Colorado men’s basketball coach Tad Boyle and his counterpart at Colorado State, Larry Eustachy, are proof there is more than one formula to build a winning program.
Each of Boyle’s top nine players was recruited from high schools. Seven of Eustachy’s top nine players transferred to CSU, either via a four-year school or a junior college.
Colorado (5-2) hosts Colorado State (8-0) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Coors Events Center. The contrast between the makeup of the rosters is striking.
“Everybody’s philosophy is different,” Boyle said. “I like watching kids develop over four or five years. I think that’s the way to win consistently.”
Eustachy said he would rather coach a player for four years. But he is still playing catch-up in rebuilding a roster after inheriting an all-senior lineup in his first season (2012-13) at CSU.
Then again, Eustachy acknowledges having a soft spot for transfers. With their eligibility clock already running, transfers may play with a greater sense of urgency, Eustachy said.
“And because they all left a place for a reason, they may play with a chip on their shoulder,” Eustachy said. “I think they’re like me. I’d like to think I coach with a chip on my shoulder.”
He added: “My dad wasn’t a coach. He sold cars. So I didn’t have it easy moving up in the coaching profession. I’ve been through adversity; maybe they’ve been through adversity. So I think we have a lot in common.”
Colorado State’s top three scorers transferred from Division I schools: senior forward J.J. Avila (14.9) from Navy, senior forward Stanton Kidd (14.4) from North Carolina Central and senior guard Daniel Bejarano (12.1) from Arizona. The Rams’ other double-figure scorer, junior guard Gian Clavell (10.9), is a native of Puerto Rico who played junior college basketball in Kansas.
Some coaches would not touch a roster filled with all those transfers. Boyle said Eustachy has the experience and personality to make it work. This is the first CSU team in history to begin a season with eight victories.
“Larry has the perfect personality for that,” Boyle said. “He’s a very good coach. He’s demanding. If anybody can handle (so many transfers), Larry Eustachy can.
“He has put together a heck of a team. They’re the best team we will play to this point in the season. We have our hands full.”
Boyle brought in junior college transfers during his early years at Northern Colorado but has signed only one — guard Jeremy Adams — while at CU. Boyle is more apt to add transfers from four-year schools, as he has with Carlon Brown (from Utah), Sabatino Chen (Denver) and 6-foot-5 junior guard Josh Fortune, a member of the current roster who is sitting out the required transfer year after leaving Providence.
“I’m not anti-transfer,” Boyle said. “I’d just hate to be under the gun each spring to see who we can get as transfers. We’ve just built it the old-fashioned way.”
Tom Kensler: tkensler@denverpost.com or
