Colorado University Athletics
CU Kicker Gonzalez Glad To Get Second Chance
September 19, 2015 | Football, Neill Woelk
DENVER — Almost as soon as Diego Gonzalez missed a field goal at the end of regulation that would have won Saturday night's Colorado-Colorado State game, his CU teammates had a message for him:
"They just told me not to worry about it," Gonzalez said. "They told me I'd get another chance and they knew I'd hit it."
The native of Mexico didn't let his teammates down. Given a chance at redemption in overtime, Gonzalez calmly booted a 32-yard game winner to lift Colorado to a 27-24 victory.
"I just had to trust myself," said Gonzalez, whose parents were in the stands for the game. "My teammates trusted me, my coaches trusted me and I just had to do what I'd been doing for years."
Gonzalez, who played high school football in Mexico and also college ball for a year at the University of Monterrey, said it was the first game winner in his career.
"I thought it was good when I hit it," he said. "I looked up and saw it was good. It was an amazing feeling, and it felt good that I didn't let my teammates down. They trusted me."
Gonzalez also played wide receiver in Mexico, but said he decided to become a full-time kicker because it offered him the best chance to play Division I ball in the United States.
"I'm glad he did," head coach Mike MacIntyre said.
Gonzalez said he "felt good" when he went out to attempt the game winner at the end of regulation.
"I was confident, but I just mis-hit it," Gonzalez said. "I'm not sure what happened, but it's just one of those things."
MacIntyre said he never considered sending one of his other kickers out in overtime.
"He doesn't let anything really bother him," MacIntyre said. "We knew he'd get it."
Gonzalez entered the game 4-for-4 on field goal tries and added a fifth straight before having one blocked in the first half.
"Kicking a game winner is an amazing feeling," Gonzalez said. "When they told me they'd give me a second chance, I told them I'd hit it. I couldn't miss that one."
Because it's too good not to keep watching, here's Diego Gonzalez's game-winner! #GoBuffs https://t.co/v3ktXKvtqc
— Colorado Buffaloes (@cubuffs) September 20, 2015
#VamosBufalos pic.twitter.com/HWInqbYZMa
— Colorado Football (@RunRalphieRun) September 20, 2015
