Addison Gillam's conflict has created quite the story

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BOULDER– Head Coach Mike MacIntyre talks about it all the time: “No conflict, no story.” When it comes to redshirt junior linebacker Addison Gillam, there’s conflict and it is turning into an incredible story. Gillam’s story is one that brings tears to the eyes of his head coach.

Gillam, a “Mike” Linebacker has been through plenty of turmoil during his four years with the Colorado Buffaloes. It started when he became the first freshman to ever lead CU in tackles with 119, set seven school records, and ultimately became a Freshman All-American.

Now, that seems like a long time ago. His sophomore season started with being named a team captain and he was selected preseason second-team all-Pac-12. It ended with disappointment as he was hampered by injuries and off the field issues that made him question his love for the sport.

For a while, Gillam and MacIntyre discussed the possibility of quitting the football team. MacIntyre, in a way that only he can, was able to talk Gillam into staying with the team and pushing through adversity.

“There was about a month period when I was talking to [MacIntyre] about everything,” Gillam said. “We had conversations during the week every day, and I was thinking about not playing anymore after sophomore year.”

By his junior year, he finally felt healthy, both mentally and physically, and was primed to get back to the level he played at while he was a freshman. Unfortunately, yet again, the season ended in disappointment, really before it had even started. Two weeks into 2015 he tore his meniscus against Massachusetts and was sidelined for the year.

Nobody expected anything from Gillam entering this year. It had been said that anything the Buffs got from him would be beyond expectations.

Slowly getting back into action during the first few games fans weren’t able to notice that Gillam was regaining form. But playing against Arizona State this past Saturday, it was clear, Gillam is capable  of once again being one of the better linebackers in the Pac-12.

“I’m glad I stuck through it, it’d be hard watching from the stands after what I did freshman year,” Gillam said.

Gillam made four tackles, two tackles for loss and had two bone-crushing hits on quarterback Manny Wilkins. Gillam finally felt like he, “got to run around and have fun.”

“There has just been turmoil for him, I’m gonna start crying,” MacIntyre said as he shed tears. “To see him walk through it like he has. He’s been pretty inspirational, to say the least.”

He continued with his eyes swelling up, “They’ve seen him fight through all those things. It’s been a great life lesson, not only for him, but for me, and it’s been a great life lesson for our team. I just hope and pray that he stays healthy and keeps playing because it’s a lot of fun to watch him play and he gets pure joy out of it. And, so do I.”

Gillam’s story does teach a great life lesson. It’s a lesson that teaches perseverance through adversity, an uncommon man doing uncommon things and most importantly provides a perfect symbol for “The Rise” and the 2016 Colorado Buffaloes, whose main theme may be, “no conflict, no story.”