Woelk: 2018 Buffaloes Ready To Forge Their Own Identity

BOULDER — They have been, for the most part, tight-lipped about their goals. They have quietly gone to work every day, completing what may have been overall one of the most productive fall camps in the Mike MacIntyre era at Colorado.

If there is an identity so far to these 2018 Colorado Buffaloes, it is one of a blue-collar bunch not prone to outlandish pronouncements or public statements of far-flung goals.

What that will produce is yet to be seen. But what we already know is that the just-completed fall camp was a workmanlike effort, one that had precious few "wasted" days. There were no moments when MacIntyre or his coaching staff had to hit the rewind button and start over, no days when players simply went through the motions. They hit the practice field and made steady if not spectacular progress on a daily basis.

Not that this team is without individual personalities or character. It is a bunch that runs the gamut, from the outgoing exuberance of quarterback Steven Montez to the quiet stoicism of linebacker Rick Gamboa, from the youthful enthusiasm of youngsters such as K.D. Nixon and Nate Landman to the level-headed, even-keel approach of veterans such as Evan Worthington, Juwann Winfree and Aaron Haigler.

But overall, it is a group that has put team ahead of individual, a characteristic not built overnight — and a characteristic not inherent in every squad.

Now, they are ready for the first test, one that comes Friday night on the big stage when they meet rival Colorado State in CU's 7:30 p.m. season opener at Broncos Stadium at Mile High.

The tendency has been for fans and media to ask for comparisons to the 2016 Buffs, the group that ended a decade of losing with a Pac-12 South title, a top-20 ranking and an Alamo Bowl berth.

It is a natural urge. CU fans want Colorado to be that program again.

But these are not the 2016 Buffs. This is a team that has the opportunity to forge its own identity and carve out its own niche in CU annals. It is a team that has spent the last nine months hearing that 2017 was a letdown, that they could not sustain the success of the prior year — and a team determined to write a different ending this year.

That is what has prompted them to keep their heads down, the mouths shut and their helmets to the grindstone. It is why one of their unofficial mantras has been, "Nothing to say … a lot to prove."

It is an attitude that has brought them together and created a chemistry that should serve them well.

"I think they are kind of bonding on everybody calling them a failure last year, and hearing, 'You let it down, and you didn't keep it going,'" MacIntyre said at his weekly press conference. "That is what they have heard out there with people saying different things. They have two chips on their shoulders, and have decided to shut their mouths and work at it, and let the results on the field stand for it. Hopefully they will get the results that they have worked hard to achieve."

What has been interesting to watch with this year's team is the evolution of the leadership — a process that is by no means complete.

There is no one firebrand, no one field general, no singular player to whom these Buffs turn for direction, guidance and inspiration.

Rather, it has been a collective effort. The Buffs elected seven team captains this year, chosen because of their work ethic, their on- and off-the-field demeanor and their commitment to the program.

Those captains no doubt exert their influence on their teammates. But even beyond their efforts has been a group accountability, an overall team temperament that has built a steadfast chemistry hopefully strong enough to withstand adversity.

Of course, as of today that means absolutely nothing. The Buffs have yet to play a game, let alone face anything resembling the adversity that every regular season presents at different junctures.

But so far, CU's coaches like what they have seen. It is a team with potential.

"Nothing is guaranteed," MacIntyre said. "There is hard work, which gives you the opportunity, then you have to go and do it under pressure. That is a whole other step, and hopefully we will make that step."

The Buffs have put in the hard work and they know there is plenty more to come.

But the chance for that first step — the first chance to begin carving out the 2018 Buffaloes' identity — comes Friday when the lights go on at Mile High.

Then we will get our first glimpse of what kind of identity these Buffs want to establish for themselves.

Contact: Neill.Woell@Colorado.edu