Jon Embree has verbally accepted Colorado’s offer to become its next head football coach, according to Bill McCartney, the legendary ex-Buffs’ coach. Embree will hire former Buffs’ great Eric Bieniemy as his offensive coordinator, McCartney said.
“Embree’s going to be the head coach and Bieniemy’s going to be the offensive coordinator,” McCartney told The Denver Post today. “Take it to the bank and hang your hat on it.”
A source close to the search also confirmed Thursday afternoon that Embree had accepted.
“It’s a done deal,” the source said, adding only that minor details need to be ironed out before his hiring could be announced.
The source said CU is tentatively scheduling a Monday news conference to announce the hiring but that timetable could be moved up. The source did not confirm if Bieniemy would be a part of the coaching staff.
The 45-year-old Embree — a former Buffs tight end and assistant coach at Colorado who went to Cherry Creek High School — is currently the tight ends coach of the Washington Redskins, who play at the New York Giants Sunday.
McCartney was a candidate to replace Dan Hawkins, who was fired last month, but said his plan all along, had he been named coach, was to hire Embree and Bieniemy as assistants and groom one of them to take over as the head coach in two or three years. When it became clear he would not get the head coaching position, McCartney said he pushed for one of them to get the job, and hire the other coach as a top assistant.
“It was never about me doing it again,” McCartney said. “It was about setting the table for a black man to come in (as head coach). And he (athletic director Mike Bohn) hired one. Now, give him a chance.”
Despite multiple sources confirming Embree’s hiring, CU issued a news release this afternoon saying a decision has not yet been made.
Bohn’s statement read: “The rumors that the University of Colorado has hired our next head football coach are untrue. In the interests of the young men in our program, and our fans and supporters, I want to make clear that the search committee has not yet completed its work, and we have not yet offered the job to any candidate. We are hopeful of making a head coach announcement in the coming days and beginning a new and exciting era of CU football.”
McCartney said he’s excited about what Embree can do for the program, in combination with Bieniemy.
“Quite frankly, it’s awesome,” said McCartney. “I didn’t know you could get both of those guys. I give Mike Bohn credit for two things that he should get major kudos for. One, he saw that window and jumped into the Pac-12. And No. 2, he’s hiring outstanding black leaders.”
Bieniemy is currently the running backs coach for the Minnesota Vikings.
Embree could not be reached for comment. After the Redskins practice today in Ashburn, Va., Embree was escorted off the field by a Redskins public relations employee, who said: “Coach can’t comment at this time yet, so we’ll deal with it another time.”
Redskins coach Mike Shanahan, however, told The Associated Press that he hopes Embree gets his “dream job” in Boulder.
“I just read what Coach McCartney had said, and it sounded like he’s got a good chance to get the job,” Shanahan told reporters. “I have talked to a couple of people on the board already, and they had asked me if I would release him or let him go earlier than the end of the season, and I told them I would if he was given the job, to help him with recruiting and get his staff.
“I’ve always believed and always had a philosophy that when one of your assistant coaches has a chance to be a head coach and really upgrade their job and a lifelong dream for him, that I’d be more than happy to let him go early.”
Shanahan also added: “We’ve got a lot of quality coaches on our staff that can pick up the slack. Jon’s just a heck of a football coach, heck of a guy, and if he does get the job I’d say he would do a fantastic job.”
Colorado’s original “A” list, sources said, consisted of LSU coach Les Miles, Air Force coach Troy Calhoun and former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti, none of whom it could get interested in the position.
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
