Brooks: MacIntyre Wraps Up 2015 Season, Tuesday Tidbits

BOULDER – If the Colorado Buffaloes learned anything in 2015 it was this: College football seasons come (and go) with no guarantees.

A year ago, the Buffs exited a frustrating, ever-so-close 2014 season adamantly believing their near-misses would help them hurdle the hump in 2015.

A year later, the hump was still there – and so were the Buffs, languishing after another series of agonizingly close Pac-12 losses and left with memories of wins that might have been.

In 2014, the Buffs lost four Pac-12 games by a combined total of 15 points. In 2015, they lost four conference games by a combined total of 20 points.

And rather than reaching their expected breakthrough, CU once again reached the November breaking point in its bowl quest. A postseason dream that began last off-season was snuffed at mid-month, leaving the Buffs bowl-less for the eighth consecutive season with an overall record of 4-9 and a Pac-12 mark of 1-8.

In his postseason wrap-up news conference on Tuesday, third-year coach Mike MacIntyre reiterated that rebuilding a program requires time and he believed that start-to-finish progress was made in 2015 despite a number of key injuries.

“I do think that we improved as the year went along, even with all the injuries that we had,” said MacIntyre, whose three-year record at CU is 10-27 overall and 2-25 in the Pac-12. “I do think that we improved, but we again didn't finish some of those games like we would have liked to and had some miscues.

“But, I do feel like we're a better football team than when we began, I really do believe that. A lot of those guys are coming back. We are going to have a big senior class and a really big junior class. When you combine them together – the way I understand it – it's the biggest (junior and senior) classes they've had (at CU) since the 2001 season, which they had a great season that year . . . it's good for our future.”

MacIntyre conducted exit interviews on Tuesday with his out-going 15 seniors as well as briefings with his 2016 seniors-to-be. Feedback from the out-going seniors, he said, was positive, with departing players emphasizing that they believed the program was “headed in the right direction.”

He said many of the graduating seniors spoke of the overall progress they witnessed during their careers, the earlier embarrassments of games against opponents such as Fresno State, Oregon and USC “being over before they started,” and now playing conference teams close but still leaving the field frustrated.

“But those guys realized it's a building process,” MacIntyre said, noting the process is “never as quick as you'd like.”

Athletic Director Rick George said two weeks ago that MacIntyre would return in 2016 for a fourth season. Even when George made that announcement, MacIntyre said he hadn't been contemplating his status as CU's head coach.

“It's what I want to do,” he said. “I'm working at it with everything I've got . . . if you're worrying about that during the heat of battle you're not being a proactive leader.”

He also said he has “always felt” that he has the backing of President Bruce Benson, Chancellor Phil DiStefano and George. “They see the progress in the program (but) there are different things when you look back, you have to make different tweaks . . . but if a Mark Richt (Georgia) can get fired with 10 wins anybody in this business can be fired.”

Concerning his staff and possible changes, MacIntyre said he is “still evaluating everything. I don't like to make knee-jerk decisions quickly right after the season. I'm still evaluating what we will do within our whole program – every phase of it – because it all works interconnected. I do know that all our people work extremely hard and have a lot of pride being here.”

Other topics addressed Tuesday:

SCHOLARSHIPS, COMMITMENTS, RETURNING PLAYERS: MacIntyre said the Buffs currently have “11 or 12” commitments but did not offer a specific number of available scholarships. He said attrition among roster players always occurs, usually following spring practice.

Defensive lineman Josh Tupou, who was not on the 2015 roster, will return to school in May and be back on the team for August camp. MacIntyre said Tupou is scheduled to graduate next December. Tupou was a projected D-line starter.

The position status of Jaleel Awini, the quarterback-turned-linebacker-turned-quarterback, will be evaluated before spring drills began. Awini, who transferred to CU from Air Force and was a QB during his transfer year, was switched to linebacker this fall. One factor that could determine Awini's future is the rehabilitation progress for Sefo Liufau and the Lisfranc injury to his left foot. Liufau will miss spring drills and is expected to be out at least until mid-summer.

Junior college running back Aaron Baltazar, who signed with CU in the 2015 recruiting class but did not meet admission requirements, is no longer in the Buffs plans, MacIntyre said. Baltazar played at Boise State in 2013 and attended Southwestern College (Chula Vista, Calif.) last year but did not play football.

ONE FINAL TIME – SPR-O-O-O-O-CE: Nelson Spruce played his final game in a CU uniform last Saturday at Utah. There was a finality to that, but as one of the 15 Buffs seniors who had an exit interview with MacIntyre on Tuesday, Spruce at the conclusion of that, “I feel like it's really over.”

But Spruce left a legacy. In addition to setting or tying 42 school records, he became the Pac-12's all-time receptions leader (259). Not a bad way to end a career, although playing in a bowl game was an unfulfilled goal.

Spruce said his eye-popping CU career receiving records – the biggest: 294 receptions; 3,347 yards; 23 touchdown catches – were surprising: “I'd always been the quiet type coming out of high school, kind of under the radar and under-recruited. But I'd been confident in myself; I knew I could be a playmaker.”

The Buffs dropped off offensively from 2014 to 2015, partly because of injuries in the offensive line and at running back, partly because of a variety of ill-timed mistakes. Spruce said he “couldn't pinpoint what it was; if you could, you could fix it. (But) we never hit our stride on offense . . . we never put a complete game together.”

RETURNING WITH A MISSION: When votes are cast for CU's defensive MVP, Chidobe Awuzie will be among the odds-on favorites to win the award. He finished as the Buffs' second-leading tackler to linebacker Rick Gamboa and briefly entertained the thought of leaving early for the NFL.

But Awuzie said education is important to him and his family and that's what will keep him at CU for his senior season.

“I'm definitely coming back,” he said. “I came in with this class; the guys and 'Coach Mac' mean a lot to me.” He also said going out with a winning record and participating in a bowl game are high on his to-do list as a Buffs senior.

As for what position he plays in his final college season, Awuzie said as long as it's in the secondary he's fine: “I love the defensive back position . . . I love nickel, corner, safety. Wherever they put me.”

QUOTABLE: “Take every day and seize the opportunity. Treat every day like it's the last chance you're going to get . . . coming to work is what I'd preach.” – Spruce on what advice he would give to CU's seniors-to-be

NOTABLE: Spring practice will begin after National Signing Day – or the second week in February – with the Spring Game scheduled on Sunday, March 13 at noon. Once again, MacIntyre wants spring drills to go uninterrupted by spring break . . . . Awuzie on freshman quarterback Steven Montez, who will compete with Cade Apsay and Jordan Gehrke in spring practice: “He's very talented, but it's hard to evaluate him as a scout teamer . . . coaches sometimes tell (the QB) who to throw to. But he's got a big arm and is very talented.” . . . . When former receiver Paul Richardson graduated he passed the figurative torch at the position to Spruce. Who does Spruce pass it to? He joked with his teammates before the Utah finale that whoever had the best game got the torch. But seriously, there are several potential torch-bearers. Start with Shay Fields, whose 42 receptions for 598 yards (four TDs) trailed only Spruce's 89 for 1,053 yards (four TDs) in 2015. Other candidates include Devin Ross, Bryce Bobo, Lee Walker and Donovan Lee – if he doesn't remain at running back . . . . Spruce said he has committed to play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 23 in St. Petersburg, Fla. . . . .This was the first season for MacIntyre's 12-member leadership council, and Awuzie was among that dozen. Awuzie liked the concept, but said the Buffs “have a lot of good leaders outside that group . . . you don't need a label to be a leader; we need a lot of people to step up.” . . . . Stanford (North Division champ) and USC (South) play Saturday in the Pac-12 Championship Game. Who does MacIntyre favor? “No idea,” he said. “Both are really good teams; it'll be a good game to watch.”

Contact: BG.Brooks@Colorado.EDU