Terry Carroll’s days as DU men’s basketball coach appear to be numbered. Carroll, who took an unexplained leave of absence in December, does not appear to be coming back.
“They haven’t really told us anything, but with the head coach being gone so long, and the common sense of it all, people are thinking that there is going to be a change,” freshman guard Tyler Bullock said Thursday.
DU finished its season 4-25. Carroll left the team Dec. 20 for what the school said were personal issues and has had no contact with athletic director Peg Bradley-Doppes since then.
Bradley-Doppes seems ready to move on without the 2005 Sun Belt Conference coach of the year.
“Right now I feel I can sit back and assess the situation and make some decisions,” Bradley-Doppes said Thursday. “Now is the perfect time to. If you look around the country, everybody is assessing their current situations, looking to see (who’s available).
“What I’m looking at right now is the direction of the program. My job is to assess the state of the program overall and where we’re going.”
Bradley-Doppes would not divulge any more information about why Carroll left the team, but said she hasn’t spoken with him since the day he left and that Carroll has not returned “a series” of phone calls. She said Carroll’s only communication with the school has been with longtime DU assistant athletic director Ron Grahame.
Bradley-Doppes, who did not hire Carroll, would not disclose information about Carroll’s contract. Carroll’s six DU teams went 79-98. Carroll and Grahame did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Bullock, one of DU’s best players, called the confusing season tough. “Especially being a freshman. This is all I know. This is not what I pictured.”
He said he would consider transferring. “As far as I know the new coach could come in and not want some of the players,” he said.
Freshman Nate Rohnert, who was recruited by Colorado State, said he will remain at DU at least until he knows who the coach will be next season.
“It was very difficult, to say the least,” Rohnert said of this past season. “What happened with Coach, nobody expected that. It’s been a draining process.”
Bradley-Doppes said recruiting, led by interim coach Kevin Reynolds, has not been affected by Carroll’s departure.
“Kevin, Matt (Garner) and Marcus (Mason) have done a tremendous job,” she said. “They have kept in contact with our student-athletes that have committed early, and all those commitments are solid.”
Bradley-Doppes is concerned about the possibility of current players leaving, however. Nine of 12 players are underclassmen.
“I’m trying to resolve that issue,” she said. “I’m always concerned about the welfare of our student-athletes. My first concern when Terry took the leave was, first and foremost, our student-athletes.”
Staff writer Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
