CU football coach Mike MacIntyre: "It wasn't too long ago when Colorado was one of the top 15 programs in the country year in and year out. We need to get back there." (Denver Post file)
CULVER CITY, Calif. ? The ink was barely dried on the media preseason Pac-12 poll Friday when new Colorado coach Mike MacIntyre told a packed room full of media that he remains optimistic.
"The future is bright," MacIntyre said at the Pac-12 football media day. "No matter what you hear out there. Our future's going to be bright."
The media didn't buy it. It picked Colorado last in the South Division. On a 6-5-4-3-2-1 points system, Colorado received only 27 points from the 25 voters. That means only two voters picked it out of last place.
One of the reasons for MacIntyre's optimism is the return of receiver Paul Richardson, the Buffs most dangerous threat in 2011 who missed last season with a torn knee. Without Richardson, Colorado finished 1-11.
"It was definitely a humbling experience not being able to help my teammates," Richardson said. "You can't help but wonder what I could be doing to be helping them. So in the offseason I just took time to gain weight and get healthy so I could help this offseason going into fall camp."
MacIntyre said of all the players he first met when he took the job, Richardson may have impressed him the most.
"Paul was relentless in getting well," MacIntyre said. "He was relentless to push back and get going. Last year he pushed himself so hard in the middle of the season he might've come back.
"At spring practice, he didn't want to be out of anything. We made him put on a gold shirt on him first. He didn't want that on. He took it off one day in practice and went by himself. (He has) effort and determination and the players on the team saw that. They know how good a player he is but they also know how hard he worked to get back."
MacIntyre intrigues the Pac-12 media. The Bay Area media saw him take San Jose State from one win to a school-record 10 in two years.
"Change is tough sometimes," he said. "You'll have some kids committed and some kids stay reluctant. We have to get them all going in the right direction.
"The similarities are that both programs had great history, great times. It wasn't too long ago when Colorado was one of the top 15 programs in the country year in and year out. We need to get back there."
He said he has no problem going to schools that have hit near rock bottom.
"It's a little bit of my DNA," he said. "My dad did the same thing. I watched him rebuild two programs that no one said could ever win. But at the same time when you go to situations like that you get young men who are fragile and they're looking for chances to have success.
"You can help them build building blocks as people to be successful."
MacIntyre lost three players who apparently lacked commitment. Wide receiver Gerald Thomas, defensive tackle John Stuart and tight end Vincent Hobbs are all transferring. MacIntyre said they all failed to meet team expectations and two, whom he wouldn't name, had no choice but to leave.
Thomas, who was the Buffaloes' fifth-leading receiver as a true freshman last year with 18 receptions and is a new father, is transferring to Sam Houston State in Huntsville, Texas, to be closer to his home in New Orleans.
John Henderson: 303-954-1299, jhenderson@denverpost.com or twitter.com/johnhendersondp
Source: http://www.denverpost.com/cu/ci_23738778/cu-buffs-picked-last-pac-12-south-coach?source=rss
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