Colorado University Athletics
The Team Behind the Team: Inside Colorado’s Equipment Operation
April 23, 2026 | Football
BOULDER — Long before the Buffaloes take the field, before the lights come on at Folsom Field, and long after the final whistle, Colorado's equipment staff is already at work.
They are the unseen foundation of the program. Every helmet, every jersey, every detail handled.
When asked what one word defines the group, the answers reflected everything behind the scenes.
"Efficient."
"Resilient."
"Grind."
Four voices. One operation.
For Colorado's equipment staff, that identity is not just talk. It is the standard, and it is the foundation of a culture being built behind the scenes.
At the center is Michael Smith, affectionately known as Smitty the Associate Athletic Director for Sports Equipment Services , whose career spans from Boulder to the highest levels of global sport with Nike and across the NBA.
Now back at Colorado, his role is simple in theory, demanding in execution. Deliver.
Working under Head Coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders, Smith and his staff are tasked with turning vision into reality every single day while building a culture rooted in trust, consistency, and accountability.
"Coach Prime's vision is really broad but really clear," Smith said. "He communicates what he wants at a high level, and from there it is on us. It is elbow grease, time, energy, pulling all the details together and making sure when we show up, the waters look calm."
That calm is intentional.
Because underneath it is constant movement, planning, and anticipation. Smith's operation is built on thinking ahead, not just reacting, but predicting what is next before it happens. Practices are scripted, but fluid. Game days are controlled, but unpredictable.
"The goal is that everything looks orchestrated," Smith said. "Even if there is turbulence underneath, that is what we are paid to manage and make disappear."
Each day begins long before players arrive.
Practice fields are built. Equipment is staged. Helmets are prepped down to the smallest detail, even the angle of a decal.
"It is the minor details," assistant equipment manager Luke Westall said. "Something as small as the angle of a Ralphie logo, if it is not right, you will see it on camera."
Westall, who came through the United States Air Force Academy, brings structure to the chaos. Managing large rosters and multiple sports early in his career forced him to develop systems that keep everything aligned, from inventory tracking to daily practice setup.
Beyond the systems, it is about trust and culture.
"I would say by delivering," Westall said. "Any chance we get to go the extra mile and take care of players and coaches, that is how you build trust."
That trust becomes the backbone of the culture they are building internally, one that mirrors the expectations of the program.
"All the work we put in throughout the week, even months, shows up that day," he said. "That is our time to shine behind the scenes."
For Marquas Wallace, preparation is everything.
His path to Colorado began at Jackson State University, where he first learned the fundamentals of equipment operations, organization, professionalism, and how to operate in high demand environments. That foundation carried him to the Chicago Bears, where the standard shifted to a more business driven approach.
"Jackson State set the tone for me," Wallace said. "It taught me how to operate and how to be a professional. The NFL taught me the business side. I am thankful for the leadership there, including JSU's Athletics Director Ashley Robinson, Deputy Athletics Director Hakeem McClellan, Senior Woman Administrator Alyse Wells Kilbert and Dr. Derek Scott, who all played a major role in my development."
Now at Colorado, he blends both experiences into his daily role, which centers on preparation, communication, and adaptability while contributing to a culture that demands accountability and consistency.
Game day responsibilities stretch across the entire operation, from field setup to locker room organization to ensuring every football is prepped to a quarterback's exact preference.
"Making sure everything is covered when it needs to be covered," Wallace said.
But the job is rarely predictable.
"You just have to adjust," he said. "Things are going to happen that you do not expect, so you have to be ready for it."
That mindset, constant readiness, defines his approach and reinforces the culture being built across the staff.
For Mara Alfrey, the journey is a reflection of growth and opportunity.
She arrived at Colorado with no background in equipment, learning the role from the ground up as a student manager before earning a full time position. Now, she plays a key role across multiple programs, balancing football with responsibilities in tennis and other sports.
"I knew nothing when I started," Alfrey said. "The people here taught me everything that I know now."
Her day is built on movement and time management, shifting from football practice support in the morning to other sports in the afternoon, all while maintaining the same level of detail and contributing to the overall culture of the group.
"It is about making sure everything gets done and knowing how to manage your time," she said.
That includes everything from helmet preparation and uniform organization to ensuring each athlete has exactly what they need.
"Every player has a preference," Alfrey said. "Sleeves, facemasks, decals, everything they wear comes from us."
What keeps her going is simple.
"Seeing the players out there performing and knowing we helped make that happen," she said.
Relationships are at the core of the work.
Beyond the equipment and logistics, the staff is around players every day in some of the most routine and unguarded moments. That access builds a different kind of connection, one rooted in trust, consistency, and presence.
"I would say by delivering," Westall said. "Any chance we get to go the extra mile and take care of players and coaches, that is how you build trust."
For Wallace, it starts with understanding.
"Communicating with them, letting them know who you are and understanding who they are," he said. "It is about building real relationships."
Those relationships are not built in one moment. They are built over time, through daily consistency and showing up the same way every day.
For Alfrey, it is seeing the impact.
"Seeing the players out there performing and knowing we helped make that happen," she said.
And for Smith, those connections extend well beyond the field.
"The relationships are what I am most proud of," he said.
That shared purpose connects the entire group.
"We rely on each other like a team," Westall said. "Everyone has their strengths, and we fill in where needed."
Communication is constant. Adjustments are expected. And the goal is always the same, eliminate distractions.
That communication starts early and never really stops. From pre-practice walkthroughs to last minute game day checks, the equipment staff is in continuous dialogue with coaches, players, athletic trainers, and support staff. Every detail is confirmed, every request is tracked, and every change is addressed in real time.
It is not just talking. It is anticipation.
If a drill is about to shift, they are already moving equipment into place. If weather changes, they are adjusting gear before players even ask. If a player has a preference, it is remembered, prepared, and ready before it becomes a question.
Adjustments are part of the job.
Practice scripts can change on the fly. Travel timelines shift. Equipment breaks. Nothing stays static for long. That is where preparation meets instinct. The staff leans on repetition, experience, and communication to respond quickly without disrupting the flow.
"Everything is about being ready for what is next," Smith said.
Because the ultimate objective is simple. Remove anything that could take a player or coach out of their focus.
No missing gear. No delays. No uncertainty.
Fans would never realize the level of detail and time that goes into everything they see on game day. From the way a football is prepared to match a quarterback's exact feel, to making sure more than 100 players and over 75 staff members have every piece of gear exactly how they
want it, every detail is intentional. What looks simple from the stands is actually hours of preparation, organization, and coordination behind the scenes.
"The amount of time and process it takes to make everything seamless is something people would not believe," Smith said.
That preparation shows up in the smallest details.
"It's the minor things people overlook," Westall said. "Even something like the angle of a decal on a helmet, if it's not right, you will see it."
And on game day, those details expand across the entire operation.
"Making sure everything is covered when it needs to be covered," Wallace said. "From the field to the locker room to the balls, everything has to be ready."
Even down to a shoelace, a decal, or how a locker is set, it is all planned so that when game day comes, players and coaches never have to think about anything except performing.
When players step on the field, their only job is to perform. The equipment staff has already handled everything else.
The work is relentless.
Managing more than 100 players and dozens of staff members and support staff, preparing for travel, and handling equipment for every possible scenario requires a level of organization most never see.
"The time and process it takes to make everything seamless is something people would not believe," Smith said.
But for this group, that is the expectation and the standard that drives their culture every day.
It is why the phrase "team behind the team" carries weight.
"That is a badge of honor," Smith said. "It identifies us as a cohesive group working toward a common goal and as an important part of something bigger."
For those inside the room, it is more than a label. It is a responsibility.
"We are the team behind the team," Wallace said. "We make sure everyone has what they need for practice, game day and travel. If the truck is not packed, nothing moves."
It is also built on trust and collaboration.
"We have to communicate and rely on each other just like any team," Westall said. "Everyone has their role and we plug in where we can to help each other."
And for Alfrey, it comes down to execution.
"If we do not communicate and work together, we are not giving our best to the team," she said.
Together, those perspectives define the group.
Not just behind the team.
A part of it.
Four voices. One standard. One culture.
Because when Colorado takes the field, everything is already in place.
Exactly how they planned it.
Fans can catch the work of the equipment staff and the Buffaloes as they open the 2026 season in Atlanta against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Thursday, Sept. 3. Colorado Athletics has also unveiled its themes for the 2026 season, with two game mini plans and season tickets now on sale. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the football ticket page.
They are the unseen foundation of the program. Every helmet, every jersey, every detail handled.
When asked what one word defines the group, the answers reflected everything behind the scenes.
"Efficient."
"Resilient."
"Grind."
Four voices. One operation.
For Colorado's equipment staff, that identity is not just talk. It is the standard, and it is the foundation of a culture being built behind the scenes.
At the center is Michael Smith, affectionately known as Smitty the Associate Athletic Director for Sports Equipment Services , whose career spans from Boulder to the highest levels of global sport with Nike and across the NBA.
Now back at Colorado, his role is simple in theory, demanding in execution. Deliver.
Working under Head Coach Deion "Coach Prime" Sanders, Smith and his staff are tasked with turning vision into reality every single day while building a culture rooted in trust, consistency, and accountability.
"Coach Prime's vision is really broad but really clear," Smith said. "He communicates what he wants at a high level, and from there it is on us. It is elbow grease, time, energy, pulling all the details together and making sure when we show up, the waters look calm."
That calm is intentional.
Because underneath it is constant movement, planning, and anticipation. Smith's operation is built on thinking ahead, not just reacting, but predicting what is next before it happens. Practices are scripted, but fluid. Game days are controlled, but unpredictable.
"The goal is that everything looks orchestrated," Smith said. "Even if there is turbulence underneath, that is what we are paid to manage and make disappear."
Each day begins long before players arrive.
Practice fields are built. Equipment is staged. Helmets are prepped down to the smallest detail, even the angle of a decal.
"It is the minor details," assistant equipment manager Luke Westall said. "Something as small as the angle of a Ralphie logo, if it is not right, you will see it on camera."
Westall, who came through the United States Air Force Academy, brings structure to the chaos. Managing large rosters and multiple sports early in his career forced him to develop systems that keep everything aligned, from inventory tracking to daily practice setup.
Beyond the systems, it is about trust and culture.
"I would say by delivering," Westall said. "Any chance we get to go the extra mile and take care of players and coaches, that is how you build trust."
That trust becomes the backbone of the culture they are building internally, one that mirrors the expectations of the program.
"All the work we put in throughout the week, even months, shows up that day," he said. "That is our time to shine behind the scenes."
For Marquas Wallace, preparation is everything.
His path to Colorado began at Jackson State University, where he first learned the fundamentals of equipment operations, organization, professionalism, and how to operate in high demand environments. That foundation carried him to the Chicago Bears, where the standard shifted to a more business driven approach.
"Jackson State set the tone for me," Wallace said. "It taught me how to operate and how to be a professional. The NFL taught me the business side. I am thankful for the leadership there, including JSU's Athletics Director Ashley Robinson, Deputy Athletics Director Hakeem McClellan, Senior Woman Administrator Alyse Wells Kilbert and Dr. Derek Scott, who all played a major role in my development."
Now at Colorado, he blends both experiences into his daily role, which centers on preparation, communication, and adaptability while contributing to a culture that demands accountability and consistency.
Game day responsibilities stretch across the entire operation, from field setup to locker room organization to ensuring every football is prepped to a quarterback's exact preference.
"Making sure everything is covered when it needs to be covered," Wallace said.
But the job is rarely predictable.
"You just have to adjust," he said. "Things are going to happen that you do not expect, so you have to be ready for it."
That mindset, constant readiness, defines his approach and reinforces the culture being built across the staff.
For Mara Alfrey, the journey is a reflection of growth and opportunity.
She arrived at Colorado with no background in equipment, learning the role from the ground up as a student manager before earning a full time position. Now, she plays a key role across multiple programs, balancing football with responsibilities in tennis and other sports.
"I knew nothing when I started," Alfrey said. "The people here taught me everything that I know now."
Her day is built on movement and time management, shifting from football practice support in the morning to other sports in the afternoon, all while maintaining the same level of detail and contributing to the overall culture of the group.
"It is about making sure everything gets done and knowing how to manage your time," she said.
That includes everything from helmet preparation and uniform organization to ensuring each athlete has exactly what they need.
"Every player has a preference," Alfrey said. "Sleeves, facemasks, decals, everything they wear comes from us."
What keeps her going is simple.
"Seeing the players out there performing and knowing we helped make that happen," she said.
Relationships are at the core of the work.
Beyond the equipment and logistics, the staff is around players every day in some of the most routine and unguarded moments. That access builds a different kind of connection, one rooted in trust, consistency, and presence.
"I would say by delivering," Westall said. "Any chance we get to go the extra mile and take care of players and coaches, that is how you build trust."
For Wallace, it starts with understanding.
"Communicating with them, letting them know who you are and understanding who they are," he said. "It is about building real relationships."
Those relationships are not built in one moment. They are built over time, through daily consistency and showing up the same way every day.
For Alfrey, it is seeing the impact.
"Seeing the players out there performing and knowing we helped make that happen," she said.
And for Smith, those connections extend well beyond the field.
"The relationships are what I am most proud of," he said.
That shared purpose connects the entire group.
"We rely on each other like a team," Westall said. "Everyone has their strengths, and we fill in where needed."
Communication is constant. Adjustments are expected. And the goal is always the same, eliminate distractions.
That communication starts early and never really stops. From pre-practice walkthroughs to last minute game day checks, the equipment staff is in continuous dialogue with coaches, players, athletic trainers, and support staff. Every detail is confirmed, every request is tracked, and every change is addressed in real time.
It is not just talking. It is anticipation.
If a drill is about to shift, they are already moving equipment into place. If weather changes, they are adjusting gear before players even ask. If a player has a preference, it is remembered, prepared, and ready before it becomes a question.
Adjustments are part of the job.
Practice scripts can change on the fly. Travel timelines shift. Equipment breaks. Nothing stays static for long. That is where preparation meets instinct. The staff leans on repetition, experience, and communication to respond quickly without disrupting the flow.
"Everything is about being ready for what is next," Smith said.
Because the ultimate objective is simple. Remove anything that could take a player or coach out of their focus.
No missing gear. No delays. No uncertainty.
Fans would never realize the level of detail and time that goes into everything they see on game day. From the way a football is prepared to match a quarterback's exact feel, to making sure more than 100 players and over 75 staff members have every piece of gear exactly how they
want it, every detail is intentional. What looks simple from the stands is actually hours of preparation, organization, and coordination behind the scenes.
"The amount of time and process it takes to make everything seamless is something people would not believe," Smith said.
That preparation shows up in the smallest details.
"It's the minor things people overlook," Westall said. "Even something like the angle of a decal on a helmet, if it's not right, you will see it."
And on game day, those details expand across the entire operation.
"Making sure everything is covered when it needs to be covered," Wallace said. "From the field to the locker room to the balls, everything has to be ready."
Even down to a shoelace, a decal, or how a locker is set, it is all planned so that when game day comes, players and coaches never have to think about anything except performing.
When players step on the field, their only job is to perform. The equipment staff has already handled everything else.
The work is relentless.
Managing more than 100 players and dozens of staff members and support staff, preparing for travel, and handling equipment for every possible scenario requires a level of organization most never see.
"The time and process it takes to make everything seamless is something people would not believe," Smith said.
But for this group, that is the expectation and the standard that drives their culture every day.
It is why the phrase "team behind the team" carries weight.
"That is a badge of honor," Smith said. "It identifies us as a cohesive group working toward a common goal and as an important part of something bigger."
For those inside the room, it is more than a label. It is a responsibility.
"We are the team behind the team," Wallace said. "We make sure everyone has what they need for practice, game day and travel. If the truck is not packed, nothing moves."
It is also built on trust and collaboration.
"We have to communicate and rely on each other just like any team," Westall said. "Everyone has their role and we plug in where we can to help each other."
And for Alfrey, it comes down to execution.
"If we do not communicate and work together, we are not giving our best to the team," she said.
Together, those perspectives define the group.
Not just behind the team.
A part of it.
Four voices. One standard. One culture.
Because when Colorado takes the field, everything is already in place.
Exactly how they planned it.
Fans can catch the work of the equipment staff and the Buffaloes as they open the 2026 season in Atlanta against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Thursday, Sept. 3. Colorado Athletics has also unveiled its themes for the 2026 season, with two game mini plans and season tickets now on sale. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit the football ticket page.
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