Tad Boyle Leads CU Buffs into New Season with Renewed Energy

College basketball at the University of Colorado (CU) has kicked off its preseason practice, marking the beginning of the 16th season under head coach Tad Boyle. The CU Buffs opened their practices on October 4, 2023, as they prepare for a fresh start following a challenging 14-21 season last year.

Boyle’s Leadership and Future Plans

Having already secured his place as the program’s all-time winningest coach with 312 victories, Boyle is on the verge of matching the legendary Sox Walseth’s record of 20 seasons at the helm. He has coached 516 games for CU, with a record of 312-204. Despite the pressures of modern college basketball—particularly the impact of the transfer portal and name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements—Boyle remains optimistic about his future.

“My energy level is high. My excitement level is high. My health is good,” said Boyle, who will turn 63 in January. “The minute I’m not excited about going into a season is the minute I’ll hang it up. I feel good, I’m excited, and I’m looking forward to the next year and the following year.”

As he focuses on balancing his professional responsibilities and personal life, Boyle emphasizes the importance of maintaining his enthusiasm for the sport. “I’ve really tried to balance my life more away from the office, off the court, and to make sure I do have the energy level at the end of September as we head into the grind,” he added.

New Players and Preseason Challenges

Wednesday’s practice also marked the first for nine new players on the CU roster, including seven freshmen and two transfers. Notably, Alon Michaeli, a forward from Israel, joined the team as a late signee and is adjusting to life at CU after previously spending only a brief time in the U.S. “It’s way different than Israel, for sure,” Michaeli observed. “There’s enough guys that are helping me out here with everything. Everybody’s really been amazing to me.”

Despite the influx of new talent, the team faced several challenges during their summer practices. Junior forward Bangot Dak missed the summer due to a knee injury, while freshman Isaiah Johnson was delayed in joining the team due to his high school graduation. Freshman forward Tacko Ifaola also did not travel to Australia for the Buffs’ exhibition trip, leaving the team with ten of their 14 scholarship players yet to play a game for CU.

“It’s finding a balance between saying, OK, we’ve got to play five-on-five and understand the offense and the defense, and yet still build habits with drill work,” Boyle explained. He emphasized the importance of this balance as the team prepares for the upcoming season and reflects on the benefits of their summer trip to Australia.

As CU Buffs men’s basketball enters this new chapter, all eyes will be on Boyle and his team as they strive to improve and reclaim their competitive edge in the NCAA landscape.