Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Reconvene, Begin Alamo Bowl Preparations
December 09, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre spent some time on the road recruiting this week, made a quick stop in San Antonio on Wednesday for a press conference, flew to Atlanta on Thursday to accept the Home Depot Coach of the Year award, then caught an early morning flight home on Friday in time to meet with his team.
It's been a busy week — and he's loving every minute of it.
"It's a lot better than the other way, I'll tell you that," MacIntyre said after the Buffs wrapped up their first bowl practice Friday morning. "I'd rather have these type of time-management deals to accomplish. It's exciting seeing all the things going on for our players."
The Buffs, No. 10 in the CFP rankings, reconvened Friday morning after a week off to begin preparations for their Dec. 29 Valero Alamo Bowl meeting with No. 12 Oklahoma State. They will practice again Saturday and Sunday, then take four days off for final exams before returning to practice on Dec. 16.
It's a schedule none of the current players have had to deal with before, but one to which they will gladly adapt in order to have the chance to play in CU's first bowl game since 2007.
"I've told all these guys, 'You have to compartmentalize,'" MacIntyre said. "They have to really understand that and take care of that. I think they will. We won't keep them out here too long and wear them out. We'll keep them fresh. They're excited. They've seen Oklahoma State a little bit and they realize how good they are, so that motivates them a lot, too."
It's not just the coaching staff and players who are adjusting to bowl procedure. CU officials are also re-acquainting themselves with all the little details that accompany playing in the postseason. Operations staff from throughout the athletic department were in San Antonio earlier in the week to familiarize themselves with accommodations, practice sites and other particulars for the game.
The team is scheduled to leave for San Antonio on Christmas Eve.
The extra practices are clearly a bonus. Friday morning, the Buffs took the opportunity to run the "travel squad" through a normal practice, then have a quick separate session for non-travel and redshirt players.
"We'll keep doing that every day," MacIntyre said. "Like I was telling them, this is your time. We're going to coach you, we're evaluating you, we're pushing you, we're working you — we're getting you ready to play fall of 2017."
SALAAM SERVICE: Funeral services for Buffs great and 1994 Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam were held Friday morning at the Islamic Center of Boulder, followed by burial at Mountain View Memorial Park.
More than 30 of Salaam's former teammates and approximately 75 former CU players from all eras attended the service.
"I saw Rashaan's family this morning here and gave my condolences," MacIntyre said. "I got to know Rashaan the last four years. I just loved his smile. He always had that great smile. The thing I also loved was he was very humble. Like his parents said, some of his greatest days of his life were here and he enjoyed them. He did a lot for Buff nation and Colorado football."
At Thursday night's awards ceremony in Atlanta, CU alum and ESPN analyst Chris Fowler delivered a stirring tribute to Salaam.
"I thought Chris did an excellent job last night at the event," MacIntyre said. "Chris was really touched by it because his first Heisman Trophy (ceremony as host) ever was to give it to Rashaan Salaam."
Salaam's mother, Khalada Salaam, said she chose to have her son buried in Boulder because the best times of his life came during his time at CU.
AWARD CEREMONY: MacIntyre called Thursday night's Home Depot Awards ceremony at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta a "unique experience."
"It was a great honor to be up there representing this football team, the guys that have been on this team before and the University of Colorado," MacIntyre said. "It was really neat to see everybody come up and talk to you and saying they're glad Colorado is back. That gave me a lot of fulfillment and joy knowing all the people I know here and all the faithful and how they need to relish in all that. I got presented the award, but it's really these players and these coaches and all the people involved that touch our program who should be very proud that a lot of people in the country are excited that Colorado is kind of back in the college limelight where it should be."
LIUFAU HEALTHY: MacIntyre said senior quarterback Sefo Liufau, who missed most of the first half of the Pac-12 Championship game because of an ankle injury, is healthy.
"He did good out there today," MacIntyre said. "He moved around, did everything. He wasn't 100 percent, but we didn't have to take him out or do anything, he just went. This time off and not having to do anything for the last five or six days but go get treatment and go to class really helped him get better."
BOWL ACTIVITIES: The Buffs' time in San Antonio won't be all work and no play. The players and coaches will have the opportunity to attend the San Antonio Spurs-Chicago Bulls game on Christmas Day and will also pay a visit to SeaWorld for the Dec. 26 Alamo Bowl Media Day.
Press conferences are scheduled for Dec. 26, 27 and 28; and a pep rally is scheduled for Dec. 27 at the Arneson River Theatre. High school bands and each school's cheerleaders will attend and team captains from both teams are scheduled to speak.
RECRUITING WEEKEND: One minor downside to playing in the Pac-12 title game was a missed weekend of recruiting.
But, as MacIntyre noted, "If we can play in the Pac-12 Championship game every year, that recruits for itself. They understand that."
The Buffs will be hosting a number of recruits this weekend in Boulder.
"We have recruits coming in as we speak," MacIntyre said. "They'll be at practice, which is good. It's good to have recruits around at bowl practice and see all that. It's a very good thing."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
