Who Wants to Play for a Losing Team?

[Lobo]

The University of Northern Colorado finished the 2023 season at the bottom of the Big Sky Conference. They ranked near the bottom of all 128 FCS level teams. One poll shows UNC at 124 and the other at 110. They‘re way below Utah Tech (formerly Dixie State) who left the RMAC as well as Lone Star Conference teams that went FCS not that long ago. UNC hasn’t won many games since they went FCS.

The Bears are so bad that they don’t even schedule RMAC teams anymore as part of their OOC warmup schedule.

There have been some changes in Greeley however. That may account for the reason the Bears out-recruited teams from the RMAC this past recruiting cycle.

Former Denver Broncos player Ed McCaffrey is no longer head coach. According to his detractors he took the program in the wrong direction and didn’t develop a winning program. Many didn’t like his coaching style and the assistants he brought in, including his son.

Ed Lamb was named HC after the 2022 season. Lamb is trying to change the culture at UNC and pushes and disciplines his players in a manner different than McCaffrey. Numerous players who don’t care for Lamb’s disciplinary measures have entered the transfer portal while others have been encouraged to go there. Like most coaches, Lamb wants only those players willing to “buy in” (the old cliché) into what he’s promoting.

Lamb finished 0 – 11 past season. And even though the Bears won zero games, Lamb believes UNC was more competitive than in years past.

RMAC teams will no longer have their pick of the litter when it comes to Colorado prospects. This past week lamb announced that 18 of the 22 recruits he signed are from Colorado.

"I am pleased with this class and excited for what the future holds for UNC football," said Lamb. "We have made recruiting the State of Colorado a point of emphasis, and we've doubled down on that. I firmly believe that we can win and build our program with high school student-athletes from Colorado."

Is it possible to win a championship at the FCS level with mostly recruits Colorado?

And another thing, why would any kid want to play at a losing program like the one in Greeley?

Am I being a little to harsh on the Bad News Bears? A little help here . . .

[Gorilla John 92]

No you're not. UNC never should have left DII to begin with. The other heavy hitters in the North Central Conference did but they had the state support. UNC was never going to get that support and it shows. For sure Augie and Mankato were in that league along with maybe Duluth. They all stayed in DII and have done well. The other school was Morningside and they are now NAIA and are competitive.

[Runnin' Cat]

I think UNC might be on an upward path. I saw them play Idaho this past year, and they were competitive. Much more than they were the previous year against MSU. UM and MSU recruit the west coast, but both schools have more than 40% of their roster from Montana. UNC can do that with Colorado.

It is a long path, but I think they could get to being a winning side and a playoff berth.

[twolfbenchwarmer]

Is it possible to win a championship at the FCS level with mostly recruits Colorado?
No, there’s Not that much talent in the state that you’ll be able to lure away from the FBS schools. There’s about 25-30 D1 players in Colorado every year and you’re automatically going to lose out on the half with FBS size/talent and another sizable chunk who would rather hold out for the FBS offer or go JUCO. So best case you’re looking at 10 in state prospects and offering talent that won’t compete at the FCS level with the rest.

why would any kid want to play at a losing program like the one in Greeley?
A lot of kids/parents have a D1 or bust mindset, but other than that the coaches will need to be great salesmen. I have the conversation almost every year with recruits about what’s truly important to them and why are they choosing to continue playing. I’ve heard a ton of answers and the most common are paying for college, and to play football as long as possible. If the cost of college is less at UNC than say CSUP/Western/Mesa it makes sense to consider it. If you’re looking to play the D2 school usually gives you a better chance and if the NFL is your dream they’ll find you if they think you can play.

Am I being a little to harsh on the Bad News Bears? No, they deserve every bit of criticism for how atrocious they’ve been since moving up and the way they look down on the RMAC (at least from previous staffs).

[Predatory Primates]

They were so good during their 3 or 4 year D2 run. I was shocked at how bad they were and still are in fcs.

[sportsvine]

The University of Northern Colorado finished the 2023 season at the bottom of the Big Sky Conference. They ranked near the bottom of all 128 FCS level teams. One poll shows UNC at 124 and the other at 110. They‘re way below Utah Tech (formerly Dixie State) who left the RMAC as well as Lone Star Conference teams that went FCS not that long ago. UNC hasn’t won many games since they went FCS.

The Bears are so bad that they don’t even schedule RMAC teams anymore as part of their OOC warmup schedule.

There have been some changes in Greeley however. That may account for the reason the Bears out-recruited teams from the RMAC this past recruiting cycle.

Former Denver Broncos player Ed McCaffrey is no longer head coach. According to his detractors he took the program in the wrong direction and didn’t develop a winning program. Many didn’t like his coaching style and the assistants he brought in, including his son.

Ed Lamb was named HC after the 2022 season. Lamb is trying to change the culture at UNC and pushes and disciplines his players in a manner different than McCaffrey. Numerous players who don’t care for Lamb’s disciplinary measures have entered the transfer portal while others have been encouraged to go there. Like most coaches, Lamb wants only those players willing to “buy in” (the old cliché) into what he’s promoting.

Lamb finished 0 – 11 past season. And even though the Bears won zero games, Lamb believes UNC was more competitive than in years past.

RMAC teams will no longer have their pick of the litter when it comes to Colorado prospects. This past week lamb announced that 18 of the 22 recruits he signed are from Colorado.

"I am pleased with this class and excited for what the future holds for UNC football," said Lamb. "We have made recruiting the State of Colorado a point of emphasis, and we've doubled down on that. I firmly believe that we can win and build our program with high school student-athletes from Colorado."

Is it possible to win a championship at the FCS level with mostly recruits Colorado?

And another thing, why would any kid want to play at a losing program like the one in Greeley?

Am I being a little to harsh on the Bad News Bears? A little help here . . .

I saw a report (maybe a year old) that Colorado was dreadful for high school football talent. If 18/22 players UNC recruited are Colorado products I am not sure this bodes well for UNC.

[sportsvine]

No you're not. UNC never should have left DII to begin with. The other heavy hitters in the North Central Conference did but they had the state support. UNC was never going to get that support and it shows. For sure Augie and Mankato were in that league along with maybe Duluth. They all stayed in DII and have done well. The other school was Morningside and they are now NAIA and are competitive.

I tend to agree. A comparable RMAC program to UNC is Colorado Mesa. Similar sized school (enrollment) and similar sized host city. Colorado Mesa has been a perennially middle-tier RMAC football program, I am not sure UNC would be any different if they had been an RMAC team.

[Predatory Primates]

I tend to agree. A comparable RMAC program to UNC is Colorado Mesa. Similar sized school (enrollment) and similar sized host city. Colorado Mesa has been a perennially middle-tier RMAC football program, I am not sure UNC would be any different if they had been an RMAC team.

They fully funded and paid decent for coaches back when they were D2. They had a 3 year run where they were as good as just about anyone in the nation.

I always wondered if they went all in on basketball trying to get tournament money, or are all of their programs terrible now that they're d1ish?

[Brandon]

They fully funded and paid decent for coaches back when they were D2. They had a 3 year run where they were as good as just about anyone in the nation.

I always wondered if they went all in on basketball trying to get tournament money, or are all of their programs terrible now that they're d1ish?

They became a "basketball school" out of necessity. They should never have reclassified. They were either mistaken or deceptive when attempting to do so.

[northwest missouri state]

4th in the pecking order in a state that doesn't care about collegiate sports not sponsored by the x-games what could go wrong.

[crixus]

Northern Colorado football has been downtrodden ever since they joined the Big Sky Conference in 2006. They've only had two winning seasons overall (both 6-5) in 2015 and 2016. But one of those was 3-5 in conference play and the other was 4-4. *They haven't had any winning conference seasons in 18 years of Big Sky play.

https://uncbears.com/sports/football/schedule/2016

[vikingfaithful]

They fully funded and paid decent for coaches back when they were D2. They had a 3 year run where they were as good as just about anyone in the nation.

I always wondered if they went all in on basketball trying to get tournament money, or are all of their programs terrible now that they're d1ish?

Certainly remember when UNC was a D2, NCC powerhouse, winning 2 NC. Their roster was almost all Colorado kids and had several UC Boulder transfers. They were the 1st NCC team to bolt for D1. The rest of the conference followed and left D2, except Augustana, MN Duluth, MN Mankato and MN St Cloud all joining the NSIC.

[Predatory Primates]

Certainly remember when UNC was a D2, NCC powerhouse, winning 2 NC. Their roster was almost all Colorado kids and had several UC Boulder transfers. They were the 1st NCC team to bolt for D1. The rest of the conference followed and left D2, except Augustana, MN Duluth, MN Mankato and MN St Cloud all joining the NSIC.

I mainly remember them knocking Pitt out of the playoffs 3 times in 4 years, or something like that.

[Brandon]

I mainly remember them knocking Pitt out of the playoffs 3 times in 4 years, or something like that.

1996
1997
1999

I think that was right.

That old Midwest region with the MIAA and the NCC was tough.

[gr8ness97]

After seeing their campus and football stadium on Christmas day------Yeah, they should have never left. I got to see Northern Arizona on the same trip, and it was just a much different experience. I've seen Montana and Montana State too. UNC is just not in that class of schools. Its giving MEAC vibes in a world thats well above that level