Mccaffrey’s 1st season with Bears doomed by “missed opportunites”

OGDEN, UTAH» If the University of Northern Colorado football season was described by one phrase, it would share the definition of its finale: “missed opportunities.”

UNC (3-8, 2-6 Big Sky) ended its year with a 48-17 loss at Weber State (6-5, 5-3 Big Sky) on Saturday, despite the game featuring several big plays.

“We have a really young team. I think we’re on the right trajectory,” Northern Colorado coach Ed Mccaffrey said. “We won more games than last time the team took the field, but this was our first season. We have a lot of young talented players that have never had a whole offseason together, and we’re about to have one. We need to have a really, really good winter with our conditioning, have a great spring, great summer. I think we’re gonna come back ready to go.”

Freshman quarterback Alec Lewis, who replaced graduate quarterback Dylan Mccaffrey after an injury, was responsible for a 29-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Kassidy Woods midway through the second quarter.

Lewis also threw an impressive, albeit somewhat lucky, 63-yard throw to graduate receiver Dylan Thomas for a touchdown after the ball bounced out of Woods’ hands.

“It just felt good to come out and — all the effort that you put in is paying off, you know,” Thomas said. “I got a touchdown off a pass that wasn’t even to me. It was just a blessing. It was a blessing that I’ll always be thankful for.”

On the defensive side, the Bears recorded one interception, three pass breakups and several threeand-outs.

The special teams squad provided points through field goals and gave the team decent field position with eight returns on punts and kickoffs.

Unfortunately, Weber State’s defense lit up in the second half and capitalized on the Bears’ mistakes. The Wildcats scored three touchdowns off of UNC interceptions, killing any momentum the offense had made.