With four wins this season, the football team posted a three-win improvement on 2012’s campaign. The CU Independent took to the streets of CU’s main campus to find out how students thought the Buff’s season went and what they see in the team’s future.
Despite the team’s losing record, the students viewed the season as an overall success.
“I didn’t expect a whole lot, especially with a new coach coming in,” said Steven Wright, a sophomore international affairs major. “I was pleased though. We had a lot more close games than we did last year.”
Both Wright and junior MCDB major Kevin Gunderson were pleased with what new coach Mike MacIntyre did with the program.
“I was very impressed with this year’s team,” Gunderson said. “I saw a lot of improvement with the new coach.”
This year the Buffs also bested their in-state rival, Colorado State, a very important victory in the eyes of the students.
“We beat the CSU Rams,” said Mary Blackburn, a sophomore business major. “That was a big game.”
Defeating the Rams wasn’t the only big news that came out of the football program. Standout junior wide receiver Paul Richardson recently declared his plans to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL draft. Students offered their opinions on his departure.
Some, like Wright, weren’t too choked up.
“He’s going to get muscled around a bit in the NFL, but I’m ok with [Richardson’s departure],” Wright said.
Other students, such as avid Buff fan and freshman psychology major Jordan Griffin, were a little more emotional.
“I am extremely upset,” Griffin said. “Paul gave me a lot of faith.”
Even with the loss of Richardson, CU students still have high hopes for the future of the football program.
“We will definitely be better than we were this year,” Gunderson said. “I have no doubt we will do the same next season.”
Wright expressed his hopes for the team with more tangible goals.
“Next year, I think we can get maybe two or three Pac-12 wins, and we can definitely beat Utah,” Wright said.
Blackburn and Griffin both followed suit, predicting “one more Pac-12 win” and “a winning season” respectively.
Having seen the improvement made this year, many students cannot wait for the Buffs to get back on the field and keep making positive strides. Many have faith that their team will soon erase its poor reputation and return to its former glory.
Griffin is one of these believers.
“I know that by my senior year at CU, they will be winners.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writers Sam Showalter at Samuel.showalter@colorado.edu and Sam Routhier at Samuel.routhier@colorado.edu.
