The Local newsletter is your free, daily guide to life in Colorado. For locals, by locals. Sign up today!
Wednesday is national signing day for high school athletes across the country, and the fact remains that the University of Colorado football team is having trouble attracting the brightest prospects. Columbine High School quarterback Danny Spond, who said last spring he’d head to Boulder after high school, has committed to Notre Dame, according to The Denver Post. Spond changed his mind after CU’s disastrous 3-9 season and the school’s decision to keep embattled coach Dan Hawkins.
Spond isn’t alone. Boulder’s Daily Camera reports that Colorado’s best and brightest sports prospects are “leaving the state in droves,” with the majority bolting to programs like California, Stanford, Northwestern, Texas A&M, Arizona State, and even Nebraska, perhaps CU’s biggest rival.
That's only $1 per issue!
Most of the students who want a chance to play for a winning team and make a real run at becoming professional football players are opting for more successful, stable college football programs. Spond is the perfect example of that, along with Littleton running back Mister Jones and Steamboat quarterback Austin Hinder, who has opted for Cal.
On the other hand, the Longmont Times-Call notes that CU gained three more verbal commitments over the weekend, but the players’ options were limited, and CU might have been the best offer they had. Besides, just because they sign doesn’t mean they’ll stick. The Colorado Daily reports that among the biggest problems with CU’s recruiting efforts has been attrition. At least 79 players over the last 10 recruiting classes either never cleared the academic bar at CU or didn’t complete the eligibility for the school.
Colorado State University has also had its share of issues with in-state recruiting. The Loveland Reporter-Herald writes that the school may have up to 28 recruits, but the most recent, Pomona High School offensive tackle Chris Stefo, is just the third in-state commitment for the school. Many of the Rams’ new players, reports The Denver Post, are coming from Florida.