Since I have ten minutes I thought I might take a look at my son’s upcoming football season. This particular son plays for the University of Northern Colorado, a D1 FCS team who has struggled to be competitive over the past few seasons. In 2023 the team went 0-11 with major blowouts of up to 40+ points peppered throughout. The schedule is anchored by Big Sky Conference battles. That 12 team conference fielded four of the 24 teams in the FCS playoffs that year. They earned 5 berths last season–a season in which UNC improved to 1-11.
UNC is bad. Like really really bad. In terms of All-Big Sky players they fielded a first team punter in Hunter Green, and a honorable mention in Freshman Safety Cam Chapa. Chapa did not transfer. My son adds a lock down corner to the field and alongside another transfer gives the team a real chance to turn around the pass defense. At the same time there were losses. They lost their DB coach to ACU. That is huge. However, the new corners are locked in and have been working on their own to understand how to get better and how to help this team. This lends me hope for a good season, not just for my kid as an individual but for the team as a culture. This is a team that is learning how to play together and ready to show they can win.
So, can they?
Week 1 brings them up against DII Chadron State. This is a good first week, because Chadron is not a good team. This will give the kids a chance to get on the books with a W leading into a battle against an FBS Colorado State team that may be considered a top 35 team in the FBS preseason polls. Can they win? The entire season turns on this moment. I think, given the fight they put up last season against this team, they get the W. That leads us to the remaining schedule… which I will need to get into another day.
Some Thoughts:
- Has it been almost a week since I wrecked version 7 and moved to 8? Time moves very quickly when you aren’t entirely focused on it.