Tad Boyle and Colorado rolling with the punches in the midst of a terrible season

Tad Boyle is not the kind of man or coach who believes in moral victories. But the one thing the winningest basketball coach in Colorado history kept emphasizing over and over after the Buffs hard-fought loss to powerful Kansas really resonates.

“We battled all night. You can’t out rebound a team like Kansas by 15 and not battle,” said Boyle after the seven-point loss before a packed house in Boulder.

Battle. It’s been a trademark of Boyle teams and a reflection of the former Greeley Central star who went east to Kansas, became team captain for the Jayhawks, tried the finance world for a bit before settling into the sweet spot of college coaching.

Boyle’s tenacity and his teams have reflected the grit of the 62-year-old. This has been a tough year. A young and inexperienced Buffaloes squad has struggled in Big 12 play. They’re not alone. Powerful KU has seven conference losses. Before the season? The new-look 16-team conference was billed as perhaps the nation’s most difficult. It’s living up to the hype.

However, the one thing Boyle has constantly preached this season is the necessity for the Buffs to get tougher and battle. It’s a learning process to understand that each and every night the will and desire to lace up the sneakers and fight to the finish is absolutely necessary for success.

College basketball has become incredibly physical over the years. In years past? What were obvious violations for setting a pick on the parameter? Never called. It’s like football on the basketball court the way players set screens for teammates these days. Those actions used to be called “moving picks.” Not any more. They’re just part of the game. Physicality is essential. Much like the football team’s long motto? It’s the same for basketball: The pride and tradition will not be entrusted to the timid and the weak.

Tenaciousness. Tad Boyle’s Buffs are not winning much but they have been battling of late. Three games remain on the regular season slate, all on the road: K-State, Texas Tech and TCU. Colorado has yet to win a conference road game and beating the Wildcats in Manhattan Sunday is probably its best shot of claiming victory in hostile territory.

The future of college athletics is so uncertain. NIL money being thrown around and the ease of transferring makes it quite difficult to build a program in the design of Boyle’s past teams. Teaching team toughness takes time. With the revolving door of players coming and going that’s a challenging task.

Boyle’s genes are rugged. Always have been and always will be. It’s late in the season of rebuilding. Considering the talent lost last season with three standouts being selected in the NBA draft’s first 40 picks, including two first-rounders, most expected the 24-25 campaign to be tough in terms of wins and losses.

A key building block to forging a successful future? Learning the absolute importance of tenacity each and every night on the hardwood. It’s perhaps the most difficult thing for a coach. There’s always drills and repetition that lead to improved skills on the court but how to teach toughness?

It’s more difficult. It takes an inner desire. As the season winds down, the Boyle-battle mentality seems to be taking up residence within the soul of the Buffaloes. If the current squad remains intact and more talent is added, that’s good news for Colorado basketball fans.

Talent is critical, no question. However, fortitude cannot be diminished. Never let another team win the desire game for it often supersedes talent. Boyle’s Buffs are learning that lesson. It’s been a weary season. But what’s the ol’ saying, “Tough times never last but tough people do.” May it be the motto for the Buffaloes of Boyle down the stretch and into next season.