Woelk: Buffs Send Strong Message With 2017 Recruiting Class

BOULDER — Call it The Rise, call it a New Era, or simply call it another step in the process.

Just don't call Colorado football a flash in the pan. Mike MacIntyre's Buffaloes made that very clear Wednesday when they welcomed the highest-ranked recruiting class in Boulder in more than a decade. The Buffaloes are back — and if Wednesday is any indication, they aren't going away anytime soon.

The buzz in the Colorado football offices Wednesday morning for national signing day was palpable. Coaches, recruiting staffers, administrative personnel and CU's digital media team were on hand long before the sun came up, all ready to put the finishing touches on what is no doubt MacIntyre's most highly regarded class yet.

It was, as one long-time CU staffer said, "something we haven't seen in a long time around here."

The clearest indication that CU's recruiting class was one of which to take note nationally? How about the presence of ESPN, who dispatched reporter Kris Budden to Boulder to document the Buffs' continuing return to national relevance.

But there were plenty of other signals that Wednesday was a special day. There was Olympic medalist and world record holder Jenny Simpson, who pitched in to add some celebrity flavor. The CU pep band was there, helping CU coaches serenade the newest Buffs with the CU fight song. There were cheerleaders and mascots — Chip and Ralphie both made appearances — all of which added up to create a different buzz from any signing day in recent memory.

But all the peripherals were window dressing to the real story of the day: a top recruiting class that let the college football world know that MacIntyre and his staff have no plans on being one-hit wonders.

The proof, as MacIntyre said at his afternoon press conference, is in the pudding:

— The Buffs hit the state of Texas in a big way. A once-fertile recruiting ground that has provided only a handful of players recently is once again where the Buffaloes roam, as CU landed seven signees from the Longhorn State. All were pursued by other schools, but each saw something special in Boulder.

"We wanted to get in Texas but we weren't having a lot of success, and then (offensive co-coordinator) Darrin (Chiaverini) came from Texas Tech and made inroads there, so he had some connections," MacIntyre said. "We also decided to put five guys in Texas instead of three and narrowed down some other areas because we thought that would be a hotbed for us and sure enough it worked out well. A lot of that was Darrin suggesting that change, so that was a big part of it."

— Of the 27 letter-of-intent signees, 25 carry a three-star rating or better. Not only did the Buffs attract attention from quality players, they closed the deal. Colorado pursued players wanted by other top 25 programs and they brought them to Boulder, continuing the foundation established over the last couple of seasons.

— Speaking of closing the deal, the Buffs did an excellent job in fending off bids from other schools down the stretch. "We feel good enough about our school that if a kid goes and takes a visit after (committing to CU) we will be able to still hold onto them," MacIntyre said. "When they come on their visit and see what we have to offer now, there's really not a school that has anything better to offer than we do. Everyone has kind of a niche but when you encompass our whole thing now with the Pac-12, with the history of the school and how we compete and where we're going to be ranked and where we're going to be going, our facilities … I know I'm biased but you look at the whole package and it's pretty good now. It has risen to another level."

— Great players from Colorado stayed in Colorado. Five signees are in-state players who had chances to go elsewhere but chose to stay close to home. The list includes such standouts as Jonathan Van Diest, Dante Sparaco and Jake Moretti, each of whom had multiple offers from other Power Five schools.

— Nine signees are already on campus and will be available for spring ball. Don't underestimate the importance of this factor. The five freshmen who are here will have the benefit of an entire offseason of conditioning as well as spring ball. The four JC transfers will have the same, meaning they will all have a firm understanding of CU's offensive and defensive schemes when fall camp rolls around. It accelerates the learning curve and greatly enhances the chance of those newcomers becoming key contributors their first year as Buffs.

— Needs were filled. If teams are built from the trenches out, the future looks good for the Buffs. Colorado added five defensive linemen — three from the junior college ranks, players who should be ready to contribute immediately. On the offensive line, they also added five, refueling an area where depth is always a priority.

Elsewhere on the defense, where the Buffs lost eight starters to graduation this season, CU added two JC defensive backs as well as some highly touted freshmen, some of whom could step in and vie for playing time right away. Offensively, CU added skill players in the form of some high-end wide receivers, a quality quarterback and a standout running back.

Of course, while star ratings and national rankings are fun and interesting, the key to such classes is player development — and here is where Buffs fans can truly take heart.

Four years ago, MacIntyre's first recruiting class was a lightly regarded bunch.

Last season, that bunch led the Buffs to a 10-4 record, a Pac-12 South title and a No. 15 ranking in the final coaches poll. Meanwhile, seven CU members from MacIntyre's first team were invited to postseason all-star games this year, a testament not only to CU's ability to develop talent once it arrives on campus — but also a testament to the Colorado coaching staff's talent evaluation skills.

The bottom line?

As any coach will tell you, the real evaluation of a recruiting class can't be performed until after the class has been on campus for a couple of years. Some players don't pan out; others who come in without much fanfare turn into stars.

But what we do know today is that the Buffs have turned heads nationally. The program that produced the consensus national coach of the year and Pac-12 South title has landed some highly regarded players, and those players are coming to a program where player development has become a trademark.

That is a formula for continued success. The foundation that has been carefully put in place over the last four seasons was no doubt strengthened on Wednesday.

Last season, Colorado fans were elated to say, "The Buffs are back."

Now they have more reason to believe they are here to stay.

Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu