Buffs staying focused despite uncertainty
Contrary to popular belief, junior defensive back Chris Miller and the rest of the Colorado football team don’t have any inside information on the status of the Buffaloes’ 2020 season.
“We’re just keeping our head down and we’re going to work like Sept. 5 we will be playing,” he said. “That’s all I can say and do, and just hope that happens.”
With the status of the college football season up in the air following the Pac-12’s announcement that its schools will play a conference-only schedule and postpone the start of mandatory team activities, the Buffs are just trying to stay positive.
“At this point, it’s really just funny seeing like, ‘Oh we’re gonna have a season, we’re not gonna have a season,’” junior running back Alex Fontenot said. “It’s always back and forth. We really don’t take anything too serious until we get an actual confirmation on things”
Part of the return to normal includes a consistent workout schedule, albeit with smaller, socially distant groups. Fontenot said he and the skill players run every day and lift weights three times a week. Colorado’s competitive atmosphere also continued with players comparing speed scores until the team stopped posting them.
Miller misses Texas return. In a perfect, coronavirus-free world, Colorado would have played its full schedule, including nonconference games against Colorado State, Fresno State and Texas A&M. And in that world, Miller would have insisted on a detour in the Lone Star State.
“I wanted to go back and play a game in Texas and get some Whataburger on the way home,” he said.
The Denton, Texas, native said he understands why the games were canceled, but still wishes they could have played the entire schedule. Losing the matchup in his home state, where Miller said he was expecting to have friends and family in attendance, was also tough for the junior, but he will be happy to play whenever Colorado gets on the field.
“I was looking forward to playing all of them,” he said. “I’m really excited for every game. I just want to lock in every game and play my best and show the world that I can play. Any game, any opportunity to play I’m ready for.”