Floyd Keith, executive director of the Black Coaches Association, was on the phone with University of Colorado officials first thing Friday morning.
No surprise there. CU athletic director Mike Bohn announced at the previous night’s news conference it was imperative to consider minority candidates.
CU hired consultant Chuck Neinas for the coaching search, but the BCA doesn’t charge a dime for suggesting qualified minority candidates.
Keith said he didn’t talk to Bohn or Neinas and wouldn’t reveal whom he recommended, but he did mention prominent names.
“Randy Shannon (University of Miami’s defensive coordinator with an NFL background) is on everyone’s hot list,” Keith said. (Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks coach) Jim Caldwell knows the school, he has a track record and he did great things at Wake Forest.”
Caldwell was a Buffs assistant from 1982-84.
Many names are already in play, most prominently Buffs’ former tight end and assistant coach Jon Embree, currently the assistant head coach at UCLA. Broncos first-year assistant Tim Brewster is another name with local ties.
Keith also mentioned former Broncos linebacker Ricky Hunley, linebackers coach for the Cincinnati Bengals.
NFL assistant coaches on the list also included Washington Redskins defensive coordinator Greg Blache, who has an extensive college background; Arizona Cardinals running backs coach Kirby Wilson, a former Wyoming and Iowa State assistant; and Baltimore Ravens secondary coach Johnnie Lynn, who has no college coaching experience.
Keith, Bohn and CU interim president Hank Brown all received a letter from Senate President pro tem Peter Groff (D-Denver) urging the hiring of an African-American coach.
“With the ongoing atmosphere on campus and recent events with students of color,” says the letter, “hiring an African-American would be a tremendous and monumental statement about the new direction of the state’s flagship university. Such a hire would cement your statements about effectively and substantively dealing with the noxious environment on the Boulder campus.”
The BCA’s mission is to promote all minority candidates. Former USC and current Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who is of Asian descent, is also on Keith’s informal list.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303 820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
