Will Ritz take the Colorado job at the end of the year?

I don’t think ON would let him even if he was interested. They’re paying him to be focused on their pros and Colorado is a Nike school.

He's coaching the American mile record holder and olympic medal contender, who TF would leave that gig to coach a CU past their prime!??!

Plus is unqualified for working in a P4 collegiate athletic department

How in the world is he unqualified?

I wouldn't blame him for wanting to avoid the woke hell environment of working for a college, however. I have to admit that coaching for one's alma mater sounds tempting, but as someone near Ritz's age I wouldn't be interested in travelling with a team (especially as much as college coaches travel).

This would clearly be a downgrade from where he is right now. Not sure why he would take it unless there is some problem with his current position. He's literally coaching the greatest American miler in history, among several international mega talents. It's every coach's dream.

You have little idea what goes into being a head coach at that level

Right now he has a 3:43 miler, a couple 3:29 guys (three, including Nuguse), a 12:55 guy, and much more, as well as Obiri and Monson on the women's side. That's pretty much a dream lineup for an American distance coach. Still, for some people, coaching their alma mater is a life-long dream. I have no idea whether Ritz is one of them. But Wetmore's surely not retiring any time soon.

I've talked to Ritz at several meets since he started coaching the pro group. He is a very happy guy and he really enjoys his current job. And that was before Nuguse ran 3:43.

I don't think that Ritz has any interest in quitting ON to go coach in college.

IF Wetmore is actually leaving, and IF Ritzenhein is in the conversation to replace him (both very big and important IFs), I think Ritzenhein is probably watching the sh!tshow unfolding in Eugene and is smart enough to know that taking the job probably isn't in anyone's best interest, especially his own.

lol, as if someone who competed at the highest levels of college and pro, and as a pro coach has also reached the highest level, has no idea what it takes to be a college coach. is beyond a braindead take. tell the doctors to pull the plug there's no recovery

Already been mentioned above:

1) Wetmore isn't leaving.

2) Ritz loves his current job.

/thread

Ritz clearly has the elite athlete experience. Ritz clearly has the elite coaching experience. He'd be a no brainer as the lead distance coach. However, P4 schools hiring for director jobs (what Wetmore is) aren't looking for that. The job as it actually exists is to be an administrator - the figurehead of the program. The job CU Boulder will be looking to fill (eventually, whenever that is) will be for a manager of the event specialty assistant coaches, all of the track and field athletes, a fund raiser, a budget manager, etc...the overall decision maker. NOT an event coach specialist. The vast majority of successful P4 directors aren't actually coaching - they're very good at administering the program though. This is why CU will be looking for someone with previous collegiate head coaching experience - or at least someone who's very familiar with collegiate administration. They won't care one bit about Ritz's pedigree or resume until the new director is hiring for event lead coaches. That said, Ritz would be an excellent candidate for the head distance coach (an assistant track coach)...but yeah he's probably not stupid enough to give up his current situation for that.

Are you kidding me? See the name I made up for this thread. I ran against the Buffaloes in their conference and have a very good idea of what the head coach at a major program does.

The only thing that I can think you would take issue with is that I wasn't totally clear about not being crazy about travelling in a head coaching position. I know the head coach doesn't always travel, but he still travels enough to make it undesirable.

So, please, how in the world is he unqualified? It's not like bureaucratic admin stuff is a rare superpower. Also, if you're gunning for the CU job then you should put that front and center before you critique Ritzenhein.

And I’m sure CO doesn’t want a coach associated and probably dealing with the same “strategy “ as AlSal. Schools don’t need that headache

If Ritz coaches ON and CU I know (4) big time kids that will jump ship to boulder in a heartbeat. CU is an absolute disaster right now and needs some major shifts in coaching and recruiting.

Exactly, university world is pathetic. Why work for some woke institution that could care less about Cross Country and Track. Stay with ON.

sorry but that is not some super difficult challenging job that ritz is unqualified for or incapable of. i agree there's no reason he would take it esp heading into an olympic year with certified studs in his stable, but he would probably be quite good at it. either way it's moot as it doesn't seem either side wants it to happen, cheers

People here acting like what Wetmore does is rocket science. He’s a sports administrator at a public university. Any idiot can do that.

A pro coach travels way more than a college coach. FACT.