Mike Dunlap, who coached Metro State to two Division II national championships and was a Nuggets assistant, said he will interview for the vacant Colorado head-coaching position today.
Dunlap, 53, comes off two one-year stints as an assistant coach at Arizona and Oregon. He is considered a candidate for the Oregon head-coaching job and has interviewed for an associate position at St. John’s under newly hired head coach Steve Lavin, the former ESPN analyst.
“But Colorado is the job I really want,” Dunlap said this morning. “This is home.”
The Denver area has remained the home base for the Dunlap family the past two years while he coached in the Pac-10. Dunlap led Metro State to national titles in 2000 and 2002. Three years ago, while an assistant with the Nuggets, Dunlap was considered a finalist for the CU job before withdrawing his name several weeks before Jeff Bzdelik was hired.
At that time, Dunlap said he had concerns and reservations about Colorado’s commitment to men’s basketball. He said today that athletic director Mike Bohn and Bzdelik have changed the culture, with new facilities, talented players and a greater support and commitment from the administration. Home attendance also is up, especially from the student body.
“Things are in place to compete in the Big 12 that weren’t there three years ago,” Dunlap said. “Mike (Bohn) and his staff have made that commitment. They have forged ahead. Some things still need to happen, but there are signs that it can happen.
“When you’re talking about the University of Colorado, it’s always been there. It has always had the potential (to succeed in basketball). You’re talking about an institution that’s second to none. It would be fun being associated with that.”
Bzdelik was introduced as the new coach at Wake Forest job on Wednesday. Colorado associate coach Steve McClain and Northern Colorado head coach Tad Boyle are other known candidates whom CU is interviewing to fill the CU opening.
Tom Kensler: 3039-954-1280 or tkensler@denverpost.com
