As Momentum Builds, Buffs Prepare For Recruiting 'Fourth Quarter'
January 04, 2017 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — The "second season" of college football is headed into the fourth quarter.
The Colorado Buffaloes are planning on a strong finish.
Beginning Jan. 12, the dead period of recruiting comes to an end. It leaves a little less than three weeks for coaching staffs to shore up their classes before players sign on the dotted line on Feb. 1. If all goes as planned down the stretch, it will be a big day for CU head coach Mike MacIntyre and his staff.
"It is like the fourth quarter of a game — and sometimes, those games go into overtime," MacIntyre said Wednesday. "But it's an exciting time for our program and our coaches. You can sense a lot of momentum. A lot of people are excited about Colorado football."
Indeed, CU's 2016 season — one that produced 10 wins, a Pac-12 South title and an Alamo Bowl appearance — has no doubt stirred great interest among some of the nation's best high school players. The Buffs currently have a class of commitments that is rated as high as 20th in the nation by some recruiting services.
"The momentum has definitely started," CU recruiting coordinator and co-offensive coordinator Darrin Chiaverini said. "We're a top 15 nationally ranked program, we're getting ready to sign a top 20 recruiting class, we had 10 wins this season, we were in a big bowl game — and we're just getting started. This is a new era of Colorado football and this class is going to put its stamp on the new era of players coming into our program that are elite talent."
Of course, the final step is closing the deal and making sure those players are ready to sign with CU on Feb. 1.
"This is the time of year when other schools are coming in on some of the kids you have, to you have to finish strong and keep the kids understanding where we're headed," MacIntyre said. "You're going from airport to airport, house to house, school to school for three weeks straight. But our success this year no doubt has helped a lot. You can sense the excitement from the kids and our coaching staff. It's an exciting time for our program."
While CU's expected recruiting success this year will be a major jump over years past, it's by no means been an overnight occurrence. When MacIntyre arrived, he made building a department of recruiting assistants a high priority. MacIntyre then hired Chiaverini a year ago and named him recruiting coordinator.
All those events also coincided with CU moving into the world-class Champions Center and Indoor Practice Facility, followed by the 2016 turnaround season that saw Colorado earn national headlines.
It's been a formula that CU's coaches believe will manifest itself into long-term success.
"If you look at where we were last year and where we are now, we've improved tenfold, in recruiting and on-the-field play," Chiaverini said. "Our 2017 class is very, very excited. It's an impact class — and what's good about them is they're already really close. They talk with each other all the time. They're already building relationships because they want to continue to build Colorado back to a national power."
The Buffs made significant strides on both sides of the ball last season, finishing among the conference leaders in the majority of the major statistical categories. MacIntyre was a consensus pick for national coach of the year, and with a number of returning starters — particularly on offense — the Buffs should be nationally ranked when next season begins.
Now, the next step in the process will be adding a recruiting class that will help the Buffs to the next level.
"We did something very special this year, but we're just scratching the surface," Chiaverini said. "We're just getting started. Being back on the national scene this year is where we're supposed to be. We're making gains and we're excited about getting back on the recruiting trail and finishing this class up. It's a special class with a lot of really good players — offense, defense, skill-wise. It's as good of a class as Colorado has probably signed in the last 15 years."
COACHING SEARCH: Along with recruiting, MacIntyre is also in the process of replacing two departed assistant coaches, including a defensive coordinator. MacIntyre said there has been great interest from across the nation in the positions.
But, he added, he has no specific timeline.
"We'll make the hire when we find the right guys," MacIntyre said. "It could be tomorrow; it could be three weeks from now. We're not going to rush it. We'll do like we've done in the past and get the right guys."
Over the last two years, MacIntyre has added five coaches to the CU staff. In early 2015, he brought defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt and safeties coach Joe Tumpkin aboard. Last year, he added Chiaverini as co-coordinator and wide receivers coach; Darian Hagan as running backs coach; and Drew Wilson as strength and conditioning coordinator.
SPRING SCHEDULE: Although the dates are still tentative and subject to change, the Buffs are looking at opening spring practice on Feb. 22, with the annual Spring Game slated for March 18. The Buffs are set to start offseason strength and conditioning when school resumes for the spring semester on Jan. 17.
PEACH BOWL HONOR: MacIntyre attended the Peach Bowl last week between Alabama and Washington, where he was honored as the recipient of the 2016 Dodd Trophy as national coach of the year. Also at the ceremony were former winners Bill Curry and Bobby Ross (both Georgia Tech), where MacIntyre played. "It was a lot of fun getting to spend time with them," MacIntyre said. While MacIntyre won several coach of the year awards, the Dodd Trophy was special as his father, the late George MacIntyre, won the award in 1982 at Vanderbilt.
MacIntyre also had the chance to meet with former Buffs star Herb Orvis at the game, who was there as part of the induction ceremony of the 2016 College Football Hall of Fame.
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu