We don’t know yet who will be the next Colorado football head coach. We do know (again), though, who it won’t be.
When Mel Tucker left for the Michigan State head job earlier this month, it triggered an unexpected coaching search at Colorado. Current Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator and former Colorado football Eric Bieniemy was immediately considered the front-runner, although speculation of late had him staying in the NFL.
Overnight, Mike Klis of the NBC affiliate in Denver reported that Bieniemy “notified his alma mater Wednesday night he would no longer seek the job.” ESPN‘s Adam Schefter subsequently confirmed that Bieniemy has withdrawn his name from consideration.
Klis wrote that, "[a]lthough Bieniemy never formally interviewed for the CU head job, he and school officials stayed in contact either personally or through his agent, even while he and his family kept a long-scheduled, 5-day vacation.”
The 50-year-old Bieniemy was a running back with the Buffaloes in the late eighties, finishing third in the Heisman Trophy voting his senior season. He began his coaching career at his alma mater as running backs coach in 2001-02. He returned to Colorado football in 2011-12 as offensive coordinator.
Since 2013, Bieniemy has been a member of the Chiefs coaching staff.
So, to where does Colorado football now turn? Air Force’s Troy Calhoun has seemingly taken the front-runner mantle in some corners — he interviewed for the CU job this week — while former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema is in the mix as well. Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian also interviewed for the job this week. Like Bieniemy, the former USC and Washington head coach has opted to remain in his current job.
Since being rebuffed by both Sarkisian and Bieniemy, it’s believed that Colorado has decided to expand its search for the next head football coach. That, of course, would mean the search could drag on into next week.