Mike MacIntyre explains the significance of junior college contributors

BOULDER – The Colorado Buffaloes have inked three junior college players in the past week. While in the Mike MacIntyre era it hasn’t been uncommon to see an influx of JUCO players on the Buffs, the past week was notable as CU was able to sign three three-star prospects all at positions of need.

Colorado’s incoming recruiting is by far the best MacIntyre has had according to the scouting services. This begs the question of what will he and his staff be able to do with the superior talent considering how well they have developed players that were not as touted.

The prospects coming into Colorado are asking this same question.

“It really started last summer,” MacIntyre explained. “Our recruiting went to a new level, the way I see it, our coaching staff has done an excellent job. But we had a lot of roots laid down with our system that we have had in place now for 26 months. Our new facility when they come in see that it blows them away and then on top of that being successful this year kinda solidified a lot of those guys, kinda put the nail in the coffin so to speak.”

The connection Colorado’s coach has been able to make to JUCO kids is especially interesting because these are players that have once been overlooked too.

“The JUCO route is important for us,” MacIntyre said. “I always want to sign a few JUCO guys every year, it brings in some maturity, it brings in some guys that are extremely hungry because they had to go a different route and you can fill some needs in terms of maturity. I was very used to that at San Jose State, I had four or five of those guys a year there. It really keeps you with big junior and senior classes and that’s where you win. We have a big class of upperclassman now and we will have another one next year. If you keep doing that and add three or four a year, instead of having 30 guys a class you have 40 guys at those two top levels and you want a mature football team.”

The recipe for, “The Rise” may have as well have been upperclassman. So why not go back to the well that has clenched your thirst in terms of maturity is the current philosophy at the Champions Center.

The three players the Buffs have inked as of this week are Chris Mulumba, a 6-foot-4, 280-pound outside linebacker and defensive end, Javier Edwards, a 6-foot-3 330-pound consensus three-star defensive tackle and Dante Wigley, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound defensive back ranked as the No. 38 JUCO prospect.

“We’re excited about all three of those guys they fit immediate needs that we had,” MacIntyre told. “We’ll have some younger guys too but it just gives us more and more depth with the ability to have more depth while reloading.”

This is what MacIntyre had to say about the three signees:

“We’re excited about getting Javier, he had a lot of choices in the SEC and throughout the country and he loved our system that we have we’re excited about getting him.”

“We’re also excited about getting Dante, he’s an excellent corner and he’ll be a three for three, like Ahkello (Witherspoon) and Fo (Afolabi Laguda) were for us, we’re excited about him too.”

“Chris is an excellent defensive end, he’ll be able to rush the passer and play some end, he’ll be able to help us with all the guys were losing on the line.”