Tunisia World Cup
As I sit down to analyze the prospects of Colorado Football returning to its former glory, I can't help but draw parallels to the situation Valenzuela described when he took over the struggling Cebu team. When I first heard about Colorado's recent struggles, my initial reaction was similar to what Valenzuela expressed - that sense of wounded pride when a team you've followed underperforms expectations. Having followed college football for over fifteen years, I've witnessed Colorado's journey from being a powerhouse to their current rebuilding phase, and I must admit, it's been painful to watch.
The Buffaloes finished last season with a disappointing 4-8 record, marking their fifth consecutive losing season. What's particularly concerning is their performance in the Pac-12 conference, where they've won only 11 games in the past five years combined. As someone who remembers their 1990 national championship team and the exciting teams of the early 2000s, this decline feels particularly stark. The program seems to have lost its identity, much like how Valenzuela observed the Cebu team's subpar performances before he took charge. When I look at the current roster, I see talent - particularly in their receiving corps and secondary - but the consistency just hasn't been there.
Recruiting has been a mixed bag, which directly impacts their potential return to glory. Last year's recruiting class ranked 35th nationally, which isn't terrible but certainly doesn't put them in the conversation with elite programs. What worries me is that they're consistently losing top in-state talent to other programs - something that simply cannot continue if they want to rebuild properly. I've spoken with several high school coaches in Colorado who express frustration that local stars don't see the Buffaloes as a viable path to success anymore. This perception issue might be their biggest hurdle to overcome.
The coaching situation presents both challenges and opportunities. Head coach Karl Dorrell enters his third season with a 8-16 record, and frankly, I'm not convinced he's the long-term solution. His conservative offensive approach often feels outdated in today's college football landscape. However, the addition of new offensive coordinator Mike Sanford brings some hope - his work at previous stops suggests he might modernize their attack. From my perspective, they need to embrace a more dynamic, spread-oriented offense to compete in the high-scoring Pac-12.
Looking at their schedule, I count at least six winnable games if things break right. The non-conference slate includes games against TCU, Minnesota, and Air Force - tough but manageable. Their conference schedule features what I'd call three "swing games" against Arizona, California, and Stanford that could determine whether they reach bowl eligibility. Personally, I believe reaching six wins and securing a bowl bid would represent significant progress and create positive momentum for recruiting.
The quarterback position will be crucial, and I'm intrigued by the competition between J.T. Shrout and Brendon Lewis. Having watched both extensively, I slightly favor Shrout because of his better decision-making and pocket presence. The offensive line returns four starters, which should provide stability, but they need to improve dramatically after allowing 29 sacks last season. Defensively, they have some exciting pieces, particularly linebacker Nate Landman, who I consider one of the most underrated players in the conference when healthy.
Financial considerations can't be ignored either. The athletic department has invested approximately $45 million in facility upgrades over the past three years, showing commitment to the program's revival. However, fan attendance has declined by roughly 23% since 2016, creating revenue challenges. From my experience covering college athletics, sustained success requires both financial investment and fan engagement, and currently, Colorado is struggling with the latter.
What gives me cautious optimism is the changing landscape of college football. With the transfer portal creating more player mobility than ever before, programs can rebuild quicker than in the past. Colorado has already added several impact transfers, including defensive lineman Jalen Sami and receiver R.J. Sneed. If they can continue to mine the portal effectively, they might accelerate their timeline for competitiveness.
Ultimately, returning to glory won't happen overnight. Realistically, I see this as a three-year process at minimum. This season, I predict they'll go 5-7 - showing improvement but falling just short of bowl eligibility. The foundation needs more work before they can consistently compete for conference titles again. But as Valenzuela demonstrated with the Cebu team, sometimes all it takes is the right leadership and renewed commitment to turn things around. The pride of Colorado fans has certainly been tested, but I believe better days are ahead, even if the journey requires patience.
