Students excited about re-energized football team
CU students have something to cheer about this season after watching their football team go 2-10 in 2006.
Outside sources may be paying more attention to the Buffs this year, but are students as enthusiastic about the new strides of a team that was ranked consistently in the AP Top 25 over the last ten years?
The Buffs have already doubled their number of wins from last season with about half of their games left to play.
Although many students said they were disappointed with the Buffs’ 2-10 season last year, they understand that the players needed to go through a transitional period to reach the kind of success they are finding this season.
“It’s like a learning experience for them,” said Greg Henning, a senior history major. “They have to find out what works and what doesn’t. It’s really fun to watch them play as things are starting to click.”
After the 2005 football recruiting scandal that cost former head coach Gary Barnett his job, the future of the CU football program was up in the air. A number of fans expressed their feeling that the team would never be able to recover, but Dan Hawkins set out to prove them wrong.
Many criticized Hawkins after he led his team to only two wins in his inaugural season. However, other fans have said that Hawkins’ work ethic and his commitment to improving the integrity of the team made them believe he could turn the team around with time.
“I think it comes down to the fact that Hawkins is trying to run the program in an entirely new way,” said Dave Schaeffer, a sophomore finance major. “Things like that take a lot of time. Everything is finally starting to come together for the team right now.”
Other students feel that a successful football team gives a school something to be proud of, especially after last year’s challenging season.
“I think it’s really good for CU and its students to be behind a team that plays decently,” said Joe Brovsky, a junior advertising major. “It really brings people together.”
Some students agree with the idea that Hawkins will be able to bring the Buffs back to the level they played at ten years ago.
“They can definitely get back there,” Henning said. “I just have to go back to what Hawkins said in one of his speeches. He’s very serious about what he wants to do with the team, and I think he’s all about bringing it back to a high standard.”
For many student fans, the future of the team looks bright, especially with their increased level of play.
“It’ll definitely take some work, but if they keep playing the way they are right now, they can become a really competitive team,” Brovsky said.
Colorado is a school with a tradition of winning, and students feel Hawkins is the man who can take the Buffs to the next level.
Hawkins and his team have started a new tradition of touching the buffalo statue off Colorado Avenue before entering the stadium. Regardless of any actual luck they may be gaining from this practice, some fans think it has a more important symbolism.
“I think it’s good that they are doing something that gives them a sense of tradition,” Henning said. “It also makes it seem like they are really coming together as a team, rather than a bunch of guys doing things individually.”
The new tradition may give the team the success they have been looking for, even if some students think it is a little unusual.
“It’s actually pretty strange,” Brovsky said. “But hey, if it works, it works.”
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Amanda Walck at amanda.walck@thecampuspress.com.
