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Colorado football: Worst head coach hires in program history

By Josh Yourish

Oct 30, 2010; Norman, OK, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Dan Hawkins walks the sideline during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 30, 2010; Norman, OK, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Dan Hawkins walks the sideline during the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark D Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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The faith of Boulder is in Coach Prime, but that belief might be wavering after five straight losses. The Colorado Buffaloes will miss a bowl game for the third straight year and haven’t won a bowl since 2004.

The Buffaloes seem to be trending on the right track as a program but will finish in last place in the Pac-12 for the second straight season. Next year, Colorado will be back in the Big 12 and that could be a step back toward the best of times in Boulder.

It’s been a long time since the glory days of the Colorado program and there have been a lot of bad hires since Bill McCartney and the 1990 national championship. Three of those coaches have made this list, including Coach Prime’s predecessor.

Sep 24, 2022; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Karl Dorrell during the first quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 24, 2022; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Colorado Buffaloes head coach Karl Dorrell during the first quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports /

Mel Tucker left for Michigan State after just one season in Boulder and Colorado replaced him with Karl Dorrell. The former UCLA head coach took over in 2020 and led the Buffaloes to a 4-2 record in the pandemic-shortened season.

After being named the 2020 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Dorrell came back down to earth, winning four games again in 2021, only this time with eight losses. In Year 3 of his five-year contract, Dorrell and the Buffs started the season 0-5 and he was fired midseason.

Dorrell finished his 2+ years in Boulder with an 8-15 record and a 2020 Alamo Bowl loss. Colorado swung for the fences and hired Coach Prime to follow Dorrell, but it’s looking like another four-win season in 2023.

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