Stampede Magazine

VOLUME: 10 • ISSUE: 1

new beginnings Paul Richardson and the Buffs take flight under Mike MacIntyre

LEADING THE STAMPEDE A note from athletic director, Rick George

Let me start by saying how honored and humbled I am to be appointed as the new Director of Intercollegiate Athletics here at the University of Colorado. Nancy and I are thrilled to return to Boulder for what I have long considered my dream job.

I am looking forward to meeting each and every member of the Buff Club in the coming months. This opportunity also affords me the chance to meet with the thousands of donors that impact our student-athletes each and every day.

AD

This is an exciting time for CU Athletics. Our new head football coach Mike MacIntyre has set high standards for our student-athletes both on and off the field and welcomes the fierce competition that comes with our third year in the Pac-12 Conference.

Head volleyball coach Liz Kritza kicks off her fifth year at CU with a great mix of experienced returning players and the addition of five new players to the roster. Mark Wetmore and the Cross Country team will be chasing after another Pac-12 Cross Country Championship. Danny Sanchez and the women’s soccer team are ready to capitalize on last year’s improvements and continue to be competitive in the extremely tough Pac12 Conference.

These are transforming times for CU Athletics, however we stand committed to our vision of sustainable excellence. Our Sustainable Excellence Initiative seeks to secure the future success of University of Colorado Athletics and promote a better student-athlete experience by creating a self-funding model of operations for CU Athletics. This is the time to step up, Shoulder to Shoulder with our studentathletes, our Athletics Department, and with fellow members of Buffs Nation, here at home and across the world.

I am looking forward to working with each of you and to lead this department in a transformational way. With that in mind, I will personally make every decision with three things in mind. All decisions will be made in the best interest of the student-athlete, the Athletics Department and University.

We welcome the numerous new opportunities ahead this fall. For me, it is great to be back home in Boulder. I hope that many of you return home to campus to cheer on all of our fall sports. It is through hard work and determination that together we will build a new landscape for University of Colorado Athletics.

Collaboration & Unity,

MEET THE STAFF three Buffs you should get to know!

Meet…Justin Urman, Marketing and Promotions Manager for CU Athletics (“My main responsibility is to get fans to attend our various sporting events… but there are a lot of ‘other duties as assigned’ from fireworks to fire juggling along with a heavy dose of Chip whispering. Really no two days are the same.”). “If I could go to one of the Buffs’ road games this season, I’d like to go to, well, they’re all good because they’re not all in Nebraska.”

Meet…John Templeton, Senior Audio Engineer/ Technical Director (“I design, install, operate, maintain audio, video, projection, stage and lighting systems, curtains and backdrops, media hookups, tables, chairs, signage – all for a wide variety of campus events from athletics, to concerts, meetings, trade shows, conventions, film programs, banquets, film, radio and television, still photo shots, and other events as needed.”). “I like to go to any road game, because it’s great to see other campuses.”

Meet…Jodi Mossoni, Ski Team Administrative Assistant (“I provide support to our coaches while managing the office, handling travel arrangements and budgets while ensuring we comply with policies and procedures. Serve as Chairman of our annual Ski Ball and dusting all our National Champion trophies!”). “If I could go to one of the Buffs road games this season, I’d like to go to Oregon State because it is a campus and stadium I have never been to for a game.”

1

Departments VOLUME: 10 • ISSUE: 1 EDITORIAL DIRECTOR, BUFF CLUB Ted Ledbetter MANAGING EDITOR Doug Ottewill, Haas Rock Publications CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Marty Evans Natalie Meisler Daniel Mohrmann Will Petersen Dave Plati

06 In Focus 12 Fall sports schedule 64 Buffalo Bill

ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN Jake Blocker PHOTOGRAPHERS CU Sports Information Chip Bromfield, Pro-Motion, Ltd. Getty Images Jathan Campbell USA Today Sports Photos ADVERTISING SALES Chris Dolge Will McKinlay The Stampede is published and produced in association with: HAAS ROCK PUBLICATIONS, LLC PRESIDENT PUBLISHER PROOFREADER James Merilatt Doug Ottewill Lance Britton The Stampede is published four times per year, as a 64-page quarterly.

Buff Club, 369 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 BUFF CLUB 800.621.2833 Subscription rate for The Stampede is a gift for $100 or more per year to the Buff Club.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Buff Club, 369 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309 Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without written permission is prohibited.

Copyright 2013 / All Rights Reserved Printed in the U.S.A

THE STAMPEDE IS PROUDLY PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER We want to hear from you! Comments regarding The Stampede can be directed to buffclub@colorado.edu or 303-492-2200.

2

36 Q&A: Bill McCartney

STAMPEDE

Features

16 National Treasure | CU’s Nicole Edelman spends a summer playing for her country 20 Blind Faith | Sight unseen, golfer Philip Juel-Berg took a chance on Colorado 24 By Way of Destiny | Jake Hurysz and the University of Colorado were meant to be together 28 A True Gamer | Both on and off the field, Anne Stuller is all about winning 32 donor profile | The Crawford family supports move toward gridiron excellence

42 Football preview

The Buffs don’t intend on being down again

4

STAMPEDE

ABOUT THAT TIME

What’s synonymous with college football season? The running of the greatest mascot in sports, of course. Run, Ralphie, run. .

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

6

7

STAMPEDE

SIMPLY GOLDEN

Members of the CU Cheer Squad and CU Dance Team will be on hand to support all of the Buffs during the fall sports season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

8

9

STAMPEDE

wear black NIGHT

The Buffalo crazies will soon be out in full force, especially on Wear Black Night at Folsom Field.

Photo from USA Today Sports Images

10

11

STAMPEDE

2013 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO SOCCER SCHEDULE Date

Opponent

Saturday, Aug. 17 Alumni Game

Fall Sports Calendar 2013 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date

Sept. 1 Sept. 7 Sept. 14 Sept. 28 Oct. 5 Oct. 12 Oct. 26 Nov. 2 Nov. 9 Nov. 16 Nov. 23 Nov. 30 Dec. 7

Opponent

Colorado State (Denver) CENTRAL ARKANSAS FRESNO STATE at Oregon State* OREGON (FW)* at Arizona State* ARIZONA (H)* at UCLA* at Washington* CALIFORNIA* SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA* at Utah* Pac-12 Championship Game

TV

CBS-SN P12N P12N tba P12N tba tba tba tba tba tba tba ESPN

Time (MST)

4:00p 6:00p 12:00p TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

OPEN WEEKENDS: Sept. 21, Oct. 19. *—Pac-12 Conference game; (H)—Homecoming; (FW)—Family Weekend. tba—to be announced (games on the selection menu of ESPN-ABC, FOX Sports/FSN and the Pac-12 Networks; most arrangements will be announced up to 12 days in advance).

12

COLORADO CUP

Location

Time

BOULDER

1 p.m.

Denver, Colo.

Denver, Colo.

BOULDER BOULDER

5 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Noon 2:30 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 23 Friday, Aug. 23 Sunday, Aug. 25 Sunday, Aug. 25

vs. Northern Colorado Denver vs. Colorado College Denver vs. Northern Colorado COLORADO COLLEGE

Friday, Aug. 30 Sunday, Sept. 1 Friday, Sept. 6 Sunday, Sept. 8 Sunday, Sept. 15

5 p.m.

1 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

11 a.m.

1 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 20

AIR FORCE BOULDER ST. MARY’S BOULDER #vs. Alabama Denver, Colo. #vs. UT-Martin Denver, Colo.

DENVER BOULDER OMNI HOTELS COLORADO WOMEN’S SOCCER CLASSIC UNC vs. UNLV BOULDER

Friday, Sept. 20 Sunday, Sept. 22 Sunday, Sept. 22

STONY BROOK Stony Brook vs. UNC UNLV

BOULDER BOULDER BOULDER

4 p.m.

11 a.m.

1:30 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 28 Friday, Oct. 4 Sunday, Oct. 6 Friday, Oct. 11 Sunday, Oct. 13 Friday, Oct. 18 Friday, Oct. 25 Sunday, Oct. 27 Friday, Nov. 1 Sunday, Nov. 3 Friday, Nov. 8

*STANFORD *OREGON STATE *OREGON *at Washington State *at Washington *at California *USC *UCLA *at Arizona State *at Arizona *at Utah

BOULDER BOULDER BOULDER Pullman, Wash.

Seattle, Wash.

Berkeley, Calif.

BOULDER BOULDER Tempe, Ariz.

Tucson, Ariz.

Salt Lake City, Utah

1 p.m.

3 p.m.

2 p.m.

2 p.m.

Noon 1:30 p.m.

3 p.m.

Noon 7 p.m.

Noon 2 p.m.

TV

1:30 p.m.

P12N P12N

P12N P12N P12N

All Home Games in BOLD CAPS #-DU Invitational *-Pac-12 Conference Game

UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO WOMEN’S GOLF TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE FALL 2013 Sept. 9-10 Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic Depart Sept 8, practice round Sept 8

Colorado State (36 holes/18 holes) Ptarmigan CC, Fort Collins, CO

Sept. 20-21 Branch Law Frim/Dick McGuire Invite Depart Sept 19, Practice round Sept 19

U. of New Mexico (36/18) UNM GC, Albuquerque, NM

Oct 8-9 The Edean / UW Invite Depart Oct 6, practice round Oct 7

U of Washington (36/18) Sahalee CC, Sammamish, WA

Nov 4-5 Pac 12 Preview Depart Nov. 1, practice round Nov.3

Pac 12 (36 holes/18 holes) Nanea CC, Hilo, Hawaii (Big Island) 13

STAMPEDE

2013 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE Aug. 31 Sept. 28 Oct. 19 Nov. 2 Nov. 15 Nov. 23

CU Time Trial Rocky Mountain Shootout NCAA Pre-National Invitation Pac 12 Championship NCAA Mountain Region Championship NCAA Championship

BOULDER BOULDER at Terre Haute, Ind. Louisville, CO at Ogden, Utah at Terre Haute, Ind.

2013 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE Day

Date

Opponent

Friday Saturday

Aug. 30 Aug. 31

ST. MARY’S ST. MARY’S

Friday Saturday

Sept. 6 Sept. 7

vs. Stony Brook vs. Oakland vs. Rutgers at Syracuse

Friday

Sept. 13

Saturday Thursday

Sept. 14 Sept. 19

Location

Time Rank NCAA Finish

Omni Hotels Colorado Volleyball Classic 7 p.m.

BOULDER RV 7 p.m.

BOULDER RV

Candlewood Suites Challenge 6:30 a.m. NR Syracuse, N.Y. 3 p.m.

Syracuse, N.Y. NR 6:30 a.m. NR Syracuse, N.Y. 5:30 p.m. NR Syracuse, N.Y. Baylor Invitational 9 a.m. vs. Appalachian State Waco, Texas NR 3:30 p.m. NR vs. Northwestern State Waco, Texas 5 p.m. at Baylor Waco, Texas NR TBA TBA BOULDER

NCAA Second Round NCAA Second Round

TV/Media P12D P12D

DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP

Pac-12 Conference Tuesday Friday Friday Sunday Wednesday Saturday Friday Sunday Friday Sunday Friday Sunday Friday Saturday Thursday Sunday Friday Sunday Wednesday Friday

Sept. 24 Sept. 27 Oct. 4 Oct. 6 Oct. 9 Oct. 12 Oct. 18 Oct. 20 Oct. 25 Oct. 27 Nov. 1 Nov. 3 Nov. 8 Nov. 9 Nov. 14 Nov. 17 Nov. 22 Nov. 24 Nov. 27 Nov. 29

at Utah *UCLA *WASHINGTON *WASHINGTON STATE *at California *at Stanford *at Oregon *at Oregon State *ARIZONA *ARIZONA STATE *at Washington State *at Washington *STANFORD *CALIFORNIA *at Arizona State *at Arizona *OREGON STATE *OREGON Utah *at USC

Salt Lake City BOULDER BOULDER BOULDER Berkeley, Calif.

Stanford, Calif.

Eugene, Ore. Corvallis, Ore. BOULDER BOULDER Pullman, Wash.

Seattle, Wash.

BOULDER BOULDER Tempe, Ariz.

Tucson, Ariz.

BOULDER BOULDER BOULDER Los Angeles

SCHEDULE

14 14

*Pac-12 Conference Match P12N – Pac-12 Network, P12M – Pac-12 Mountain, P12D – Pac-12 Digital Match times are subject to change due to TV broadcasts

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

12 p.m.

8:30 p.m.

8 p.m.

8 p.m.

12 p.m.

7 p.m.

4 p.m.

7 p.m.

4 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

2 p.m.

TBD 11 a.m.

TBD 2 p.m.

NR 13th 9th NR NR 4th 2nd NR NR NR NR 9th 4th NR NR NR NR 2nd DNP 6th

DNP NCAA Second Round NCAA Region Semis DNP NCAA First Round NCAA Region Finals NCAA Runner-up DNP DNP NCAA First Round DNP NCAA Region Semis NCAA Region Finals NCAA First Round NCAA First Round DNP DNP NCAA Runner-up DNP NCAA Region Finals

P12N P12M P12M P12M P12M P12M P12D P12M P12M P12M P12D P12D

Come to Carelli’s for your PRE-GAME and POST-GAME hangout

P12M P12M P12M P12M

15

STAMPEDE

National Treasure CU’s Nicole Edelman spends a summer playing for her country

A

By Will Petersen

group of American women made their way around Prague, soaking in the sights and the beauty of the capital of the Czech Republic.

Twelve of them were visiting the city for work, but in a rare instance of free time, they were tourists, as well.

This group, though, had a bit of a fan club. The locals stared, followed them and even snapped pictures. Colorado’s Nicole Edelman was in this group of women, a member of the USA Volleyball Junior National team.

Edelman stands at an impressive six feet, a height for a woman that can turn heads walking down the street in America. But combine a group of women together who all check in around that height, throw in being in a foreign country, and the team garnered a lot of attention.

“Our tallest girl was 6-foot-8. They recognize tall, thin and American, and they’re just fascinated,” Edelman says.

Fascinating is a good word to use to describe the process Edelman went through to be on the team, walking around in the Czech Republic, having her picture taken like a celebrity. It’s not that she wasn’t deserving; it’s just that the process is extensive.

Flash back to February. The state of Colorado was still reeling from the Broncos’ stunning first-round playoff exit. North West was simply a direction and not a baby name, and Aaron Hernandez was just a football player. Point being, it was awhile back.

Well, that’s when Edelman and several hundred other women gathered in 16

Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center for tryouts. Several hundred needed to turn into just 14, and apparently, cutting that many players takes awhile. The team wasn’t announced for about three months, with Edelman not knowing officially until May if she had earned a spot.

She traveled to Lake Placid, N.Y., as practice started officially on June 5. The training center had dorms, cafeterias, weight rooms and gyms. It was clear the 14 girls were there for one reason, and one reason only: To play volleyball.

“It was eat, sleep and breathe the game. We had six hours of it every day, and weights for an hour every other day. There’s no distractions and you can just focus with your team,” Edelman says.

While focus is always important, in this case it was even more crucial. There was a kicker to all of this. The 14 women were referred to officially as the USA Volleyball Women’s Junior National Training Team. All 14 of them packed for a month, but two of them would be going home after the 10 days in Lake Placid because the teams were only allowed 12 players each on their international rosters.

It was like a cruel reality show, except rather than competing for money, these women were competing to represent their country.

in the toughest group. They struggled early on in pool play and were sent to the “losers” bracket before rebounding and finishing with a 4-3 record overall, good for 17th in the tournament.

Keep in mind that the USA team only had two weeks together to prepare and train for the event, whereas a lot of women from other countries are already professionals and playing with their teams year-round.

The American team competed against Brazil, Russia, Mexico, Bulgaria, Thailand, Nigeria and Puerto Rico. Edelman absorbed everything at the tournament, whether she was playing or not.

“It helped a ton because you can see what other people around the world are doing.

Whether it’s techniques or the energy they bring, it’s always important to play against them, but also to watch. I was playing against the best girls in the world for my age group, but also watching them and that just raised my level. When you’re around amazing athletes like that, you can’t help but get better,” she says.

Getting better during the summer is something all college coaches want their players to do, yet some discourage players from competing internationally, for reasons Colorado Coach Liz Kritza doesn’t understand.

Edelman, though, was never in any real danger. She was one of only two setters on the training team, and it would be unprecedented for a volleyball team not to have at least two setters on the roster. With the final cut survived, Edelman was one of the 12 who headed to the Czech Republic to compete as a member of the USA Women’s Volleyball Junior National team.

“I always prefer players that play for a national program. In college volleyball, you can’t train year around. In the offseason, I’d much prefer my players to be in the gym. There are limitations we abide by as college coaches because we can’t train our players during the offseason. It does not help the development of a player who’s age 18 to 22 to not be training, so they need to get that international experience,” Kritza says.

When Edelman saw the draw she and her teammates received, it was clear they were

Part of the international experience for Edelman meant putting on either a red, 17

STAMPEDE

white or blue uniform every match. Each jersey had a number and an American flag on the front of it, and the player’s name on the back. Even though she has a plethora of experience playing for the United States (this was the sixth time Edelman’s been a part of a USA program) having her name on the back of the jersey is something she doesn’t take for granted.

moving around encouraged me to stay a little longer around here,” Edelman says.

“Every time you put on the jersey, I can’t even explain the shivers and chills that you get. There’s no greater honor as an athlete than to be able to represent your country. It’s a feeling I can’t even describe. I wish everyone could experience it,” she says.

Usually, team captains and MVPs are seniors, but not in the case of Edelman.

After Kerra Schroeder went down with a season-ending injury, Edelman slid in to the role of captain. She proved the rest of the year that the promotion was well deserved.

Putting on the USA jersey is an obvious thrill, but let’s not forget, she’ll be putting on a CU jersey for three more years.

The individual statistics she put up could be an article in and of themselves, but some of the highlights are impressive. She had 45 or more assists seven times, led the team in serving aces with 27 and finished with more than 200 digs on the campaign.

Oh yeah, at the season-ending banquet, she was named team MVP, too.

While Edelman and Kritza both anticipate her playing professionally somewhere overseas after she’s finished at CU, she’s still got a long way to go. Even so, she has already accomplished things that are very rare for a freshman.

Taylor Simpson shoots for the sand with Team USA

By Will Petersen

Taylor Simpson is back where she belongs.

When Kritza took the Colorado job in February of 2009, she knew the state was oozing with talent at the high school level. The key was keeping those elite level players in their home state.

She launched a campaign called “Bring Home a Championship” to try to keep world-class players at home. It worked with Edelman.

“It’s one of these very rare sports stories these days where you have a hometown hero who does well and ends up staying where it all started,” Kritza says.

The highly touted Fairview product took recruiting visits to Florida, Oregon and Arizona before deciding to stay in her own backyard and play for the Buffs. She says CU has everything she was looking for in a school in terms of academics, coaches and facilities. It also wasn’t a bad thing to call Boulder home for a few more years.

“I think a large part of it is I’ll be doing a lot of traveling after college because I want to keep playing. Knowing that I’ll be

It’s one of these very rare sports stories these days where you have a hometown hero who does well and ends up staying where it all started.”

Liz Kritza

18

“I don’t play to be an MVP. I play the game because I’m competitive and want to win. It’s a huge honor, but we’ve got a lot of good players on this team,” a modest Edelman says.

AD

Multiple team MVPs before her career is over seem more than likely, followed by a long and illustrious professional career. Keep the name Edelman in mind for the 2020 Olympics while you’re at it.

Volleyball is something she’ll be doing for a long time.

“You’re only young once. You only have an athletic body once. I just want to wear myself out until I can’t do it anymore,” Edelman says.

This summer with the USA Volleyball Junior National team was just the start of what will be many more appearances as a representative of the country. For now, Kritza is hopeful that experience will help Edelman continue to develop as a leader at CU and help the program get to the next level.

“When it’s difficult and you’re challenged with some results that you’re not happy with, how do you keep yourself focused and keep your teammates going?” asks Kritza. “I think she came back with a really good sense of how she’ll be able to do that in the future.”

A future that’s barely even begun.

The junior-to-be at CU and former Doherty High School star is back in the state of Colorado after one-year stints at both the University of Nebraska and University of Missouri. Simpson will be eligible this coming fall for the Buffaloes.

“This is my home. I love it here. Everyone’s just been so welcoming and brought me in with open arms. We’ll have a great season this year with a bunch of new pieces and people coming back. I’m just excited to get going,” Simpson says.

Simpson battled injuries at Nebraska and then contributed at Missouri this past fall before making the decision to join Colorado. In the meantime, this summer, she’s stayed plenty busy with United States Women’s National Volleyball.

After trying out in February, Simpson was selected for the indoor A2 team that trained and competed against itself in Dallas for 10 days in June and July and also headed to California in mid-July for a stint with the A2 beach volleyball team.

“It’s such an honor to play for team USA. I really hope the things I’m doing now will help me prepare for all the stuff I want to do in the future. My biggest goal is to play in the Olympics and make the national team. I obviously have to work really hard, but that’s the goal from doing all this USA work,” she says.

Simpson says she likes the indoor game, but enjoys the beach volleyball game as well. In an ideal world, she’ll finish up with two strong years at Colorado and then play professionally overseas during the winter and on the beach in California during the summer.

“I like beach volleyball because you’re only with one other person. I just like the game a little bit better and the strategy of all of it,” she says.

The time on the beach will come, but for now, Simpson will be a major asset to CU the next two years.

19

STAMPEDE

Blind Faith Sight unseen, golfer Philip Juel-Berg took a chance on Colorado

By Will Petersen

T

he shaggy-haired, 20-yearold golfer walked out of customs by himself and into the passenger pickup area of Denver International Airport. It was just his second time on American soil. His English was very good, so that wasn’t the concern; it was exactly who was picking him up that had him antsy. Actually, he knew who he was meeting; it’s just that they had never actually met.

and driven. Throw in the fact that, oh yeah, he had finished third, fifth and sixth in three major tournaments in Denmark that year and Edwards was happy to offer him a slot on the team.

A few minutes prior, Colorado golf coach Roy Edwards strolled into DIA with his eldest son, excited to meet the newest member of the CU golf team. This whole thing had come together quickly. The paperwork had only been signed about a month earlier, in July of 2012, making the commitment official. Edwards knew he was adding a young man who was on top of everything in his life. Now, he just needed to find him.

Not only was he willing to take the chance to come somewhere new, but Juel-Berg also wanted to do it completely independently. If he was going to do it, he was going to do it right, heading way, way west all by himself.

Philip Juel-Berg always wanted to play golf in America. Growing up in Denmark, specifically in Vedbaek, a suburb of Copenhagen, playing here was the ultimate goal. He knew fellow countrymen who had left to play at the likes of Arkansas, Duke and Oklahoma State, and he wanted to be next.

It motivated him to train at least five times a week since he was 14 years old.

As the spring of 2012 wore on, the problem wasn’t Juel-Berg’s play on the links. In fact, he was playing well. Time was the problem; the clock was ticking on signing at an American university.

“I didn’t have time for any official visits. I wasn’t giving up on the dream (that spring) to go to the states to play college golf, but at times it looked like it was going to be really hard to find the right school,” Juel-Berg says.

While Juel-Berg was doubting his chances of playing college golf in the United States, the coach of the Denmark National Team was speaking very highly of him to Edwards. The CU coach says he realized very quickly after exchanging emails that Juel-Berg would be a good fit.

Edwards says he always responded promptly and it was evident from just those interactions alone that Juel-Berg was very determined 20

“Philip had never been to Colorado but was just like, ‘Yeah, I want to come there and the team sounds great.’ It was really impressive that he had that inside of him to go ahead and want to do all of that, just to come here and take that chance,” Edwards says.

“My parents wanted to go with me, but I was like, ‘You know what, I have to adapt to this by myself and deal all with this.’ I figured I better travel on my own because I’ve got to get used to it and do it a lot,” he says.

Because he was alone, carrying golf clubs and a lot of luggage, the first meeting between him and Edwards was actually easier than you’d think.

“As soon as he walked out of the international customs, I knew who he was.

Very rarely do you not know someone in person before they get here, but it didn’t feel that way for sure,” Edwards says.

For Juel-Berg, the feeling was similar, and a welcome relief, too. Being in a foreign country and trying to track down a man he had never actually met in person wasn’t exactly the way to he wanted to kick off his time in the state of Colorado. Instead, he says, Coach Edwards began yelling his name and he knew right away this was the man responsible for bringing him to CU, and the man who would be responsible for helping him take his golf game to the next level.

Aside from some jet lag, the transition to living in Colorado for Juel-Berg was very smooth. He met his roommate, Mark Jones, a high jumper on the Colorado track and field team, and immersed himself into the culture of the state. He immediately took an interest in the Broncos, Peyton Manning in particular, and went out of his way to strike up conversations with anyone and everyone 21

STAMPEDE

just to learn more about Boulder, CU and Colorado in general.

“He got back from a motivational meeting at academic support and he was just so fired up about it. I haven’t seen that really in sports. I thought that was a funny story. He’s there mentally. He gets it,” Jones says.

The enthusiasm from Juel-Berg on everything from academics to golf to teams like the Broncos is a common sentiment from both Jones and Edwards. He was a guy who wasn’t going to go about this whole thing half-heartedly. While the transition off the course was going as smoothly as possible, the transition on it took just a little bit of time, mainly because of one thing Colorado is known for.

“In the beginning, the hardest part was adjusting to the altitude. In Denmark, the highest point above sea level is like 400 feet.

It’s really flat. I had never played in altitude like that before. The first five rounds, I was hitting everything over the green. I couldn’t believe I was hitting it that far. My brain wouldn’t allow me to believe I had to take off a club, or even two sometimes, to get it to the right spot on the green,” JuelBerg says.

Well, his brain must have made the connection pretty quickly. Juel-Berg enjoyed a stellar freshman year at Colorado.

In fact, his first campaign was one of the best by a first-year player in school history.

Take his debut for example. In the Ballyneal Challenge, Juel-Berg, playing the course in Holyoke, Colo., for the first time, took second place by finishing three-under, shooting a 70 followed by a 69. What’s even more impressive about that performance?

He was the only golfer competing to shoot in the 60s in the second round when the average score was a six-over 77.

He’s a competitor.

He’s just got an intensity level. ” Roy Edwards The entire season, both fall and spring, were filled with impressive results. Juel-Berg tied for the team lead with 18 (of 41 total) rounds at even par or better. He finished in the top 20 of four separate tournaments and was the top Buffalo at the Pac-12 Championships, tying for 24th overall. He even posted the 22

most pars of anyone in the field during the course of the tournament, with 50, proving himself as a model of consistency.

“He’s a competitor. He’s just got an intensity level. You could tell this guy really wanted to play well for himself but also for his team and his teammates. He really has no weaknesses. He’s really good at several things and he’s excellent in a couple of areas,” Edwards says of Juel-Berg’s debut campaign.

The intensity sometimes led Juel-Berg to take chances, maybe even unnecessary ones at times, throughout his first year. It’s all just a part of the adjustment of playing in the United States versus Denmark and using each round as a learning process to continue to get better.

“I’ve always seen golf as just moving the ball from A to B. It’s like that in Europe, too. The average golf course I’ve played at Colorado, though, is a lot harder than in Europe. The courses are longer and the greens are way harder. I’ve always been really aggressive with my game, and I learned really fast sometimes you’ve just got to hit it in the center or front of the green and play it smart. I love to play aggressive and hit it at every flag, but I just got penalized too hard doing that sometimes. I’m fortunate to have gained that knowledge as a freshman,” JuelBerg says.

Juel-Berg spent the entire summer back in Denmark. He spent it reconnecting with old friends who he was half a world apart from for almost a year. He also played in tournaments all over Europe and tried to get into even better shape. Now that he’s had a taste of what golf in America is like, he’s intent on capitalizing on the opportunity.

“After I got the opportunity to play college golf, I got the idea I can do something with my golf game. Every time I wake up early to go run and go lift and then go practice, I know it prepares me to be the best golfer in the world. I know it might not happen – it probably won’t happen – but as long as I can keep that motivation, it will help me to try to be the best,” Juel-Berg says.

Juel-Berg repeats the phrase “the best” a handful of times. It doesn’t come off in the wrong way at all. He’s a modest, humble and polite young man who’s dreaming big like everyone should. Whether or not he’ll wind up as the best, as a professional or as one of the most decorated golfers in Colorado

history, remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt he’s got the tools to do it.

For a golfer to be truly successful, they’ve got to have two things – natural, born-withit talent and the will to work really hard.

The former, while incredibly important, is something you’ve either got or you don’t – a luck-of-the-draw type thing, if you will. The latter, though, is all based on the personality type of the individual, and in Juel-Berg’s case, his personality is the perfect fit.

“Not every player truly has that determination inside of them. I know Philip has that. That’s the most difficult thing to have is that inner drive. He’s got some natural talent, too. And when those things converge, the results can be special,” Edwards says.

The freshman year of Juel-Berg was just that – special. This fall, he’ll move into a house with friends, including his roommate from the dorms, Jones. He’ll move into a leadership role on the golf team, too, a group that will have no seniors and four new freshmen to welcome aboard. He’ll also continue to embrace being in the United States, a place that he’s found fits him well.

“I love to compete. I couldn’t live without competing. Everything I do, I make it a competition. I walk into everything with a competitive mind. There’s so much sport in America and I love the culture of it. I’m looking forward to getting back to it for sure,” Juel-Berg says.

His coach is looking forward to having him back as well – not only for his ability on the course, but the attitude he’s brought off of it, too.

“He’s really just become a part of the community. He realizes, ‘Hey I’m going to be here for four years and I want to be a part of this.’ He’s just embodied what every University of Colorado student-athlete should be about and I couldn’t be more thrilled,” Edwards says.

The mountains, the nature and the spirit around the school are all things Juel-Berg says he missed while in Denmark. He mentions again and again how lucky he is to have found a place he loves in the University of Colorado.

But as his coach, his teammates and his classmates will attest, CU is lucky to have Philip Juel-Berg, too.

23

STAMPEDE

By Way of Destiny Jake Hurysz and the University of Colorado were meant to be together

By Will Petersen

T

he courting was coming from all over the country.

It was flattering to an extent, but at some point, it became obnoxious.

Word had leaked that Jake Hurysz was transferring from the University of North Carolina; the only question was, where would he end up? Well, everyone and their brother was trying to make sure he landed at the place they wanted.

“Name a school and there were kids texting me all the time saying, ‘Hey man, you should give us a look.’ Coach (Mark) Wetmore was more respectful to me than other coaches in terms of letting me do my thing and not calling me four times a day,” Hurysz says.

Wetmore is known for letting his program, the best distance running school in America, speak for itself. And why not?

Between men and women, the school has won five team cross country national championships under Wetmore and it’s sent more runners to the Olympics in distance running than any other program.

“There are athletes who appreciate being courted. Maybe we appeal sometimes to the small percentage of athletes who are happy not to be bothered. It’s possible our program attracts a certain type of athlete who’s into it enough to research it, learn and understand it,” Wetmore says.

24

Hurysz falls into that category. After a year-and-a-half at North Carolina, he knew he wanted to transfer and was working on a very short timeline. He had from the week before New Year’s Day 2011 until mid-January 2012 when classes started to pick a new school. He took official visits to Syracuse and Oklahoma State before committing to CU, sight unseen. The cross country and track programs in Boulder are just that strong.

Hurysz was such a hot commodity because he was a bit of a late bloomer in the sport. He was decorated in high school, winning the North Carolina state meet in cross country his senior year at Eastern Alamance High School. This led to in-state schools calling, but not necessarily the “bigger ones,” as Hurysz puts it. He decided to head to UNC, which was only about 30 minutes from home.

After stellar track and cross country seasons, including the fall of 2011 when he became the first Tar Heel to qualify for the NCAA Cross Country Championships since 1997, Hurysz knew he could do more with his talent.

“That’s why I transferred. I was like, ‘Hey, what if there is something bigger and better out there?’ And then when I got my release to contact other schools, I opened it up completely and the bigger schools started calling. My recruiting process just happened to be a little later than other kids,” Hurysz says.

Ultimately, he says, the second recruiting process led him to Boulder because of the chance to train at elevation, the phenomenal things he had heard about Wetmore and the fact Colorado was able to offer a good scholarship. In the 18 months Hurysz’s been in Boulder, he’s already proven his value.

There are plenty of ways to make good and bad first impressions in life. It’s crucial in everything from a job interview to a first date. How about in your first official race on a new team? Put it this way – Hurysz landed the job and got the girl.

“It was my first race in a CU uniform. That was a lot of fun. I didn’t know what to expect from the course, obviously I heard it was pretty tough. I didn’t know where my fitness was either. I thought I was in pretty good shape and I just went for it,” Hurysz says.

This was the fall of 2012 and the event was the Rocky Mountain Shootout. After running unattached in track the spring before at CU, this was Hurysz’s first crack at making an impact for the Buffs. Boy, did he ever. He won the event with the fourth best time in course history, clocking in with a mark of 24:34.

The momentum Hurysz started at the Shootout carried to the rest of the

team two weeks later at the Pac-12 Championships. He finished eighth and the men’s team won its second consecutive title, making it undefeated so far during its tenure in the Pac-12 at conference championships.

“It was awesome. We crushed everyone.

It wasn’t even close. Going out there and running with six of your teammates and knowing ‘we’ve got this’ is really cool. It’s what we trained for and I just had a blast the whole race,” Hurysz says.

Next time the Pac-12 Championships are held, Hurysz and his teammates won’t have to travel far. For the first time in 13 years, when it hosted the Big 12 Championships in 2000, Colorado will host the conference championship. The meet will take place at Coal Creek Golf Course.

With the championships in CU’s own backyard, it will be the third-to-last meet Hurysz ever runs as a collegiate competitor in cross country. The last two, of course, will be regionals followed by nationals. This past season, Hurysz checked in sixth at regionals before finishing 32nd at nationals and securing honors as an All-American. All of that on top of All-Pac-12 Second Team Honors and All-Mountain Region Honors and it was quite the debut campaign.

Going out there and running with six of your teammates and knowing ‘we’ve got this’ is really cool. ” Jake Hurysz

While his last hurrah in cross country will be something to see, where Hurysz hopes to really make a name for himself is on the track. He started that journey this past spring, but because of his unattached season in the spring of 2012, he still has two more seasons on the oval to go.

Hurysz has three tattoos and double-ear piercings in both ears. The biggest tattoo is a sleeve on his right arm with the phrase “Life Goes On” on top and a sailboat, roses and “foliage,” as Hurysz puts it, underneath it. His other two tattoos say “Espérer,” which means “to hope” in 25

STAMPEDE

French and “Wierzyc,” meaning “believe” in Polish. The tattoos don’t necessarily have special significance, but Hurysz likes them and the uniqueness they add to him.

As a distance runner, Hurysz possesses uniqueness beyond the tattoos.

country to watch for sure,” Nelson says.

Wetmore ponders the question of the Olympics for Hurysz with a nearly 10-second pause. He’s always thoughtful in his responses, but he thinks about this one for a little longer than normal.

“What Jake has that a lot of distance runners don’t have is basic sprinting speed. He will be very useful for us from 800 meters on up. Ultimately, he’s a 5,000-meter runner, but we’re in no hurry to specialize there,” Wetmore says.

“There are less-talented, less-motivated and less-supported people who hope to be at Rio in 2016,” he says.

That basic sprinting speed led Hurysz to two different personal records last spring in the 800 and 1,500 meters. He went a 1:51.91 800 at the CU invite on April 13, good for a personal record and a second-place finish in the race. At the Payton Jordan invite on April 28, he ran a 3:40.63 1,500, which was another personal record and the third-fastest time in CU history. He also finished fifth at the Pac-12 Championships in the 1,500 and eighth in the 5,000. Keep in mind this was all as a sophomore in terms of eligibility.

“I think I’m on the right path to be able to maybe compete for national championships on the track, run some really fast times and end up getting a professional sponsorship. Obviously, it’s all to keep the Olympic hopes alive. That’d be the ultimate goal, and it’s more of a goal now than it is a dream,” Hurysz says That might come on strong, but both Wetmore and assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Billy Nelson, an Olympian himself, believe all the above is possible. They’re with Hurysz – running in the Olympics should be a goal and no longer simply a dream.

“I don’t put limitations on anyone. Jake is rounding into form at the right time. He’s still learning things and hasn’t tapped out in potential or limitations in what he can pick up from the sport. He’s definitely going to be in the hunt and a name for the

There are less-talented, less-motivated and less-supported people who hope to be at Rio in 2016. ” Mark Wetmore

26

Hurysz, who is currently 20 years old, says the difference between ages 20 and 23, which he’ll be in 2016, is massive. He also notes that the timetable is pretty much perfect. His last season will be in the spring of 2015 and he’ll have almost exactly a year to train before Olympic Trials and the Games themselves. The goal, like so many others who’ve finished their time at Colorado, would be to stay under the watch of Wetmore, simply because Hurysz says he “trusts him 100 percent.”

That trust is something Wetmore’s obviously earned. But Hurysz knows if he’s willing to put in the work, the coaching staff can get him where he needs to be. All he’s got to do is think about all the others past and present from CU who have reached the Olympics.

“You can look at the people around you and say it’s not a huge stretch to be able to do it. You’ve got to train, work hard and listen to Coach to get there, but it’s set in stone for you if you really want it you can go out and grab it,” Hurysz says.

Hurysz has two seasons down at CU and three more to go. He completed three at North Carolina before falling into Colorado’s lap based not on what the program did to recruit him, but the stuff it didn’t do. The “let-our-track-recordspeak-for-itself approach” to recruiting worked on Hurysz and will continue to work on athletes who are “into it enough to research it” in the future. Wetmore grasps the significance of grabbing such a talented athlete from a different school, right in his prime.

“I wouldn’t say it was a blessing in disguise; I would just say it’s a blessing.

We’re lucky to have such a talented, motivated and hungry guy any time we get them,” he says.

In the case of Jake Hurysz, that time happens to be right now.

27

STAMPEDE

A true gamer Both on and off the field, Anne Stuller is all about winning

By Will Petersen

T

Well, Stuller doesn’t actually play FIFA that often, but she enjoys when others do.

The senior-to-be led the Buffaloes in points last season with 18, scoring eight goals including three game winners. Soccer, though, might not be what she considers her biggest strength.

Stuller says losing in a video game is similar to how she feels after losing on the soccer field. She absolutely hates it. After an upand-down team season a year ago, there were plenty of times Stuller was not pleased after a game. She cites specifically 2-1 losses against both UCLA and Stanford, one on a questionable penalty call and the other after giving up two late goals.

Yeah, that’s right, Diddy Kong Racing. For those not familiar with the game, it’s a classic for Nintendo 64 that came out in 1997, setting at the time a Guinness World Record for fastest selling video game. One of those record-setting copies went to the Stuller household.

“Diddy Kong’s my game. When I was little, I played all the time. I’ve memorized the courses. I could play it blindfolded,” Stuller says.

She is a big fan of Conker the Squirrel, a character who has its own line of video games but makes an appearance in the Nintendo 64 version of Diddy Kong Racing.

Stuller – or Stu, as she known by her teammates – still plays Diddy Kong about once a month, but she and her friends have since moved on to a new game, FIFA 2013.

28

Stuller’s play has come a long way since her battle with mono during her freshman year.

She tied for the team lead with nine points her sophomore season and, as already noted, doubled that total to 18 points her junior year.

Super Sabatino

Trustworthy and generous with the ball in hand, senior guard Sabatino Chen wasn’t necessarily known for his high-flying antics. But here, against Northern Arizona, Chen went airborne while the ball found its way to the rim.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

“She had a bit of an up-and-down first couple of years. She battled injuries and some illnesses. I don’t think she had accomplished what she was hoping for those first two years. We put a lot on her saying she needed to score goals and create goals her junior year and she did a very good job,” Sanchez says.

he trophy case has been filling up for awhile.

Whether it’s the two Colorado class 5A Player of the Year awards from high school or the multiple Pac-12 Player of the Week awards from this past season, Anne (pronounced “Annie”) Stuller knows what it’s like to win.

“I’m really good at Diddy Kong Racing. I truly believe that’s the thing I’m best at. I rarely ever lose at it. When I win I expect it. I’m satisfied and I’m like, ‘Yep that was supposed to happen,’” Stuller says.

at her and she knows exactly what I’m thinking. She’ll come in when there’s nothing wrong and we’ll just sit and laugh and have a good time,” Hinton says.

“I rarely play because I’m actually terrible. I’d rather just watch others. I hate FIFA because I always lose and I’m a horrible loser. I get beat 5-0 if I play. I get annoyed and a little sassy. Every time I lose, it’s the same thing,” she says.

“She carries the proper attitude. A lot of people say they hate losing more than they enjoy winning. With her, she’s so competitive I’d take 22 players with the same attitude and the same desire to want to win,” Colorado head coach Danny Sanchez says.

The frustration from the losses in FIFA has actually had a positive effect on Stuller.

Because she and her friends are now into the video game, it’s gotten them more into the professional, real-life game, as well.

“It’s silly because it’s a video game, but it helps you get to know players. Because of it, we watched the Champions League this year and that’s the first time I’ve ever watched.

I’m more in touch with the game than I’ve ever been, not just playing it, but watching it, too,” Stuller says.

The newfound love of watching soccer is something Stuller thinks will help her on the

field her senior year. It’s a year she’s been anticipating for a long time

Staying in Boulder was the obvious choice for Stuller. The Fairview High School graduate says CU was the first school that gave her attention in the recruiting process and it was the only one she needed to hear from. She committed to be a Buff by age 16, before she even took the field as junior in high school.

“There was such a lure to it. I grew up watching the football team and the basketball team; it’s my family’s team. As soon as they gave me a scholarship, I said, ‘Of course I’d love to play for you guys.’ I’m glad I stayed in Boulder. Everywhere I go I see someone I know. I feel like this is my home. I like the connection with the people I’ve met here,” she says.

While the current coaching staff didn’t come into place until after Stuller’s sophomore year, one person who’s seen her on and off the field for her entire CU career is former assistant athletic trainer Yolanda Hinton.

Hinton is at every practice, every game, every summer conditioning workout and even some lifting sessions. If a soccer player has an injury or an illness, Hinton is who they see. Stuller missed nine games during her freshman campaign with mono, so she and Hinton spent a lot of time together. It’s a relationship that took time to grow, and time to adjust to each other’s quirks.

“At first, we were both like, ‘What is going on with the other person?’ Over the last couple of years, she’s figured out my personality and I’ve figured out hers. Now, I just look

Stuller’s stellar junior season was the breakthrough she’d been hoping for, but she deflects all the credit to the new coaching staff. She knows she had the base to be really successful, but Sanchez helped her take the next step.

“I’ve always been athletic, but never a great soccer player. That transition really happened last year. When Danny came in, he helped me understand the game and how to really play it and be successful,” Stuller says.

The success is something Stuller will look to build on going into her senior year. It’s a year she still feels like she has a lot to prove, and a year that will go a long way toward determining what’s next for her.

“I’m an optimist. I truly believe this team is better than any team I’ve been on at CU. We only lost one consistent starter from last year and have nowhere to go but up. We’re going to surprise a lot of people in the Pac12,” Stuller says.

If that leap is going to happen for the team, a large part of it will lie on the feet of Stuller.

Whether it happens for the Buffs or not, as long as Stuller plays the way she’s capable, a career in professional soccer looks like a strong possibility.

For some context, Buffs standout Amy Barczuk was drafted in the second round of the inaugural National Women’s Soccer League draft last January. Barczuk finished with 23 career points at Colorado and while Barczuk was a midfielder and Stuller a forward, Stuller’s 28 points in her first three 29

STAMPEDE

seasons is a good sign moving ahead.

“She’s going to have opportunities. We want players who have those goals to play at the next level, even if it’s only for a couple of years. If you have the chance to do what you love for a living, I’m going to encourage her and anyone else to pursue it,” Sanchez says.

That pursuit is something Stuller knows will be a product of all her hard work. But she’s also adamant she needs to have a good senior year for that opportunity to present itself. Based on her growth in multiple

areas, and her stellar work ethic, Hinton sees a professional career awaiting Stuller.

“The way she is now on the soccer field and the way she’s matured, I can see her definitely playing in the future. Not only the work she puts in with the team in our workouts, but knowing how much extra she does, she definitely has a chance to play going forward,” Hinton says.

Stuller says with a straight face that if soccer doesn’t work out, she wants to “be a gypsy and travel the world.” Living in Boulder her

whole life, she knows a year from now it will be time for a change. Until then, it will be a lot more soccer, a little more gaming and hopefully a senior season to remember.

“I feel better when I win soccer games. I obviously care more about soccer than I do about Nintendo. That’s more important to me. When I lose, it just really stings; I truly hate it,” Stuller says.

That disdain for losing will hopefully translate into many more wins for the Buffs this season.

Chuck fairbanks Football

AD

30

ad

31

STAMPEDE

No Time Like the Present The Crawford family supports move toward gridiron excellence

By Marty Coffin Evans

J

eff Crawford (B.A. ‘90) lived the CU Buffs’ glory days. He has fond memories of sharing those games with father Gordon (Gordy) and late brother, Brett.

“We have always been passionate about Colorado football,” Jeff states.

That early passion for the Buffs has translated into a strong family history of giving to the athletic department, including membership in the National Buff Club Cabinet. Most recently, the Crawfords made the first major commitment – of seven figures – to the capital campaign known as the Sustainable Excellence Initiative.

“We wanted to get the ball rolling,” Jeff comments. “We hope our gift will get others to contribute. Our hope is these gifts will help CU compete at a higher level than in the past several years.”

As a season football ticket holder for more than 15 years, Jeff enjoys returning to Boulder for at least one game each fall.

He, along with about 20 or so other alums and family members, celebrates time in Boulder by taking in all the festivities surrounding the football game. This year’s pilgrimage occurs during the October “Back to Boulder” homecoming weekend when CU and the Arizona Wildcats meet at Folsom Field.

Reflecting on the football program’s quest to return to its glory days, Jeff comments, “I 32

really think it’s time, if other CU alums want to see us compete, for more people to give to the program.”

Jeff voices his concern about the need to compete now.

“We need more large contributions,” he notes. “We as alums cannot sit back and wait until we have a better record. The time is now!”

We have too many alums who love CU football, have the means and are not giving.”

Jeff Crawford

The university’s large financial commitment will help the football program become more competitive, Jeff believes. He is pleased and encouraged with the hiring of head coach Mike MacIntyre. Many fans, the Crawfords included, hope that “Mac 2” will over time be able to achieve some of the success enjoyed by head coach Bill McCartney, “Mac 1,” back in the late 1980s and early ‘90s.

While Jeff is most appreciative of the university’s support of the football program, he acknowledges what he sees as the biggest problem – changing the mentality of the alums.

“We have too many alums who love CU football, have the means and are not giving,” he explains.

Perhaps the move to the Pac-12, he suggests, will help raise the donor base.

“I’m very happy about the move to the Pac-12,” Jeff adds. “It’s closer to home, so we can attend more games. We fit more into the Pac-12 than we did with the Big 12. We’re more of a West Coast school,” he reflects.

Although Jeff was raised in Southern California and now lives in La CanadaFlintridge, an area where he grew up, the lure of the Rockies drew him to Boulder.

Additionally, the Crawfords have a family home in Meeker, Colorado, where they all enjoy fly-fishing and outdoor time in the mountains.

He chuckles when thinking about his major at CU. Jeff graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in history and economics. What was the tie or connection to his current position as Senior Vice President of NonTheatrical Sales for Warner Bros.?

“While there was not a direct tie to the entertainment industry in which I work, the overall experience of college can’t be 33

stampede STAMPEDE

replicated – no matter what you ultimately end up doing for your career,” he says.

He began his career with Time Warner in 1991 and has been with Warner Bros. since 1997. When not supporting the Buffs, Jeff’s full-time responsibilities include his current position at Warner Bros. and raising his two young boys, along with his wife, Orsi.

When talking about philanthropy, Jeff understands some of the “how” and “why” people give.

“Our family and family foundation gives to most institutions based on need, such as hospitals, homeless shelters, schools and the like. And, we also give to institutions that we are passionate about.

34

“CU was such a tremendous experience in my past. I have so many great memories of football times spent with my dad and late brother. It’s just a passion. We love football and CU. “I know others love CU just as much as I do, and we need their support in the ultra competitive world of college football. The reality is that it’s an arms race to some extent out there.”

Jeff and Orsi have two young sons – Jack, age 11, and C.J., age 8. Are these future Buffs, one wonders?

With Jack’s love for Colorado, he might just be a student at CU when the gridiron team rides its own wave of glory. Proud dad and grandfather might just be watching from their stadium seats wearing big smiles knowing they were part of helping this program’s return.

I know others love CU just as much as I do, and, we need their support in the ultra competitive world of college football.”

Jeff Crawford

35

STAMPEDE Q&A

The

Stampede

Q&A bill

McCartney The original “Mac” talks about the Hall of Fame and all things Buffs

By Natalie Meisler

Fame can come at a moment, but greatness comes with longevity.”

Bill McCartney

36

37

STAMPEDE

A

popular eatery chain in Westminster serves as Bill McCartney’s “office” these days. He assembles notes for presentations. Coffee is at the ready for media interviews. He might offer some of the same observations on request to any new member the coaching fraternity in the Colorado athletic department.

His story has so much more. Bill and Lyndi McCartney enjoyed one of the great love stories in football. He selflessly stepped away from coaching – at the age of 55 and the height of his career – to turn his full attention to his beloved Lyndi. He grieves her passing every minute of the day. CU lost one of its greatest supporters when Lyndi McCartney passed in March, just three months after their 50th anniversary.

surprise is a lot of people have told me they are going. Not just family, but friends. I say, “Be careful, because this thing is expensive.”

They say, “It’s worth it.”

Mike MacIntyre sought the perspective of the original “Coach Mac.” McCartney said he felt flattered when Tad Boyle asked earlier in the basketball coach’s CU tenure.

The Hall of Fame vote brought out familiar stories and a few rarely, if ever, told gems.

McCartney, who talked to legions of eager young high school coaches in clinics, was once dressed down by another legend – the irascible Bobby Knight.

That’s the last time I wore it. I can’t remember attending many functions when I was expected to wear a tuxedo. It’s been a long time. I don’t know if it will still fit.

This is the architect of the 1990 national championship. He and a remarkable staff built one of the most admirable programs in the country, nail by nail. The 93-55-3, 13-year record isn’t what earned McCartney votes to the College Hall of Fame. One of the many numbers that jump out was 86-30-4 from 1985-94.

But out-coaching his peers?

“Coaches think they out-coach other coaches,” McCartney said in June over coffee. “You know who out-coaches? The ones with the best players. If you recruit well, you are going to coach well.”

He also learned a very important lesson.

Always – or at least most of the time – be nice to sportswriters.

Have you picked out the family members who will make the travel squad to the Dec. 10 induction dinner in New York?

What’s happened has been a mild surprise.

Everyone wants to go. That surprises me. I think it costs $700 a ticket. I’ll be free and I get to bring one guest on the airplane. The

There was a picture circulating when you accompanied Rashaan Salaam to New York when he won the Heisman Trophy in 1994. Is that the last time you wore a tuxedo?

What has this meant to you since the announcement in early May? With Lyndi passing, the timing of this award has really been a blessing, because I can get really sad. This has really lifted my spirits and got my mind off things. It’s about letting go and switching gears to some degree.

Lyndi lived to savor your 50th wedding anniversary. Surely, you must have wished she were still with you that day of the Hall of Fame announcement?

EST. 2003

She would have not been healthy to travel.

It’s really a blessing. That would have been

“A WHOLE NEW GAME” “Best Sports Bar

“Best Sports Bar

Westword Reader’s Choice, 2013

Westword Editor’s Choice, 2013

2301 Blake Street

UNDERGROUND SOCIAL DOWNSTAIRS:

for Watching Games”

Just one block North of Coors Field Monday-Friday 11am-2am Saturdays 9am-2am • Sundays 10am-2am

303.675.0505 BlakeStreetTavern.com

For Playing Games”

SHUFFLEBOARD • PING PONG • DARTS • SKEEBALL CORN HOLE • GIANT JENGA • GIANT CONNECT 4 BOARD GAMES • 4 MAN PAC MAN • POP A SHOT JUKEBOX + PHOTO BOOTH • DJ ON FRIDAYS UNDERGROUND SOCIAL HOURS: MON-THU 4PM-2AM • FRI-SUN 11:30AM-2AM

FOR SPECIAL EVENTS/PARTIES, PLEASE CALL SHELLEY OR CORY AT 303.295.1035 38

39

STAMPEDE

When I talked to those guys who played on the 1990 national championship for a Denver Post story I did in 2010, there was a common thread of love expressed from your players. What does that say to you?

You know who out-coaches? The ones with the best players. If you recruit well, you are going to coach well.”

That’s really humbling and gratifying.

Twenty years later, these guys are adults.

They have sorted out all of these things.

Bill McCartney

There’s another tie with CU. Steve Hatchell is the CEO of the Hall of Fame.

He was the first Big 12 commissioner and a key leader of the Orange Bowl organization during CU’s 1989 and 1990 Orange Bowl appearances. He started his career at CU before you got here. Is there an “old home” feeling with Steve?

He’s the one who called me and told me I got selected. I appreciated getting the call from him because he had lived in Boulder and he was very happy for me that the voters voted me in. I am looking forward to seeing him when I get to New York. He’s got to be a Buffalo at heart.

Besides Bo Schembechler, who already in the Hall of Fame – living or deceased – do you have special memories of? very hard for her. She deserved the award more than I did. She was a trooper. She made so many sacrifices. She was enthralled with the whole coaching experience. She was important because she enjoyed game day. She became a true sports addict.

(Author’s Note: Part of McCartney’s eulogy at his wife’s funeral in March revealed the 1994 chapter of his career when a visiting pastor made a profound difference one Sunday in church. He said: “If you want to know if a man has character or not? All you need to do is look at his wife’s countenance because everything that he has invested or held will show on her face. But rather than if she showed splendor, I saw torment in her face. I saw anguish. I realized she was wounded. That’s why I quit.

That was my last year of coaching.”)

The 1994 season was full of milestones and memories such as the “Miracle at Michigan” and Salaam’s 2,000-yard season and Heisman Trophy. Did you know that whole season that it would be your last? That was amazing to keep it a secret.

That happened in September when that preacher talked. From then on, I realized it didn’t matter how many games you win. If your wife isn’t benefiting, then something is wrong. I resigned (before the regularseason finale) and I vowed I would bring 40

her splendor. Nine years went by and I got a Valentine’s Day card. It said, “I finally found the man I thought I married.” The reality was I had to change. Football is intoxicating. It’s compelling. You can let it dominate your life. That’s what I was doing and my family was paying the price. Keep in mind, when I quit coaching, I was 55. So I still had a lot of years ahead of me and I was willing to give them up in an effort to be the right husband and father. I don’t regret that. Lyndi passed in March. I knew I had put her first. I didn’t regret anything. I was able to have the inner peace. That’s the bottom line.

What do you think of coaches (and players) who now live on their phones 24 hours a day?

(Citing experience with his grandsons) You try to carry a conversation and they are texting. They are all texting at the same time.

How was it different before the cell phones took over life?

Coaching is changing. You have to (make players turn in phones before a meeting).

You cannot have an undivided audience. (I learned from Bo Schembechler in Michigan that) the key to coaching is to get 120

players on same page. The objective is one heartbeat, to have the entire 120 guys all on the same page at the same time desiring the same thing. Everything rides and falls on leadership. It always will. The 120 guys are between the ages of 18 and 22; they are in the formative years. You are shaping them. Schembechler won more games in a 20-year stretch than any coach in the same 20 years. Fame can come at a moment, but greatness comes with longevity. You may be able to do it once, but can you do it again? He had true command. He had tremendous influence. What I had the privilege of observing is how a great leader is able to get everybody on the same page at the same time. He was a tremendous leader and he got everyone to focus. The primary objective was “we are going to take the win this week.” His ability to do that was phenomenal. (College-aged players), they are space cadets. They are distracted.

They have other things on their mind. They might have a big test coming up. They have girlfriends. They have different obstacles and challenges. Your ability to get them all on the same page and at the same time, that’s what leadership is. With that in mind, because that is so challenging and difficult, it can pull you away from your family. It can pull you from the biggest priorities in your life, which is your family. That’s what I gave up.

A guy who went to the same high school that I did and who also went to Missouri where I played and then went back to the Detroit area and was a high school coach and Schembechler hired him like he did me. He’s in the Hall of Fame and he’s Lloyd Carr. I hope he’s there. He got in the Hall of Fame before I did, but I’m older than him.

We go way back.

What is your involvement with your son, Tom’s, Fairview High School program?

My son, Tom, has been the coach at Fairview for 19 years. There’s an opportunity I have every fall I go to Tom’s games. Tom will call me and say, “Dad, what do you think?” I get a chance to give him my two cents.

How much fun was it to be a multi-sport fan when Buffs gray-shirt freshman Derek McCartney was participating in football, basketball and track at Faith Christian Academy?

He is going to be a medical doctor. He won the state title in the shot put. His football team won the state championship three times. Basketball was there three times. He’s 6-foot-4, 240 pounds. I think in another year he’ll be 260. He’s a delight.

What is the biggest legacy you left at CU – not including black and white, won-loss numbers. Would your campaign for the (Dal Ward Center) qualify?

We didn’t get Dal Ward until we won the national championship. (The team spent 1990 in a makeshift dressing room while the Dal Ward Center was under construction.)

The facilities came after the success, not before. The single thing I look back on is the quality of the assistant coaches who went on to become head coaches. I take a lot of joy and satisfaction in Gary Barnett, Gerry DiNardo. (Former director of football operations) Rick George (was) the chief operating officer of the Texas Rangers (and is now the athletic director at CU). (LSU coach Les Miles will almost certainly join McCartney in the Hall of Fame some day).

The first thought that jumps into my mind is: “I’m so thankful I had the opportunity to be at CU. I was privileged. It was a joy.

I had great memories. I had no negative memories. The University of Colorado was great to me.” And now I have two grandsons up there. (McCartney’s oldest grandson, T.C., is a second-year grad assistant.)

The single thing I look back on is the quality of the assistant coaches who went on to become head coaches.”

Bill McCartney

Where are you going to sit to watch them?

If some time I go up there, I have to answer all these questions (from other fans who want to chat). You can’t watch the game.

People want to talk to you. I would rather watch on television. It’s always, “Coach, Coach, how are you doing?” I’m so absorbed, I am so enthralled with what is going on. I go to watch the game. If my only motive wasn’t to watch my grandsons, I would visit (with other spectators). You can’t have been a coach all your life and then all of a sudden just go up there and, “Hey, how are you doing?” I can’t do that. I‘ve got my game face on.

There is a footnote in your biographical notes about how you coached football and basketball teams to state championships

the same year as a high school coach in the Detroit area. Who were your basketball influences?

(Kentucky basketball icon) Adolf Rupp; he was a disciple. I followed Bobby Knight when he coached at Army. When he got the Indiana job, I went to a clinic in Indiana.

I was a high school basketball coach. So I said, “Coach Knight, you said this about this?” He looked at me and said, “Hey fellow, I didn’t come here to debate it.” He shot me down and he was my hero.

Dr. Eric McCarty, the Director of Sports Medicine for CU, was a key cog in your first recruiting class. How’s that for a legacy?

McCarty was the key to rebuilding the program. My first recruiting class was the year McCarty (1983) was a senior. What we did (recruiting him) was high risk.

We asked all the in-state kids to visit on the same weekend and it was the last recruiting weekend. I had to convince them not to make any firm commitment until they had been to CU. We put them in a circle. We said, “Look around the room. Are there a lot of great guys in this room? Is there a foundation? You guys can rebuild this program. You can put it back on the map.” That was the single turning point of the program; the in-state kids laid the foundation that served as the springboard. We were on hard times. When I took over, you were allowed to have 95 on scholarship (long since changed to 85). We only had 73. I’ll always remember the high school kids in Colorado and their contribution. When we got them, they recruited for us.

You talked earlier about the challenges of being a coach and a husband and father at the same time. How did you approach it?

The balance is what you need. Colorado rose to one of to the great programs around the country. The year we won the national championship, we played the nation’s most difficult schedule. We can make a case we came up to the level of the great programs. Step back and you can take a lot of satisfaction from that, but at what cost? To marriages? To families? That’s really the bottom line. When all is said and done, I’ll be 73 in August. What’s the epitaph? What’s the final chapter? What’s it going to say? Here is what I want it to say: “He put his family first. He didn’t always do that. But in end, he learned of the importance of putting his family first.”

41

STAMPEDE

Renewed Faith FOOTBALL 2013

The Buffs don’t intend on being down again Research, interviews and writing by Ryan Thornburn

F

or everyone outside the gates of the University of Colorado football practice fields, or the film and weight rooms at the Dal Ward Center, it’s difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

But the players and coaching staff grinding together behind the scenes truly believe firstyear CU head coach Mike MacIntyre is the right man to lead the Buffaloes out of a dark era and back to national prominence.

This generation’s “Coach Mac” already has a proven history of taking a program from the misery of a single-win season to a magical 10-win campaign for the ages, just as Bill McCartney did at CU three decades ago.

During MacIntyre’s first season at San Jose State, the Spartans finished 1-12. SJSU finished the 2012 regular season 10-2.

CU defensive coordinator Kent Baer, who guided the Spartans to an 11th win in the Military Bowl as the interim head coach, said MacIntyre’s vision was never clouded during the painful 2010 season.

42

“Mac’s first year as a head coach when we went 1-12, I remember he said, ‘Someday this is going to be a good football team,’” Baer recalled. “We had recruited a really good class that year, even though we didn’t have a lot of time to do it. And he didn’t panic and stuck with the plan.”

MacIntyre’s plan for rebuilding a program from the ground up was handed down to him from his father, George, who orchestrated a dramatic turnaround at Vanderbilt, which had only three winning seasons from 1959 until he was hired in 1979. George’s first season resulted in a 1-10 record; but in 1982, the Commodores were 8-3 during the regular season, which resulted in a bowl game and the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award for the architect.

“I saw dad go in and change the culture,” MacIntyre said. “I don’t know if that was the word at the time, but I saw an attitude change, I saw an enthusiasm and an energy that he always kept going. He was always extremely honest with all the players and always very upbeat and positive. The situations he went into were down and negative, but you’ve got to go the other

route because anyone can be negative. I learned that from him. And also the way he cared for his players and got them to rally. He did a heck of a job of recruiting and selling the future hope of the program.”

MacIntyre played for his father at Vanderbilt, but transferred to Georgia Tech after George was fired following the 1985 season. After graduating with a degree in business management and briefly working for Shoney’s restaurants, MacIntyre decided to follow in his hero’s footsteps. His career as an assistant included stints with Davidson, Tennessee-Martin, Temple, Mississippi, Duke and in the NFL. While waiting for an opportunity to become a head coach, MacIntyre soaked up knowledge from some notable football minds, including David Cutcliffe and Bill Parcells. He was the 2009 American Football Coaches Association FBS Assistant Coach of the Year at Duke as Cutcliffe’s defensive coordinator and worked for Parcells as a Dallas Cowboys assistant from 2003-06.

“I think Mac has a unique background, being a coach’s son and also having been

Mac’s first year as a head coach when we went 1-12, I remember he said, ‘Someday this is going to be a good football team.’”

Kent Baer 43

STAMPEDE

PAC-12 NOTES

ARIZONA FOOTBALL 2013

2012 RECORD: 8-5 overall, 4-5 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Rich Rodriguez, second season KEY PLAYERS: RB Ka’Deem Carey, S Tra’Mayne Boundurant, LB Marquis Flowers FACES CU: Oct. 26 in Boulder NOTABLE: The Buffs, despite last season’s 56-31 loss in Tucson, lead the all-time series 13-2…

Arizona’s defense allowed 35.3 points per game in 2012, but is healthier and more experienced entering 2013 after starting four walk-ons and two freshmen in the 49-48 victory over Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl. around some great head coaches,” Baer said. “I think he has taken a lot from each one of those guys, including his dad. He put together an impressive coaching background that works. He is a tremendous football coach, very knowledgeable. He has a vision and he stands by that vision.”

MacIntyre’s positive energy and unflappable approach to building a program was an inspiration to a group of players beaten down by a 1-11 season.

During spring practices, it appeared as if the team was eager to turn the page and move forward as one. During the summer, the improved strength and conditioning of certain players under the direction of Dave Foreman (CU’s new Director of Sports Performance) was visibly noticeable as the Buffs roamed campus.

“As the spring went along, they had a lot more passion, a lot more energy and they started caring for each other as a team instead of just looking at themselves,” MacIntyre said. “I think that was a big change for me as it went along. They needed to do that, and I saw that change happen during the spring.”

Some encouraging on-field storylines for the fall began to emerge, headlined by the return of potential Pac-12 star Paul Richardson. After missing last season while recovering from a knee injury, the junior wide receiver looked to have as much acceleration and agility as ever during the Black & Gold Game at Folsom Field, averaging 33.8 yards on five receptions with an 85-yard touchdown. The unit also received a boost with D.D. Goodson moving into the slot from running back and emerging as a reliable go-to target for the quarterbacks. Add in the experience of Nelson Spruce and Tyler McCulloch,

44 44

CU’s two leading receivers in 2012, along with the talent of Jeff Thomas, and all of a sudden this is a potential area of strength for the program.

“I’ll just say, ‘Look out; the receiving corps is coming,’” Goodson said. “We’re playmakers, and that’s what we’re trying to do.”

MacIntyre and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren believe the offensive line, led by senior left tackle Jack Harris, can be an effective unit this season as part of a balanced attack. They are also pleased with the running backs they inherited from the Jon Embree era. Bruising sophomore Christian Powell can run through tackles. Tony Jones adds some lightning to Powell’s thunder and senior Josh Ford has power and speed.

As the spring went along, they had a lot more passion, a lot more energy and they started caring for each other as a team instead of just looking at themselves.”

Mike MacIntyre

“The big statistic that we talk about every week as an offensive staff is rush attempts, plus pass completions, equals wins,” said Lindgren, whose offense at San Jose State scored 423 points last season.

“We want to run the ball effectively and throw for a high completion percentage.”

The quarterback depth chart is not set in stone, but MacIntyre is thrilled with the leadership of junior Connor Wood, a team captain, and intrigued by the accuracy of junior-college transfer Jordan Gehrke and the run-pass skill set of true freshman Sefo Liufau.

CU will run MacIntyre’s version of the “Pistol” offense, although it won’t feature as many quarterback runs as Nevada had with Colin Kaepernick taking snaps out of the short-shotgun formation. Lindgren describes the scheme as a “multiple, no huddle.”

“(Nevada) did a tremendous amount of option, but there is only one Kaepernick,” MacIntyre noted. “I like the ability of what the Pistol gives you to be able to run down hill and be physical. That helps your defense become more physical in practice and to run the clock in the game and be able to get (first downs) in short yardage. It enables you to have the play-action pass built in, but at the same time you can do a lot of the spread concepts where you catch it in the gun and get it out quick. How much of the option principles you go to depends on how well our quarterback can run. We always have it in there and you always do it some. If he’s a better runner, then you do it more.”

Last year, the CU defense was extremely young and lost confidence early after squandering late leads against Colorado State and Sacramento State before an embarrassing 69-14 defeat at Fresno State. This year, the Buffs return 29 lettermen on defense, including nine starters. After practicing against Lindgren’s diverse offense throughout fall camp, Baer’s unit is better prepared to compete against the various high-powered offenses of the Pac 12.

There is an encouraging blend of experience (Chidera Uzo-Diribe, Derrick Webb, Parker Orms) and young talent (Josh Tupou, Addision Gillam, Kenneth Crawley) spread throughout the defense.

“I see some talent in areas; I’m not sure we have enough yet,” Baer said. “We just have to learn to play together as a team to win on a consistent basis. It’s something we have to continue to stress. It doesn’t take talent to play hard and play physical. It’s a mindset, it’s an attitude and winning helps that, obviously.”

For the third consecutive season, the kicking game will be in the capable hands (right

PAC-12 NOTES

ARIZONA STATE 2012 RECORD: 8-5 overall, 5-4 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Todd Graham, second season KEY PLAYERS: QB Taylor Kelly, DL Will Sutton, TE Chris Coyle FACES CU: Oct. 12 in Tempe NOTABLE: The Sun Devils are 4-0 all-time against CU… Before the Buffs visit to Sun Devil Stadium this season, Arizona State must get through a brutal four-game stretch against Wisconsin, Stanford, USC and Notre Dame.

45

STAMPEDE

legs) of punter Darragh O’Neill, a Ray Guy Award candidate, and placekicker Will Oliver, who was 6-for-8 on field goals and perfect on PATs in 2012.

“We do a lot of work with our special teams, and that has to be a winning edge for us,” MacIntyre said.

CU is not known for having a down football program.”

Paul Richardson

Nationally, the pundits aren’t expecting many wins for the Buffs in 2013. CU faces another daunting schedule that begins with the Rocky Mountain Showdown in Denver against Colorado State (Sept. 1), includes home games against Pac-12 contenders Oregon (Oct. 5) and USC (Nov. 23), as well as five difficult true road games culminating with the regular-season finale at Utah (Nov. 30).

Inside MacIntyre’s locker room, there is a quiet confidence and belief that this program is on the rise.

“We have a lot of character,” Richardson said. “CU is not known for having a down football program, and that’s what people are failing to realize. We haven’t been very successful or been to a bowl game of late, but this is not what CU football is about and we’re going to prove that this fall.”

PAC-12 NOTES

CAL

2012 RECORD: 3-9 overall, 2-7 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Sonny Dykes, first season KEY PLAYERS: DL Deandre Coleman, WR Chris Harper, K Vincenzo D’Amato FACES CU: Nov. 16 in Boulder NOTABLE: Paul Richardson set a single-game CU record with 284 receiving against the Bears in 2011… CU head coach Mike MacIntyre’s last game at San Jose State was a 52-43 victory over Dykes’ Louisiana Tech team in the WAC finale for both programs.

46

47

STAMPEDE

STAMPEDE FOOTBALL 2013

5 Questions Quizzing both sides of the ball

Offense | Brian Lindgren

to organize and install a game plan each week. I still use his call sheet template. I also learned about game-day demeanor.

No matter how emotional game day became, he was always under control as the play caller. I always admired that as 1. How good of a quarterback were you a quarterback and respect it even more at Idaho? now that I am coaching. I also learned the I was a solid college player. I started at importance of practicing with a sense of quarterback there off and on from my urgency, particularly at the quarterback sophomore to senior year. I was an AllConference player my junior year and team position. He always stressed playing at game speed and getting the ball captain, as well. I was an accurate passer who understood what we were trying to do out of the quarterback’s hand quickly. offensively. I didn’t have the strongest arm That is something that I stress to our and had limited mobility. Those limitations quarterbacks every day. prevented me from playing at the next 3. Explain the philosophy of level. I had some decent games there the “pistol” offense from the during my career. quarterback’s perspective?

(Editor’s note: Lindgren was a three-year I don’t know if I would classify our offense starter for the Vandals under Chris Tormey and Tom Cable, throwing for 6,541 yards and as the pistol. If you watched Nevada play 44 touchdowns, while completing 61 percent back when they had (Colin) Kaepernick and then watched us play, you would say of his passes with a 136.0 efficiency rating). that the two offenses are much different.

A better way to describe us would be 2. What did you learn from Tormey and Cable as a player that translates to your “multiple no-huddle.” We will get into the pistol formation, though. How much coaching style? we will use the pistol will be determined I was recruited by Tormey, but played by how athletic our quarterback is. The most of my career under Coach Cable. I more athletic our quarterback is, the learned a lot from Coach Cable, a lot of more we will be in the pistol. Last year at things that I still hang on to today. He San Jose State, we didn’t use the pistol was a great offensive mind and a great as much because our quarterback, David teacher. He taught me a system for how Fales, was more of a thrower. I think it is important for your quarterback to be a PAC-12 NOTES threat in the run game. Even if it is just four or five times a game. It still puts pressure on defenses to prepare for it.

Five Questions with Brian Lindgren, Colorado offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach

OREGON

2012 RECORD: 12-1 overall, 8-1 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Mark Helfrich, first season KEY PLAYERS: QB Marcus Mariota, RB De’Anthony Thomas, C Hroniss Grasu FACES CU: Oct. 5 in Boulder

NOTABLE: Helfrich was CU’s offensive coordinator under Dan Hawkins from 2006-08 before teaming up with Chip Kelly in Eugene… The Ducks return eight starters from the 2012 offense that averaged 49.6 points and 537 yards per game.

50

4. San Jose State’s offense was unstoppable in 2012 with Fales, a potential first-round NFL pick. Does CU have the personnel to make dramatic improvement moving the chains and putting points on the scoreboard this season?

I think we have some weapons on offense. I was really pleased with the explosiveness of Paul Richardson this spring. He is a very dynamic player who can stretch the field vertically and also

PAC-12 NOTES

OREGON STATE 2012 RECORD: 9-4 overall, 6-3 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Mike Riley, 13th season KEY PLAYERS: QBs Cody Vaz/Sean Mannion, WR Brandin Cooks, DL Scott Crichton FACES CU: Sept. 28 in Corvallis NOTABLE: The Buffs will face Oregon State for the first time as Pac-12 foes. The programs haven’t played since a 28-21 CU victory in 1988. The Beavers hold a 3-2 edge in the series but haven’t beaten the Buffs since 1964. turn a small completion into a big gain.

Defenses will have to know where he is and that will open the door for some of the other receivers to make plays.

I was also pleased with our running back situation. Christian Powell has the strength and vision to be a consistent performer. Tony Jones is extremely quick and has big-play ability. Josh Ford was extremely consistent this spring.

They complement each other well. The key for us offensively will be getting the quarterback position to perform consistently. We need him to take care of the football and make great decisions.

If we can get that position to perform consistently for us, then we will have the opportunity to move the ball this fall.

5. Do you think the formula Mike MacIntyre used at San Jose State in the WAC can work at CU in the Pac-12?

Definitely. It is not going to be easy and it will be a process. I think he learned a lot from just completing the process at San Jose. Coach Mac truly cares about developing young people. He is extremely loyal to both his coaches and his players. He holds both players and coaches to a very high standard and doesn’t accept anything less. But at the end of the day, guys still know that he really cares about them as a person. Guys really respect that.

51

STAMPEDE

Defense | Jim Jeffcoat\

Five Questions with Jim Jeffcoat, Colorado defensive line coach 1. How does your background as a prominent, longtime NFL player with the Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills help you as a college coach?

I don’t think it has any bearing. Coaching and playing are different, especially at the college level.

2. You could probably be retired and on a beach somewhere. Why did you decide to get into the grind of working as an assistant coach when your playing career ended?

Because I love what I do. It’s not a job; it’s a passion.

3.You inherit a mix of young players who gained some valuable experience during a tough 2012 season. What are your expectations for the defensive line in your first season at CU? My older players are working hard and they are learning to lead. My redshirt freshmen and sophomore classes will have to step up for us to improve. I am excited about the true freshmen, especially (Jimmie) Gilbert and (Timothy) Coleman.

4. What kind of a leader is Chidera UzoDiribe entering his senior season?

Chidera and (Nate) Bonsu are doing a tremendous job of showing the younger players the way things should be done.

I love what i do. it’s not a job; it’s a passion.”

Jim Jeffcoat 5. You made the move from San Jose State with Mike MacIntyre. How do you like Boulder so far and can you guys pull off a similar turnaround here?

I love it. This a wonderful place to work and live. Once you come here, you don’t want to leave. We will find the players who fit our system and will do it the way Coach Mac wants it done. (Defensive coordinator Kent) Baer is great to work for; it is an honor to work for a defensive coordinator with his credentials.

52

53

STAMPEDE FOOTBALL 2013

Back in Action

After a year off, Paul Richardson expects to make a difference

Yes, even the extremely sanguine Paul Richardson felt sorry for himself after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament during a simple non-contact drill in April of 2012.

of schedule. The optimism got to the point where Richardson had to make the difficult decision, after consulting with the previous coaching staff and his family, to scrap the idea of returning midseason and risking his long-term football future.

The sorrow disappeared after one dark day.

After undergoing a successful knee reconstruction procedure, Colorado’s best player – the charismatic and crazytalented wide receiver known as “P-Rich” – approached his rehab assignment on a mission to get bigger, faster and strong enough to lead the Buffaloes into a brighter new era.

“I would say 24 hours out of surgery, I was not in a good mental state at all. I was very upset, I was very hard to approach, you couldn’t really talk to me,” Richardson said.

“But I had to wise up, I had to grow up, and I told our strength staff and trainers, ‘When I can walk, I can run.’ They laughed and thought I was being optimistic. As soon as I started using my crutches, I started jogging.

There’s been no looking back.”

Richardson watched helplessly from the sideline last season as CU’s offense struggled, averaging 17.8 points (117th nationally) and 192.5 passing yards (96th) per game without his big-play abilities. His tireless work ethic and determination led to a recovery that was significantly ahead

PAC-12 NOTES

STANFORD 2012 RECORD: 12-2 overall, 8-1 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: David Shaw, third season KEY PLAYERS: QB Kevin Hogan, DL Ben Gardner, LB Trent Murphy FACES CU: No regular-season meeting in 2013 NOTABLE: Stanford is 25-5 over the last three seasons, including 23-4 under Shaw… The defending Pac-12 champions opened the 2012 campaign with a difficult 17-14 win over MacIntyre’s San Jose State squad.

54

By the time P-Rich was officially cleared to play and back on the hallowed grounds of the CU practice fields, Mike MacIntyre had replaced Jon Embree. The program’s new head coach also brought in a new offensive coordinator (Brian Lindgren) and receivers coach (Troy Walters). Some of the older players now had to learn a third offense in four seasons.

“At first, we weren’t all in because some guys were still getting used to the transition,” Richardson said. “But us older guys were just trying to encourage the young guys to embrace the staff, which we had to do. Once we embraced the staff, we were able to start building something and moving forward.”

Suddenly, the entire program is on the same page. Lindgren’s version of the “pistol” offense led to a balanced and efficient spring on that side of the ball, highlighted by the return of the team’s electrifying receiver.

“I have a ball in this offense. All of the receivers love it. As long as we are able to get time for the quarterback to deliver the ball, we should be very successful on offense,” Richardson said. “Our passing game is going to open up our run this year. Christian (Powell) is a load; he’s hard to tackle. We have other good ball carriers like Josh Ford and Tony Jones. Our o-line is looking strong, as well; I’m proud of how far along they’ve come. Offensively, we’re going to be as successful as we allow ourselves to be. There is no limit on what our offense can do this year.”

CU’s offense appeared to be worthy of the Pac-12 when Richardson was healthy in 2011. Despite missing four games with injuries, he finished the season as an honorable mention All-Pac-12 selection

PAC-12 NOTES

UCLA

2012 RECORD: 9-5 overall, 6-3 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Jim Mora, Jr., second season KEY PLAYERS: QB Brett Hundley, LB Anthony Barr, OG Xavier Su’a-Filo FACES CU: Nov. 2 in Los Angeles NOTABLE: The Bruins have won the South Division two years in a row but are 0-2 in Pac-12 championship games (lost to Oregon in 2011 and Stanford in 2012). UCLA, which lost 49-26 to Baylor in last year’s Holiday Bowl, is 1-4 in its last five bowl games. with 39 receptions for 555 yards and five touchdowns. That included a CU singleseason record for receiving yards (284) against Cal. “P-Rich is a playmaker, and I think that’s exactly what we need in this offense,” slot receiver D.D. Goodson said. “He’s trying his hardest to get even better. That will help our team with the goal towards a bowl game.”

Richardson, who has six career receptions for more tha 50 yards, five of them for touchdowns, was as explosive as ever during spring drills. Entering his redshirt junior season, Richardson is ninth in touchdown receptions (11) at CU with those scoring plays covering 371 yards (33.7 per touchdown).

The Buffs longest pass play last season?

A 45-yard pitch-and-catch to Jones out of the backfield. Wide receivers Tyler McCulloch (12.8 yards per catch, long of 37 yards), Nelson Spruce (10.1, 22) and Gerald Thomas (9.5, 28) – due in part to inconsistent play at quarterback and a lack of pass protection from the offensive line – didn’t exactly stretch the field.

“I’m really excited to watch him play this fall,” Lindgren said. “I feel like he can be a great one.”

55

STAMPEDE

The 2012 Buffs weren’t just absent of victories. There were only 12 seniors on the entire roster and that leadership group had been recruited by Dan Hawkins. Richardson, now playing for his third head coach at CU, is one of a schoolrecord six team captains for a team with much better chemistry.

I had guys calling me saying they literally cried when they found out I hurt myself.”

Paul Richardson

“I had to have a better attitude because I knew how much I meant to the program.

I had guys calling me saying they literally cried when they found out I hurt myself,” Richardson said. “They were in awe; they didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know where our program was going to go. So that let me how valuable I was and that I had to be positive. I let them know it was not the end of the world.”

As the old cliché goes: Tough times don’t last, tough people do. Richardson witnessed that last year while watching the Buffs and plotting his personal return to dominance.

“I learned how many people appreciated what I brought to the team and the Boulder community. I realized how much of a leader I was and how much people depended on me in and outside of these walls,” Richardson said. “It made me mature and it made me step up. My teammates voted me captain, which shows the amount of respect they have for me. I have the same amount of respect for them. The coaches are going to expect a lot out of me, and I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ve said it a million times, I don’t feel any pressure. I know what I’m expected to do, that’s my role, and I appreciate having my role. It means a lot that they depend on me so much, and I know I can live up to those expectations.”

56

57

STAMPEDE

WORLDLY FOOTBALL 2013

New defensive coordinator Kent Baer has seen football from every sideline imaginable

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott wants the conference to have a global presence and would like to add football to the list of sports showcased in the world’s mostpopulous country with a live event.

“I think we will have football (in China) at some stage,” Scott said on the Pac-12 Network. “I think it’s more of a longer-term thing. I’ve done due diligence on it during my trips. It’s very expensive to bring teams over there, and I just don’t know if it’s practically very viable right now.”

If Scott is serious about playing a Pac-12 football game in a major Asian market, he should give first-year Colorado defensive coordinator Kent Baer a call and then consider sending the Buffs to Japan.

When Baer was a standout linebacker at Utah State (1970-72), the Aggies played two Japanese all-star teams – on the road – before the 1971 season. After graduating, he took a job as the head coach of the Yokosuka Seahawks, an American football team that plays in the United States Forces Japan-American Football League. The Seahawks are headquartered at the Navy Base in Yokosuka, Japan, about 40 miles south of Tokyo.

During his vacation this year, as he has every summer for the last 25 years, Baer returned to the Far East to coordinate the all-star game he created in 1989, the Heisei Bowl, played the first Saturday of July.

PAC-12 NOTES

USC

2012 RECORD: 7-6 overall, 5-4 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Lane Kiffin, third season KEY PLAYERS: WR Marqise Lee, DL Morgan Breslin, LB Hayes Pullard FACES CU: Nov. 23 in Boulder NOTABLE: Matt Barkley threw a school-record six touchdowns against the Buffs in 2011 and 2012…

The Trojans have never lost to CU (7-0).

58

Baer said there would be plenty of football fans in the stands if the Buffs, or any other Pac-12 team, played a game in Japan.

“They love football; they can’t get enough of it,” Baer said. “I’ve done a lot with the Japanese and it’s one of my passions to help them grow the sport over there.”

Baer already helped his alma mater set up a game in Japan. Utah State beat Idaho State 10-0 on Sept. 3, 1978, at Nishnamiya Stadium. Kickoff was at 3:25 a.m. in Logan, Utah.

I’ve done a lot with the Japanese and it’s one of my passions to help them grow the sport over there.”

Kent Baer

“It was great. That’s an area that’s an untapped market for college football,” Baer said. “The obvious problem is the travel.

The best way to do it is to open the season over there and then have a bye. It’s an 11hour nonstop from San Francisco and a 16hour time difference from Denver. But the Japanese can’t get enough of it and they would be swarming at practice every day.”

As soon as Baer’s jetlag wore off this year, it was time to refocus on the challenging domestic issue he’s facing: Restoring some pride and success to the CU defense. Baer inherited a unit that allowed 46.0 points and 488.5 yards per game in 2012.

This might be the greatest challenge of Baer’s 40-year coaching career. He has previously served as defensive coordinator at Utah State, Idaho, Cal, Arizona State, Stanford, Notre Dame, Washington and most recently San Jose State.

The first step in the rebuilding process is to instill some confidence in a group of players who have been bruised, battered and beaten on the Pac-12 gridiron.

“Every time something good happens, I think you have to reinforce that on and off the field. Everything can’t be a negative all the time. You have to build on little things,” Baer said of his approach with the Buffs. “I make a point when somebody does something really good in practice to show the team and build on that. You have to be careful when you take over, you can’t always show frustration. It’s easy to show frustration when a team only won one game.”

Baer experienced a one-win season in 2010, Mike MacIntyre’s first as a head coach at San Jose State, before helping orchestrate the stunning reversal of fortune for the program. SJSU was 10-2 last year during the regular season.

After MacIntyre accepted the CU job, Baer was named interim head coach and guided the Spartans to a 29-20 victory over Bowling Green in the Military Bowl. He also served as the interim head coach at Notre Dame – where he had been a finalist for the Broyles Award, presented to the nation’s top assistant coach – for the 2004 Insight Bowl against Oregon State.

“Kent Baer is a phenomenal defensive coordinator and well respected,” MacIntyre said.

Baer has worked for Bruce Snyder, Keith Gilbertson, Tyrone Willingham and Dick Tomey. He believes CU has hired another great “Coach Mac” to make the Buffs winners again.

“Mac is a heck of a football coach,” MacIntyre said. “At San Jose State, to win at that place like we did was pretty remarkable. Colorado certainly has a lot of things to offer. The first things I think of are the academics and the beautiful area we have to recruit to. And the history of that program, I think you have to rely on that some and build on that.”

59

STAMPEDE FOOTBALL 2013

Utility Man

Wide receiver D.D. Goodson has found a home in the slot

D.D. Goodson, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound free agent of sorts, was Colorado’s version of Wes Welker during spring football practices.

After playing tailback in 2012 and defensive back in 2011, Goodson has moved position rooms again, this time finding what appears to be a productive home as a slot receiver.

One of the consistent themes for the quarterbacks throughout the offseason, no matter who was taking the snaps, was the use of Goodson as a security blanket.

The junior journeyman is seemingly always open in Mike MacIntyre’s version of the pistol offense.

“We have a lot of things we’re going to be doing with that slot position, and they’re going to feature D.D. for the most part,” said standout wide receiver Paul Richardson, who returns from a redshirt season to stretch the field. “I know he’s looking forward to it. He stepped up a lot in the spring, and I was proud to watch him mature and grow. This year is going to be a good year for him. He’s always open because of how hard he works to get open.”

For two years, Goodson’s blood, sweat and tears didn’t result in much joy at CU. Due to major injury problems in the secondary, his redshirt was burned as a freshman and he was forced to step in as an emergency

PAC-12 NOTES

WASHINGTON 2012 RECORD: 7-6 overall, 5-4 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Steve Sarkisian, fifth season KEY PLAYERS: QB Keith Price, WR Kasen Williams, TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins FACES CU: Nov. 9 in Seattle NOTABLE: The Buffs only trailed 7-0 at halftime last season before being outscored 31-3 after the intermission… Washington begins this season where it left off last year, playing Boise State (the Broncos edged the Huskies 31-28 in overtime in the Holiday Bowl).

60

starter against two of the most-prolific offenses in the country (Oregon and USC).

In last season’s opener, Goodson muffed a punt that changed the momentum in Colorado State’s comeback victory. He only carried the ball four times for 18 yards all season as a running back.

Now, Goodson is a key cog in what should be a dramatically improved passing game.

In addition to having Richardson back, CU returns the top three wide receivers from last year (Nelson Spruce and Tyler McCulloch) and adds Jeff Thomas to the mix.

“I knew I had it in me. I’ve been playing receiver my whole life, I just needed the opportunity to get back at receiver and make plays again,” Goodson said.

“I’m pretty proud of that and happy that Coach Mac came in and he had the switch arranged for me. I want to be productive and I want to lead my team to a winning season. That’s the main goal going into this fall.”

MacIntyre hired an ideal position coach for Goodson in Troy Walters, who won the Biletnikoff Award as an undersized receiver at Stanford and played eight seasons in the NFL. “I always tell the guys to use their size to their advantage. If you’re smaller, then there are advantages, like using your quickness to avoid contact,” Walters said. “(Goodson) is a good kid, a young man that just wants to help the team out. He went to Coach Mac and felt like he could help the team out as a receiver. We moved him to receiver to see what he can do.”

Fittingly, when Goodson was a senior at Lamar Consolidated High School in Rosenberg, Texas, he was selected as the district “Utility Player of the Year.” He was a dynamic kick returner, rushed for 370 yards and nine touchdowns, and caught 30 passes for 500 yards and two touchdowns.

“Playing all those positions helped me learn a lot about the game of football.

It helped me have an awareness of the

PAC-12 NOTES

UTAH

2012 RECORD: 5-7 overall, 3-6 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Kyle Whittingham, ninth season KEY PLAYERS: WR Kenneth Scott, LB Brian Blechen, DL Trevor Reilly FACES CU: Nov. 30 in Salt Lake City NOTABLE: The Buffs’ 17-14 victory at Utah in 2011 highlighted the Jon Embree era, which ended with a 42-35 loss to the Utes last season…

Former Arizona State head coach Dennis Erickson has been added to the Utah staff as a cooffensive coordinator. game,” Goodson said. “It has helped with my feet as a receiver and I know the game more. I feel like I really have a grasp on the game.”

CU’s wide receivers only grabbed six touchdowns and the offense mustered only 17.8 points per game last season.

Goodson plans to improve the production as an integral part of the Buffs’ more innovative and multiple nohuddle philosophy.

“Coming into the season, I’m really feeling this (coaching) staff,” Goodson said. “I like them as coaches because anything we need, they tend to that first. They aren’t focused on the outside world, they believe in the team. I feel like that’s the key that will make the players strive for a winning season. It starts with the staff and as players, when we can relate to them, I think that’s what has been missing.”

Since joining the program, Goodson has played enough roles on the team – defensive back, tailback, kick returner, slot receiver – to match CU’s win total over the past two seasons. He believes his career and the program are now ascending.

“We’ve been through it all. We can only go up from this, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Goodson said. “I feel like we’re pretty low, but Coach Mac’s here to change it around. The only way we’re going is up.”

61

STAMPEDE

Buffaloes Milestones FOOTBALL 2013

The then and now of CU football

This fall will be the 124th season of intercollegiate football (the first was in 1890) at the University of Colorado, as Mike MacIntyre, the program’s 25th head coach, begins his first season guiding the Buffaloes.

Here are some historical CU footnotes and milestones entering the 2013 season: 120 years ago, Colorado A&M challenged the state’s flagship university to a game, and two would meet on Feb. 10, 1893, in Fort Collins. It was the birth of a rivalry, but the initial encounter was a lopsided affair - a 70-6 win over the Aggies, that counted on the 1892 record, giving the U. of C. a 3-2 mark.

100 years ago, CU concluded a 5-1-1 season with its first-ever trip to the state of Oklahoma, where on Thanksgiving Day the Buffs lost 14-3 to the Sooners in Oklahoma City. It was the fifth state CU had travelled to in its history, after Nebraska, Utah, Kansas and Wyoming.

90 years ago, CU completed a perfect 9-0 season, its best in 34 years of football, outscoring its opponents 280-27 during the 1923 campaign. The popularity of the team was at an all-time high, and thus the school begins work on a new stadium on the northeast side of campus.

80 years ago, sophomore William “Kayo” Lam led CU to a 7-2 record. It marked the

PAC-12 NOTES

WASHINGTON ST 2012 RECORD: 3-9 overall, 1-8 Pac-12 HEAD COACH: Mike Leach, second season KEY PLAYERS: WR Gabe Marks, S Deone Bucannon, K Andrew Furney FACES CU: No regular-season meeting in 2013 NOTABLE: CU’s dramatic 35-34 comeback win against Washington State was the lone bright spot on the scoreboard last season… Leach returns 16 starters for his second season rebuilding the Cougars.

62

last year (1933) the team was known as the Silver and Gold, with “Buffaloes” winning a nickname contest the following year.

making the original “Coach Mac” the winningest coach in school history, passing Fred Folsom.

70 years ago, the full effect of World War II hit college football. The Buffs played a limited conference schedule (two games) in 1943, sweeping Utah home and away, losing twice to No. 18 Colorado College, and defeating three military teams for a 5-2 record.

10 years ago, an injury-marred 2003 season led to a 5-7 record, but it was not without its highlights. Wide receiver D.J. Hackett set a school record with 78 receptions (for 1,013 yards, just the sixth and to date the last 1,000-yard season), and quarterback Joel Klatt passed for 2,614 yards. Off the field, John Hessler was critically injured in a hit-and-run car crash on Oct. 19, 2003. The affable and popular former CU quarterback was in a coma for over a month. He made a remarkable recovery over the years and is now married and expecting his first child.

60 years ago, CU won its last four games of the 1953 schedule to finish 6-4. Senior Gary Knafelc caught 22 passes for 451 yards and eight touchdowns. He went on to star for the Green Bay Packers, and upon his retirement, was the team’s stadium PA announcer for 40 years.

50 years ago, CU made one of the best decisions in program history when Eddie Crowder was named the program’s 17th head coach on Jan. 3, 1963. He replaced alum Bud Davis (‘51), who took over the program for a year after it was devastated

by NCAA penalties. The Buffs lost the season opener at No. 1 USC, 14-0. The game with Air Force, scheduled for Nov. 23, was postponed for two weeks as the nation mourned the death of President John F. Kennedy. CU was 2-8 during Crowder’s first season, but the legendary coach would build the program into a national power.

40 years ago, the Buffs opened the year ranked No. 10 in the nation. CU started the promising 1973 season 5-2 (both losses to ranked teams) before losing its last four games. Following a 17-14 seasonending home loss to Kansas State, Crowder announced his resignation as head coach.

He remained on as CU’s athletic director for the next 11 years (a position he took over in 1965).

30 years ago, the CU-Colorado State rivalry, which had been dormant for 25 years, resumed with a 31-3 Buffs win on Sept.

17, 1983.

20 years ago, the Buffs defeated Oklahoma 27-10 in Norman (Oct. 16, 1993) to give Bill McCartney his 78th victory at CU,

Five years ago, the Buffs opened the 2008 season 3-0, capped by a 17-14 overtime win over No. 21 West Virginia before an ESPN national audience; but a rash of injuries (122 games lost by two-deep players) led to a 2-7 finish over the final nine games. CU appeared bowl-bound until a school-record 57-yard field goal by Alex Henery rallied Nebraska to a 40-31 win in the season finale.

This season, Larry Zimmer, a Colorado Sports Hall of Fame member, will broadcast his 500th Colorado football game for KOA (AM 850) radio. Zimmer was hired by the station in 1971 to handle the play-by-play for CU football and the color commentary for the Denver Broncos. Other than a short period (1982-84) when CU was not aligned with KOA, he has been synonymous with the Buffs for 41 seasons for football…

Longtime CU sports information director Dave Plati, considered among the greats in his profession, will work his 400th CU football game this fall. Plati was named the 13th full-time sports information director in CU history on July 24, 1984, after serving for three years as the assistant SID. The youngest SID in the nation at the time of his hiring, Plati previously worked as a student assistant and statistician after coming to CU as a freshman in 1978. Only six people have served in the role since 1952, with Plati’s tenure in the position the longest in school annals.

63

THOUGHTS, OBSERVATIONS, NEWS, NOTES AND MUSINGS FROM…

BUFFALO BILL …A BUFF TO THE CORE

Colin Kaepernick is the posterboy for the Pistol Offense.

For longtime Buffs fans, the name Jack Landon might ring a bell. A few years back, Jack received an “Honorary C” and is known his caring nature (Jack will bring disabled children to the press box on occasion just to show them around).

He is the son of Alf Landon, who ran for president against FDR in 1936. Jack joined the basketball stat crew in ‘71 and then did the same for football two years later. So, he’s worked in the neighborhood of 250 home games for the Buffs. But what I found interesting was the company that he’s keeping.

Entering his 41st season in the press box, Jack ranks 11th on the list that follows. Check it out:

I couldn’t be more excited about Paul Richardson this year. Everyone knows about this young man’s talent, but I’m of the firm belief that we’ll see him mature before our very eyes this season. Actually, I think a lot of that has already taken place, as Richardson’s knee injury – the one that sidelined him last fall – was one of those life changing experiences. He looks healthy for certain, but I see a different swagger in him now. In fact, I’m going to say that he’s going to take on a major leadership role for the Buffs this year. Mark it down and remember who told you.

Longest Active Streak Working on a Press Box Stat Crew School 1. Virginia Toledo 3. Temple 4. Virginia 5. Iowa 6. California 7. California NC State 9. Baylor California 11. Colorado 12. Wyoming

64

Name Paul Wiseman Chet Sullwold Ron Pollack Dr. John Risher John Raffensberger Ed Gordon Eric Naftaly Roger Warren David Ross, Sr Steve Hall Jack Landon Dennis Dreher

Season Streak Streak Extends Started in 2013 to 58th 1956 58th 1956 54th 1960 51st 1963 46th 1968 45th 1969 44th 1970 44th 1970 42nd 1972 42nd 1972 41st 1973 38th 1976

Kind of funny how trends come and go in sports, isn’t it? Five years ago, everyone believed that big time college football programs would all eventually move toward an NFL-style, “West Coast” type of offense. The theory was that blue-chip athletes would only choose schools that best-prepared them for the NFL game. Well, don’t look now, but there are a few guys playing pro ball that are about to redirect that trend. Guys like Russell Wilson, Colin Kaepernick and RGIII are showing the world that a mobile quarterback can be effective at any level – and they don’t have to run on every play. The “Pistol Offense” is being used all over the NFL, even for quarterbacks who don’t plan on running a lot (see Denver and Peyton Manning). If I’m a high school quarterback, I’d be looking at schools who run this type of system.

And guess who’s one of the best at employing variations of the Pistol-O? That’s right, the fellow who will be calling the shots this year in Boulder – Mike MacIntyre.

Richardson returns after a knee injury derailed his 2012 season.

Fossil Trace