With news breaking late last night that Mel Tucker, who originally quelled worries that he was interviewing for the vacant Michigan State head coaching job earlier this weeks, was indeed leaving Boulder for East Lansing after a lone year at the helm of the Buffaloes, it's time to think about what comes next for the Buffaloes.

Athletic director Rick George will now look to find Colorado's next head coach, but as that develops, eyes will remain in Boulder and across the country to the newly signed Class of 2020 as players and incoming recruits deal with the news.

Right off the bat, reactions among recruits and players, both groups of which appear not to have been briefed by Tucker, after the first MSU news earlier in the week that he was interviewing for the gig and now with news that he abruptly has decided to take it, has been, well, expectedly of shock and disappointment.

Needless to say, the above reactions from players, coaches and beloved Buffaloes alum Phillip Lindsay are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the collective less-than-appreciative reaction following Tucker's apparent high-tailing out of town.

Any fair weather Colorado fan's social media accounts are likely ripe with tweets like the above. Players and recruits are doubtless hurt by the news, and you can hardly blame them.

Declare assistant head coach and receivers coach Darrin Chiaverini as interim head coach as the Tucker situation is digested and reacted to. Chiaverini has play calling experience, he is an alum, he personally recruited over 30% of the 2020 class and is a major locker room presence among the WRs and in general.

The Buffaloes right now will need stability and confidence, and with no disrespect intended to Darian Hagan, there's no other coach on staff right now who has the recruiting and team ties strong enough to make that happen, at least temporarily, than Chiaverini.

Per Brian Howell of the Daily Camera, the Buffaloes today have cancelled all team workouts and instead will hold a team-wide meeting at 8 a.m. in Boulder. It seems likely that George will preside over the meeting.

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