According to ESPN, current Colorado Buffaloes head basketball coach Jeff Bzdelik has called a team meeting to tell his players and staff that he intends to take the Wake Forest job vacated by Dino Gaudio after he failed to produce much success in the postseason. This rumor has been running rampant since Friday with many sources saying he agreed to the job yesterday including the Denver Post and Daily Camera.
Colorado athletic directior Mike Bohn was made aware of the conversations between Wake Forest AD Ron Wellman and Bzdelik yesterday and called the discussions "disturbing." Bzdelik is 36 - 58 at Colorado but his team showed improvement in 2010 finishing eighth in the Big 12 after being a preseason pick to finish last. Many feel Bzdelik was a low post presence away from being able to qualify for the NCAA tournament next year with two stars in G Cory Higgins and G Alec Burks returning. That coupled with a new practice facility being built in Boulder had fans hoping that the basketball program could begin to sustain success.
If Bzdelik does indeed leave, assistant coach Steve McClain could be viable replacement. Keeping McClain would maintain some of the continuity in the program. McClain was in the running for the Hawaii head coaching job earlier this year and also coached the Buffs at the beginning of the season when Bzdelik had to be away for personal reasons.
If McClain does leave with Bzdelik, the Buffs will have to look outside the program for a new head coach and with the every increasing economic issue that faces the University, one has to wonder how much of an "investment" Colorado will put in the next head coach.
Bzdelik has a $500,000 buyout clause. For more, check out our story from yesterday detailing how this seems like a slam dunk move for Jeff Bzdelik after only posting a 36 - 58 record over the past three years.