Timeline: Karl Dorrell's tenure with the Colorado Buffaloes

Oct. 2—Timeline of Karl Dorrell's tenure as the head football coach at Colorado:

Feb. 12, 2020: Mel Tucker abruptly leaves Colorado and is introduced as the head coach Michigan State, creating an unexpected opening at CU.

Feb. 22, 2020: BuffZone confirms reports that Karl Dorrell, the receivers coach/assistant head coach of the Miami Dolphins will be hired as the new head coach of the Buffs.

Feb. 23, 2020: Dorrell is officially introduced as the 27th full-time head football coach in CU history.

March 13, 2020: The first set of spring practices under Dorrell are postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Spring practices would ultimately be canceled as all sports were put on hold for several months.

Oct. 9, 2020: Dorrell finally conducts his first official practice as the Buffs began preparing for the shortened season.

Nov. 7, 2020: At Folsom Field, Dorrell won his CU debut, defeating his alma mater, UCLA, 48-42. That kicked off a 4-0 start to his tenure.

Dec. 22, 2020: After a 4-1 regular season, Dorrell was named as the Pac-12 coach of the year, becoming the second CU coach to win that honor (also Mike MacIntyre in 2016). In addition, running back Jarek Broussard was named the Pac-12 offensive player of the year.

Dec. 29, 2020: Making just its second bowl appearance since 2007, CU is routed by Texas, 55-23, in the Alamo Bowl. Dorrell concludes his first season with a 4-2 record and at that point had led teams to bowls in all six of his seasons as a head coach.

Jan. 12, 2021: In his first major coaching change at CU, Dorrell fired defensive coordinator Tyson Summers, who was at CU from 2019-20. Defensive line coach Chris Wilson was later promoted to the coordinator role.

Sept. 3, 2021: Dorrell begins his second season at CU with a 35-7 win against Northern Colorado.

Oct, 2, 2021: CU was routed by USC, 37-14, at Folsom Field. After the game, as he jogged off the field, Dorrell pushed a TV camera behind held by a Channel 7 photojournalist. Athletic director Rick George issued a statement of apology on Dorrell's behalf.

Oct. 23, 2021: After a 26-3 loss at California, CU was 2-5 and Dorrell elected to fire offensive line coach Mitch Rodrigue.

Nov. 6, 2021: In one of the most memorable games in recent memory, Dorrell and the Buffs knocked off Oregon State, 37-34 in double overtime at Folsom Field.

Nov. 26, 2021: CU put a cap on the season with a 28-13 loss at Utah. The Buffs finished 4-8 in Dorrell's second season, the first time in seven years as a head coach that he failed to get a team to a bowl game.

Nov. 28, 2021: Two days after the season, Dorrell announced that he had fired offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini. That kicked off an offseason of change with the coaching staff. Overall, six of the 10 assistants were either fired or took other jobs. Dorrell eventually hired Mike Sanford to replace Chiaverini.

December 2021-January 2022: Nearly two dozen players left the program and put their names in the NCAA transfer portal. Many of those were players who weren't seeing the field, but the Buffs also had six starters choose the leave the program and go elsewhere.

July 29, 2022: At Pac-12 media day in Los Angeles, CU is projected to finish last in the conference. Dorrell said, "I believe you're going to see a quality (CU) team this year, a team that's going to be very competitive, a team that's going to win more games than they won a year ago."

Sept. 2, 2022: CU gets an early 3-0 lead against TCU in the season opener at Folsom Field and trailed just 7-6 at halftime. TCU outscored the Buffs 31-7 after halftime to hand CU a 38-13 loss.

Sept. 10, 2022: In their first trip to the Air Force Academy since 1974, the Buffs are routed 41-10.

Sept. 24, 2022: UCLA rolls past the Buffs, 45-17, in the Pac-12 opener. At some points during the game, fans chant, "Fire Karl! Fire Karl!"

Oct. 1, 2022: In what turned out to be his final game at CU, Dorrell's Buffs are blown out at Arizona, 43-20.

Oct. 2, 2022: Dorrell and Wilson are both fired. Dorrell's two-and-a-half year tenure ends with an 8-15 record, including 4-15 in the last 19 games.