Say this for the Northern Colorado Bears: they're well-traveled.
They've been to Hawaii, and to San Luis Obispo, Calif., and San Diego, and Flagstaff, Ariz., and Pocatello, Idaho. All those trips, incidentally, resulted in losses.
“It's a tough one,” Bears defensive tackle Vinny Pallone said of the season. “It's a tough one.
“You can look at it like, ‘Damn, we're 0-7, this sucks,' ” he added. “Or you can look at it as we had the toughest schedule this side of the Mississippi. That's no joke.”
The Bears have already had their fill of Payton Award candidates in San Diego's Josh Johnson and Cal Poly's Ramses Barden, and Heisman Trophy hopefuls in Hawaii's Colt Brennan. That's not to mention a Harlan Hill Trophy winner in Division II Chadron State's Danny Woodhead.
At this point Northern Colorado is simply looking to keep improving, with the longterm goal of turning the once-proud program around. The Bears, who made the playoffs nine of the last 13 seasons they were in Division II - including national titles under Joe Glenn in 1995-96 - haven't fared as well in the FCS.
They went 9-2 in their first year up; since that 2003 campaign they are 7-33, with five of those wins coming against FCS foes.
“It's unfortunate that we haven't been able to win a game for these guys, but these guys continue to come out with positive attitudes, they're attentive to their coaches,” second-year coach Scott Downing said. “They're getting better as a team, they support each other. We don't have a lot of bad vibes.”
During the Big Sky Conference's summer kickoff meetings, Pallone talked of how it was only a matter of time before his program, flush with talent from nearby metropolitan areas (Greeley is 50 miles from Denver), starts piling up the wins.
The 2007 Northern Colorado roster boasts 70 players from the Centennial State, but no victories.
“There were a couple games where the defense stepped it up and the offense didn't do the job,” Pallone said. “And there were a couple games where the offense stepped it up and the defense didn't. Immaturity and youth has played a role - a bigger role than I thought it would.”
Northern Colorado starts two sophomore guards (Ryan Kemp and Chris Jones), and underclassmen at free safety and both defensive end spots. Eleven freshmen and 12 sophomores dot the Bears' two-deep.
One sophomore is Tyrone Wilson, the 200-pound backup to 210-pound junior David Woods at running back. Northern Colorado has talent at the skill positions, with Nebraska transfer receiver Andy Birkel and tight end Ryan Chesla each having 25 receptions, and junior Cory Fauver hauling in another 24.
But the quarterback position, led by 6-foot-3, 245-pound junior Mike Vlahogeorge, has been uneven. The Bears rank last in the Big Sky in every major statistical category save for rushing offense, where they're in front of pass-first Portland State.
Through it all, Pallone and Co. have remained positive.
“Being a senior and being a captain, I've got to keep this ship together,” he said. “We're not in a rock fight and a war. We're playing football. We're 0-7, but maybe it's not about winning games right now. Maybe it's more about growing and living, and shaping the future for these young guys.”
“We've improved greatly since last year,” asserts Chesla, a high-school teammate of Montana receiver Eric Allen. “It's little things now. Little things we haven't capitalized on.”
There have also been injuries, including a season-ending injury to hard-hitting cornerback Aaron Henderson, suffered in the third day of fall camp. Another corner, Corey Askew, is battling a knee injury.
At one point offensive lineman Mark Rodden moved to the defensive line to shore up things there; he's now back on defense.
Through it all the Bears forge ahead.
“I think we're doing the right things because we haven't seen anybody leave the team at all this season,” Downing said. “I've been coaching 28 years and ... we're 0-7 and nobody has quit the team.
“That shows the coaches that it's not for a lack of effort. As coaches, we have to take some pride in that, that we're putting players in the right places and giving them a chance to win.”
Up next: Northern Colorado at Montana
Saturday, 1:05 p.m. (MDT), Washington-Grizzly Stadium (23,183, SprinTurf)
A brutal schedule doesn't get any better Saturday for the young Bears, who next face Big Sky Conference front-runner Montana.
Location: Greeley, Colo. Enrollment: 12,300.
Series history: Montana leads 6-1.
Man in charge: Scott Downing is 1-17 in his second season coaching the Bears, and is 14-21-1 in three-plus seasons as a head coach.
Ones to watch
9 Ryan Chesla (6-5, 240, jr., Colorado Springs, Colo.): The tight end is tied for the team lead with 25 receptions, and he has caught four of the Bears' five touchdown passes.
21 David Woods (5-8, 210, jr., Shawnee, Kan.): The junior college transfer leads the Bears with 501 rushing yards. He also has four of his team's five touchdowns on the ground.
22 Cristian Sarmento (6-1, 220, jr., Lakewood, Colo.): The leader of Northern Colorado's talented linebacker corps has a team-high 70 tackles, including three for losses.
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