2004-19), and those numbers came in a year after he missed six games due to injury the year before.
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