Kieren Duncan | Photo courtesy of GoThunderwolves.com

Editor’s note: Today reporter Kieren Duncan is a wide receiver for the CSU-Pueblo football team. This story is told from his perspective.

When October comes around every year, it brings along many things: colder weather that causes students to bundle up on their way to class, the sweet-tooth inducing holiday of Halloween, birthdays for Libras all around the world and the second half of the college football season.

Head coach John Wristen reminds players every year of his philosophy when it comes to playing the sport in October.

“Teams have to play their best ball in October in order to give themselves a chance to win in November and December,” he said.

This means that during the four game span in October, if you’re playing at the top of your ability, you are giving yourself a chance to finish out the season strong and carry a winning momentum into December.

The philosophy is simple enough and has been proven to work time-and-time again. However, it’s the actual execution which teams tend to struggle with more than the concept.

The ThunderWolves don’t seem to have a problem with the execution aspect. Every year around this time, the team gets a fire in their eye. It doesn’t really matter what has come before this or what adversities lie ahead, this team consistently plays their best ball in the month of October and gives themselves a chance to win in the final two months of the season.

Last weekend against rival Adam’s State in Alamosa was no exception. It was truly a good old-fashioned Pack victory as the ThunderWolves rolled to a 56-0 victory over the Grizzlies and dominated on every side of the ball.

The ThunderWolves were able to accumulate just under 600 yards of total offense while holding the Adam’s State offense to under 250 total yards and only 10 on the ground.

“Well I think that we just came in and played Pack football and we had three aspects of it. Offense, defense and special teams. They all lead to a great victory like we had,” Wristen said after the game.

It truly was “Pack football” being played on Saturday as the two-headed running attack of Cameron and Bernard McDondle combined for a total of 394 yards and 5 touchdowns.

On the other side of the ball, the defense set a program record with six interceptions, five of which were made by redshirt freshman.

“I think we stepped up big time,” said redshirt freshman cornerback Darius Williams. “We all fed off of each other and had a successful shutout which was also big time. My interception was an awesome moment but I couldn’t have gotten it if everybody wasn’t doing their job.”

Williams had two interceptions on the day and returned one of them for a touchdown, earning him Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors.

As someone who’s in the locker room with these guys day in and day out, I can tell you it’s incredibly inspiring and special to be around a team that isn’t just satisfied with winning games but strives to dominate them.

This attitude will be much needed as the ThunderWolves take on Fort Lewis for the homecoming game on Oct. 10. Fort Lewis is undefeated in conference play and the only team that handed CSU-Pueblo a loss in last year’s championship run.

“We are going to find a way to go 1-0 this week against a really good Fort Lewis team,” Wristen said.

Former Pack player Doug Watterson will coach quarterbacks this season. | Photo courtesy of gothunderwolves.com

The Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves have a new quarterback coach this year. Former quarterback and current CSU-Pueblo student Doug Watterson took on the role in the coaching staff this season.

With turnover in the defending Division II national champions’ roster and coaching staff, players and coaches alike have been asked to step into different roles than last year.

Watterson, a 21-year-old economics and finance major, originally transferred to CSU-Pueblo from Los Angeles Valley College in California as a quarterback in hopes of winning the starting spot. After All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference quarterback Chris Bonner graduated, the spot was up in the air.

Watterson’s throwing shoulder, however, had gone through some wear and tear and after awhile, it didn’t look like he would be able to bounce back completely.

“I was still trying to play this past spring, just couldn’t get my shoulder back from another surgery,” Watterson said.

It was then that the senior was left at a crossroads with a hard decision to make: hang up the cleats and walk away from the sport he loved or spend time on the bench as a backup knowing he could never play to his full potential again.

Luckily for Watterson, though, coach John Wristen offered him a role on the coaching staff.

“I knew I wanted to coach after playing but it was actually coach Wristen who brought it up during spring ball when we could both tell my shoulder wasn’t coming back,” Watterson said. “Couldn’t have come up with a better opportunity for a guy who wanted to get into coaching. Really helped me transition because I didn’t know what I was going to do at first.”

Now, Watterson handles the assistant quarterbacks coaching role, where a lot of his responsibilities are the unsung, behind-the-scenes work that could go unnoticed or unappreciated.

The player turned coach is the starting quarterback’s go-to man when it comes to signaling in the correct play calls from the sidelines and handles most personnel changes as well. Watterson also puts together player handbooks and playbooks and even scripts practices from time to time, all things that come easier when one has playing experience.

“It’s a big advantage being a former athlete on the team because I’m already very familiar with the culture of the program and the standard that has been set for the players,” Watterson said. “It also helps having prior relationships with a lot of the coaches and players.”

With so many coaching changes and players getting moved around, it can be easy for a team to fall out of sync or start to have certain levels of disconnect between themselves. The ThunderWolves have been working to address this problem by keeping in mind that every role on the team, from head coach to redshirt practice player, has a job to do. For the team, it’s expected that a person does his job to the best of his ability and it will make everyone better.

On the issue of being able to command respect from his former teammates, Watterson said he has had no problems.

“Obviously I’m a first time coach and still feeling my way around so I don’t have to demand a lot from the guys at this point like our full time coaches do. I’m just trying to earn the respect of the other coaches and the players. I’m really in more of a learning and supporting role and I coach the quarterbacks in any way I can as the opportunities come up.”

The biggest thing that has changed in Watterson’s life is his renewed sense of passion for the game. Football is a sport that takes a toll on players and injuries can hamper, or sometimes completely end, a career.

However, it seems coaching has given Watterson the opportunity to love the sport again and feel like a true contributor to a team that respects him, whether a helmet is on his head or a clipboard is in his hand.

“I’m just really looking forward to being able to feel like a contributor again and take the first steps in a career I’ve wanted to pursue since I was a kid,” Watterson said. “As a player I just always felt like I was going nowhere with my injuries and now I feel like I’m moving forward again. At my age I really couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity. I get to learn from some of the best coaches in the country.”

This season brings a wealth of opportunity for the new coach as he steps into roles he’s never been in before.

With a full course load of economics and finance classes on his plate along with demanding hours as an assistant coach, Watterson will not have any trouble keeping busy. He said he’s incredibly excited about the direction his life is going and grateful for the opportunity to broaden his horizons.

“I’m extremely blessed to have these types of opportunities in front of me,” Watterson said. “Coaches have always had a huge impact on my life and I hope I can impact someone else this season even if it’s in a small way.”

Former CSU-Pueblo football player Joshua Bredl won the reality show Tough Enough. Photo courtesy of the WWE.

Colorado State University-Pueblo alumnus Joshua Bredl has proven to the fans and the World Wrestling Entertainment foundation that he deserves to be the next WWE superstar after being announced the winner of reality show Tough Enough Sept. 25.

After ten weeks of grueling workouts, strict dieting, and round the clock TV exposure, Bredl was named the winner of the reality show after he won 70 percent of the fan vote to beat the sixth and final male competitor, ZZ Loupe.

Less than nine months after winning a Division II national championship with the ThunderWolves, the former Pack player will now go on to receive a $250,000 contract as he begins his career in the WWE.

Nicknamed “The Yeti,” Bredl is 6 foot 8 inches tall and weighs in at 275 pounds.

Since the beginning of the competition that featured 14 total contestants, Bredl stood out as an early favorite.

After playing football throughout college and getting a shot in the NFL, Bredl exhibited great lateral movement and quickness, which is essential to putting on a good show in the ring.

Coupled with his body type and above average strength and endurance, Bredl showed throughout the first few weeks that he was going to last throughout the competition.

Soon after the start of the competition, Bredl had a following of thousands voting in and giving their best “Yeti calls” as he asked “Yeti Nation” to stand up and support him.

Thousands of friends, former teammates, teachers and coaches tweeted, texted and voted for Bredl during the final minutes of the shows finale. The end result was a staggering 70 percent majority in Bredl’s favor solidifying his emergence in the WWE world.

After a quick celebration it was a beeline backstage so Bredl could see his family. His two biggest supporters, his girlfriend Ilycia and their 3-year-old daughter Nayeli, greeted their superstar and gave their own yeti calls as the family was reunited after months apart.

Photo courtesy of timetoast.com

It’s that time of year again where the sun starts peeking out from behind the clouds and we trade in our jackets and sweats for tank tops and shorts. Summer is here and the anticipation is really starting to heat up.

With finals week over, the stress filled, caffeine-heavy, sleepless nights are now in the past.

But what makes summer so great? Why is it constantly sought after and anticipated year after year and even missed the day after it’s over? What truly makes summer our escape?

Junior Summer Bennett is one of many students who can’t wait until the break comes around each year and attributes the anticipation and the happiness it brings to many things.

“Summer means freedom, fun, sunshine, tans and memories. I think it is so anticipated because we get a break from school for three and a half months where there’s nothing to worry about. College kids get to go home and be with their friends or travel and do fun stuff,” Bennett said. “Also, the weather is so nice so it’s just nice to be outside and enjoy it.”

After a long, rigorous school year and grueling finals, there’s nothing college students love more than sleeping in and staying up late each and every day while enjoying that trademark heat and sunshine. Whether it’s to get your tan on and relax or travel the world and get away, summer offers everyone the opportunity to do what they want and make the most of the precious break.

“It is so special because it is the one time a year where we have the opportunity to be stress free,” said junior Antonio Huerta. “Summer means new opportunity and adventures. It gives me the chance to travel or gain new work experiences and learn things that can’t be learned while in school.”

Winter breaks comes and goes in the blink of an eye but summer tends to be a vacation you get to truly enjoy. Students’ minds can be at ease and it’s a time of year where we can truly, entirely unwind and not worry about how many questions will be on a test or when that essay is due.

Summer break also hammers home the point of the old phrase “what you give is what you get.” It will be as fantastic and adventure filled or chilled and laid back as you want it to be. If students want to stay out until three in the morning and travel and see new sights every day of summer, they have that opportunity.

Likewise, if you wanted to stay inside and get your Netflix binge on you can certainly do that as well, because summer does not discriminate. It welcomes all forms of relaxation and contentment that one’s heart may desire.

The break is also used by student athletes to really get on their grind and truly benefit from the offseason. With no classes or studies to take up their days and plenty of rest for their bodies, college athletes use summer to hone their skills and come back for the season bigger, faster and stronger.

“I’m going to focus more on training and making my last collegiate season a record breaking season,” said senior football player Morgan Fox.

In all reality, summer means opportunity. It means a break from the monotonous routine of school life and offers students a switch up from the norm. Not everyone will go out and party, or work out or focus on their job. But no matter what the plans for summer are, everyone can welcome its arrival and appreciate the chance it gives us to make memories each and every year.

Freshman Quarterback A.J. Thompson
Photo from GoThunderwovles.com

Since the middle of January, the national champion Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves have been taking the first steps toward a repeat title in the 2015 season. The last step of the grueling four-month process happened Friday as the team took the field in the annual “Red v. White” game.

Ask any athlete and they will tell you that there is no offseason in sports. The football team is a good example as they were back at it, training just a month after the last game was played. Five o’ clock workouts, “Dirty Dozens,” endless hours of film study, six o’ clock practices in the frigid cold, and full class and work schedules in the afternoons are just some of the trials players endure during the spring semester.

“I would say that it’s definitely a lot more vigorous than what I was used to going through at high school spring camp. But overall, I feel that I made great strides toward becoming a better player,” said freshman wide receiver Deshon Williams. “The hardest challenges were getting up every morning anywhere between 4:30 and 5:00, and trying to stay on top of my school work and trying not to fall behind.”

Simply put, it’s a grind that wears you down over time. But the last week of spring ball is when all of the hard work and pain is rewarded.

Remember that Division II National Championship the football team won back in December? During the last week of spring ball that championship really sinks in because the players are finally awarded their championship rings.

“It was breathtaking. To finally receive something that you have been dreaming your whole life about is an indescribable feeling of accomplishment and almost disbelief,” said senior wide receiver Jarred Radebaugh.

After the ring ceremony, players were split up into their respective teams and were able to have a little fun and competition on the field. With 15 minute quarters and a running clock, the ThunderWolves engaged in a friendly scrimmage for bragging rights and as a final evaluation for the coaches.

The “Red v. White” game serves as a live game situation for players to use all the skills they’ve learned over the last four months and execute their assignments.

Fans were invited to come out and pack the stands as players showcased their improvements and fought for first-string position rights. The Red team was the first to get on the board following a successful 49-yard field goal attempt by senior kicker Greg O’ Donnell.

Then the defenses took over as each offense was halted and went three and out before halftime.

After the break, it was all the White team as A.J. Thompson connected to freshmen Deshon Williams and Isaiah Jackson on deep strikes downfield. Freshman running back Nathan Miller added a rushing touchdown from 9 yards out to give the White squad the lead.

Later, Thompson capped off a drive with a running touchdown to pull his team ahead 14-3. After one last stop by the White team defense, the final buzzer sounded giving the White squad the win with a final score of 14-3.

The ThunderWolves now have a couple of weeks off to rest and take care of finals before summer workouts begin in mid-May.

File photo from CSU-Pueblo Athletics

With the continuing success of the football and baseball teams getting most of the press at Colorado State University-Pueblo, the other talented sports teams on campus sometimes get overlooked. However, one of those teams has had more success than any other sport at CSU-Pueblo, and many students are completely unaware of them.

The CSU-Pueblo club racquetball team has dominated at the national level over the last couple of decades and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. Over the past 20 years, Coach Richard Krinsky and the club have put together an amazing string of 17 national titles, frequently competing against Division I opponents all over the country.

Last year, the racquetball club team won the 2014 Wilson National Intercollegiate Championship over much bigger school teams such as Brigham Young University, Arizona State, Missouri, and Oregon State.

The team is so good and plays at such a high caliber that they were invited at the beginning of the year to train at the Olympic Training Center, an opportunity that only heralds positive development for the team in the years to come.

Being a national powerhouse in any sport is no small feat, but continuing to do it again and again, year after year as generations of your athletes come and go, is even more challenging.

The racquetball team has not been phased by graduating seniors or plagued by any type of “rebuilding season”; instead, they take great pride in their freshman and underclassmen. They’ve continued their dedication to excellence and athletic prowess each year, and this season is no different.

“It’s definitely a lot more pressure. When you play against other schools, everybody expects you to win, so you got to stay focused,” freshman player Jacob Mathews said. “But most of us play on the pro tour for the racquetball team, so we have been put in a lot of pressure situations.”

Currently, the club sits at number two in the national rankings after a tournament in Arizona over spring break. This isn’t good enough for the club, as they expect greatness and will do everything to achieve it.

“One of the guys, who is also my doubles partner, was deemed ineligible the day before the tournament, so we did not get to bring our whole team. Anytime we don’t win, we aren’t happy. The ultimate goal is to win every time we play,” Matthews said.

One thing that all of the racquetball players could agree on was that they owe all of their success over the years to Krinsky.

“He recruits the best players from all over the world. He’s bringing kids that are world and national champions before they come here,” said fifth-year senior Jeremy McGlothin. “You put the best kids in the world under one roof and let them train all year together. The recipe becomes very simple for Krinsky. As long as he keeps recruiting the players here, we will keep winning.”

The team will continue its national climb at a pro stop in Denver this weekend and at another pro stop tournament in Pueblo the weekend of May 2.

Paul Browning and Chris Bonner participate in CSU-Pueblo’s pro day. | Photo by Dustin Cox

Colorado State University-Pueblo hosted its annual pro day for the NFL hopeful seniors from last year’s national championship season March 30. Although none of the Pack seniors were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine held in Indianapolis, every one of them made their presence known as they showcased their skills for NFL scouts in various tests and drills.

The road to the NFL is an extremely tough one. Statistically, some would say it’s almost impossible. Factor in going to a Division II school and the odds tilt against CSU-Pueblo players even more. However, a national championship tends to open people’s eyes a little bit more and force NFL scouts to take notice.

Boasting a near perfect season last year, the Thunderwolves had eight of their star seniors present at the pro day along with representation from other schools in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Scouts from the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders were among those in attendance along with a handful of other teams.

Players were put through the system just like the NFL combine, showcasing their talents through the bench press, broad jump, vertical jump, 40 yard dash, three cone drill and pro shuttle.

For most of the Thunderwolves who were present, this wasn’t their first showing in front of the NFL scouts. A lot of the players had been to pro days at Boulder, Fort Collins, Air Force and the Super Regional NFL Combine in Arizona.

Many of the Pack players continue to gain awareness through impressive numbers and performances in front of NFL scouts. Whether it’s defensive lineman Josh “Yeti” Bredl, who clocked in the second fastest 40 yard dash of all defensive linemen in the draft this year, or Chris Bonner’s pinpoint accuracy and arm strength, coaches are becoming more aware of the playmakers coming out of Pueblo this year.

“Boulder was a great day throwing up there with Paul (Browning) and some of the guys. Heard back from some teams and got some private workouts so it’s looking real good,” said quarterback Chris Bonner.

Bonner will go on to have private workouts with the San Diego Chargers and Atlanta Falcons in his home state of California while senior defensive back CJ Roberts travels back to Florida to have a private session with the Miami Dolphins.

For more information on the Thunderwolves’ road to the NFL, tune into the NFL Draft from April 30 to May 2.

Photo courtesy of csupueblo.edu

Colorado State University-Pueblo’s radio station Rev 89 has been ranked as the No. 9 radio station in the nation based on its Cume rating and No. 25 on the average quarter-hour person scale based on fall 2014 numbers.

“I’m extremely proud of my students. The success of the radio station, locally and nationally, is a direct reflection of the hard work and dedication shown by the Rev 89 DJs every single day,” said Rev 89 instructor and media manager Jenna Mangino.

“They produce daily news briefs, provide local information, including traffic and weather updates, entertain people and provide music suggestions to help us stay relevant with our listeners. Receiving national recognition is an honor and we’re very proud of the work we do at Rev 89,” she said.

Rev 89 is a non-commercial educational radio station ran by mass communication students at CSU-Pueblo. By operating as a lab and radio combination, Rev 89 is able to give students maximum experience and expertise by working in the station. It also provides its services to the community of Pueblo as a whole.

Whether it’s learning the difference in ethics between commercial and non-commercial radio, getting exposure and talking to real people in real world businesses about radio spots and advertisements, or just getting hands on learning by working with Adobe Audition and the Arakis boards, Rev can be used as a tool for mass communication students looking to further themselves in the electronic media field.

Cume, which is short for cumulative audience, measures a stations total number of unique consumers over a specific period of time. According to Nielson Audio, in order to qualify as a unique consumer the listener must be tuned in for at least five minutes before switching channels.

Rev 89 boasted a 14.5 percent listener share of the population in Pueblo, earning them an impressive ninth spot at the national level. The U.S. census estimated Pueblo’s population at around 108,000 members and the Rev 89 consistently reaches more than 20,000 of them every week.

“It’s overwhelming at times to think that we are reaching 20,000 plus people weekly. The Pueblo community, both on and off campus, are the main focus of what we do each day,” Mangino said.

“Rev 89 is a legacy station – generations of Puebloans have grown up listening to the station. KTSC-FM will be celebrating 45 years of continuous operation in October and it’s rewarding to see that our listeners still enjoy tuning into Rev 89 year after year,” she said.

Separate from the Cume rating, AQH stands for average quarter-hour person. This scale measures listeners tuning in for at least five minutes over 15 minute periods throughout their metropolitan area. These listeners also tune into other radio stations when they’re not listening to Rev.

Last year, Rev 89 totaled a 4.8 percent metro share on the AQH scale and a market rank of 237.

Not only is Rev 89 popular around the community, but many students said they are avid listeners. Senior Brittany Vigil is one of these students and claims the Rev is her favorite station.

“It’s the only decent radio station in Pueblo that knows how to play good music. The lack of commercials also helps a lot,” she said.

Students enjoy activities at “Late Night at the Rec.” | Photo by Daniel Potter

Colorado State University-Pueblo hosted its second annual “Late Night at the Rec” event March 13. The late night festivities lasted from 9 p.m. to midnight and allowed participants to compete in various tournaments, games and other activities.

“Late Night at the Rec” was created in the spring of last year by recreation center employees and the CSU-Pueblo Seeking Ourselves to Unite Leaders program. Essentially, the event was centered on the idea of giving students a safe, controlled environment in which they can have fun and interact with other students.

“We were at the rec center getting a lot of emails from students at CSU-P wondering why the rec center wasn’t open at later hours,” said recreation center employee Jarred Radebaugh.

Students were also “asking if we could host special tournaments and games on the weekends at later hours for the kids who necessarily didn’t want to go out and drink or party,” he said.

“We decided to partner up with SOUL because they’re a group that’s all about organized fun in a safe environment and we just started bouncing ideas off each other. We didn’t want to do something real lazy, we wanted this to be something that students wanted to go to instead of go out and party or go out and drink.” Radebaugh said.

The event was completely free for the university. Everything from the prizes and food to entertainment was taken care of by local businesses and sponsorships from different workplaces in the community.

Students went to different stations set up around the rec center to compete in various challenges, including ping pong, Mario Kart tournaments, dodge ball, twister, three point contests and many others.

Students earned a raffle ticket after participating in activities at each station. The tickets were entered in a drawing at the end of the night for prizes.

Photo by Daniel Potter

Prizes from the last two years ranged from Dre Beats headphones and big screen TVs, to gift cards and CSU-Pueblo gear.

Students have been supportive of the event since its inception last year.

“I think it’s a fun alternative to partying because it gives you a chance to get together with your friends all at one location and compete in different activities while enjoying yourself just as much, if not more than, if you were at party,” said senior Tanner Hall.

Many students, like Hall, liked the idea of the late night event as it provides a safe alternative to house parties.

Radebaugh said the plan could be to expand the frequency of events like these, since they have been so successful. Instead of just once a year in the spring semester, “Late Night at the Rec” could be in both semesters or once a month, he said.

“It has plenty of room to grow,” Radebaugh said.

Junior Missy Braun said she enjoyed the event and would love to see it implemented more frequently throughout the school year.

“I think it’d be a great idea. A lot of people went and enjoyed it. I think it’d be beneficial to everyone involved,” Braun said. “We meet more people, we don’t party, we stay safe and it’s a good time.”

Malcolm Ruben

Conversations about Colorado State University-Pueblo quarterbacks usually revolved around the names Ross Dausin and Chris Bonner. As football players who have been instrumental in numerous Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships and even a national title, they have solidified a spot in Thunderwolf history. Few people would mention, let alone be aware of, Malcolm Ruben in their talks of great Thunderwolf passers of old.

Ruben is ready to change that.

Dausin, Bonner, and Ruben have a lot in common when it comes to the tangible aspect of being a quarterback. All are 6 foot 5 inches and above and all have rocket arms capable of launching deep balls. However, one thing is a little different about Malcolm Ruben.

Ruben would be the first black quarterback to be the starter for the Thunderwolves since at least the revival of the team back in 2007.

This, however, has no impact on him.

“Me being a black quarterback is cool but it doesn’t really affect the way I feel or anything, for that matter,” Ruben said. “I naturally have a chip on my shoulder due to this being my last opportunity to play ball. Nothing in regards to my race is a factor.”

Reuben’s father was a local basketball legend in his community while he was growing up, so he was taught early the importance of conducting himself as a sportsman in order to be successful. He attributes much of his success to his family and the lessons instilled in him as a child.

“Family has played a major role in my life when it relates to athletics,” Ruben said. “The biggest lesson I learned was that if I wanted to continue competing I would need to keep my grades up at all times or else my opportunities would be limited.”

Ruben heeded his father’s advice and stayed diligent throughout high school eventually earning a scholarship to Division IAA powerhouse Abilene Christian University in Texas.

At 6 foot 6 inches and 225 pounds, Ruben easily looks the part on paper. With a rocket for an arm and as a natural charismatic leader, he transferred from ACU ready to compete for a starting spot at Pueblo. His eagerness was halted, however, when he found himself taking second-string reps in practice and watching Bonner take the field on Saturdays.

Ruben could’ve sulked and dwelled on the negatives or perhaps rethink his decision to come here, but he didn’t. Instead, Ruben did what any good backup would do and any great quarterback must do: become a student of the game.

Putting in countless hours of film study and one-on-one sessions with coaches, he diligently studied the game in order to become a better player himself. He also began to work closely with Bonner.

“Me and Bonner are pretty good friends. It’s pretty funny because initially I didn’t think we would get along because I was competing for his job,” said Ruben. “But being him and watching the way he studied the game and how he handled himself was very beneficial. He and I have different playing styles but I was still able to learn a lot from being around him.”

The thing above all else that Ruben hopes to emulate of the NFL hopeful is his selflessness.

“One thing I admire about him was his humbleness. It was never about him. He always credited his teammates for his success,” he said.

Now fresh off a national championship season and with the graduation of their star quarterback, the Thunderwolves are searching for their next gunslinger and Ruben seems to be the frontrunner.

Through hard work, discipline, and attacking the hidden intricacies of the game, Ruben has found himself in a position he’s been hungry for since he transferred to CSU-Pueblo.

Being a quarterback of a national powerhouse like CSU-Pueblo comes with a lot of expectations. He will be the play caller, the captain and the scapegoat. Things go right, and he gets the credit but when things go wrong he gets the blame. Ruben has the opportunity to be at the helm of a team after its most successful season in program history.

Bonner was cool, calm, humble and led when he had to. Ruben is vocal and energetic. Bonner was a pocket passer while Ruben has the added element of being able to run and be a mobile quarterback. They’re different players and different leaders, yet Ruben has no fears about winning over the team.

“I don’t see any apparent hurdles in regards to leading this team. I’ve only been in this program for six months and I think the fellas are accomplished are accepting me as one of the leaders pretty well,” he said.

His senior year, his team, and big shoes to fill. The 2015 season will look a lot different to the fans with new faces filling in positions on the field and throughout the coaching staff. However, Ruben aims to keep at least one aspect the same: winning.

“I’m just ready to have fun and make new memories with new guys,” Ruben said. “This 2015 season will be my last as a collegiate athlete and I want it to be a great one. My goal this season is to simply win games. We win games and we’ll find ourselves right back in Kansas City come week 15. But I’m also aware that we have to take this thing one day at a time.”

Ruben will look to solidify his starting spot this spring and lead the Thunderwolves back to Kansas City for another national championship in 2015.