University of Northern Colorado Athletics
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Photo by: Rob Trubia
@UNCBEARSFB Ready For 2016 Fall Camp
7/28/2016 1:27:00 PM | Football
Preseason Notebook
GREELEY, Colo. – The sixth season of Northern Colorado football under Head Coach Earnest Collins Jr. will get underway August 3. Coach Collins released his 2016 fall camp schedule consisting of 25 practices and three scrimmages that are open to the public and the media.
After August 22nd, practices will shift to a morning schedule, beginning at 7:00 a.m. and conclude by 9:30 a.m.
Follow Along With Fall Camp
Twitter: @UNCBEARSFB (hashtag: #BearGang, #BigSkyFB)
Facebook: /NorthernColoradoFootball
Instagram: UNCBearsFootball
Youtube: Northern Colorado Athletics
Quickly
The Northern Colorado Bears open their 123rd season of intercollegiate football on Saturday, September3 at Nottingham Field, squaring off against Rocky Mountain College (Mont.)... The game, the first meeting between the two teams will kick off at 2:05 p.m. It will be just the second time in the head coach Earnest Collins Jr. Era that the team will face an NAIA opponent to open the season. The Bears faced Langston to open the 2013 season and came away with a 31-10 victory... UNC enters 2016 with a 433-454-27 all-time record (a .473 winning percentage). The Bears will be on the road to finish out its non-conference play at Abilene Christian (Sept. 10) and Colorado State (Sept. 17). Northern Colorado and Colorado State will meet 19th time in program in the Rams final season at Hughes Stadium. UNC is just 1-17 against CSU, with their lone win coming 1899... The last time the team faced CSU was in 2011 where the Rams handed UNC a 33-14 loss. The Bears open Big Sky play with Northern Arizona (Oct. 1) at 1:05 p.m. in Greeley. Last season the Lumberjacks handed UNC a 63-21 defeat in Flagstaff, but Northern Colorado walked away with a 24-17 victory at home over NAU in the 2014 season.
Confidence
The Bears have put a little swagger back into their step after coming off a 12-year drought of losing seasons. UNC finished 6-5 and 3-5 in the Big Sky in 2015, making a large jump from the 3-8 record in 2014.
Northern Colorado had many notable moments in 2015:
- First winning season in 12 years and first in D1 era
- First victory over a Top 10 FCS opponent in DI history
- Third player in D1 history to record 100 tackles (Taylor Risner)
- Won all three non-conference games
- Highest average total of points per game in five seasons (30.0)
- Most rushing yards in a season under Collins (1,833)
- First time the kick return and punt return units were nationally ranked
Staff Changes
There were two offseason staff personnel moves. After the retirement of defensive coordinator, Larry Kerr, Collins hired former special teams coordinator, James Jones as his associate head coach and new DC. Jones will also oversee the defensive line. Brandon Maguire, who was the offensive assistant in 2015, was hired on as the defensive ends coach, replacing Derrick Davison who left to pursue other opportunities. Current special teams coordinator, Bryan Cummings, was shifted to coach the linebackers during the transition, and Brandon Charles, the current film coordinator was hired to take over all football operations.
Young Guns
2015 saw the offense thrive with a core of young guns at the helm. The Bears points per game jumped from 19.5 in 2014 to 30.0 last season, as well as the total offense going from 339.6 to 384.5...For the majority of the 2015 season, UNC had at least four freshman and four sophomores in the starting lineup on offense, and they return all but one offensive lineman from last year, so you could expect the points per game and offensive totals to increase once again.
2016 Anniversaries
There are a few notable anniversaries in 2016, starting the 20th anniversary of UNC's first national championship team (NCAA Division II), as the '96 Bears were known as the heart-attack kids. UNC kept fans on the edge of their seats until the clock struck zero as all three NCAA playoff games were won on the final drive to lead Northern Colorado to its first-ever national football title. Head Coach Joe Glenn was in his seventh season and led the Bears to a 12-3 overall record and a tie for second-place in the North Central Conference (NCC) with a mark of 6-3. The team averaged 31.1 points per game, while holding opponents to 15.9 a contest. Northern Colorado earned the title with a 23-14 win over Carson-Newman on Dec. 14, 1996. It's the 36th anniversary of UNC's first NCAA playoff team, the 1980 Bears. Under head coach Bob Blasi, UNC finished the season 7-4, but went 6-1 in the NCC to finish first overall in the conference. Northern Colorado faced Eastern Illinois in the opening round of the playoffs, but lost the game 21-14. Finally, it's the 82nd anniversary of the program's first conference title. The 1934 season under legendary coach John Hancock saw the Bears finish with a 6-1 overall record, claiming a Rocky Mountain Conference title... The only loss of the season came at the hands of Colorado State.
Academic Success
Besides bringing the first winning record in the program's FCS history to UNC, Coach Collins has also turned the team around in the classroom. Since he took over in 2011 they have raised the team GPA from a 2.51 to a 2.83, the highest the GPA has ever been in the Division I era... He's also placed 45 student-athletes on the All-Big Sky Fall Academic teams, including a team-best 12 players on the 2015 fall conference All-Academic team. Both junior linebacker Bryan Stansbury and junior safety Tyler Bloyer also earned first team NCAA Division I CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 honors. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution and must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games this season.
Season Tickets on Sale
Season tickets for 2016 are officially on sale and begin as low as $60. UNC is once again offering the Family Pack for just $150, featuring two adult and two child tickets with each additional child ticket for larger families being prorated. With five home games on the schedule, that's just $7.50 per ticket.
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For more information on any UNC football ticket packages, please call 970-351-4849 or click here.
Practice Schedule
Aug. 4, 3:00 PM – Practice #1, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 5, 3:00 PM – Practice #2, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 6, 3:00 PM – Practice #3, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 7, 3:00 PM – Practice #4, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 8, 3:00 PM – Practice #5, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 9, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #6/7, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 10, 3:00 PM – Practice #8, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 11, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #9/10, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 12, 3:00 PM – Practice #11, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 13, TBA - Scrimmage #1, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 14, No Practice
Aug. 15, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #13/14, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 16, 3:00 PM – Practice #15, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 17, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #16/17, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 18, No Practice – Move in Day
Aug. 19, 3:00 PM – Practice #/18, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 20, TBA – Bears Bash, Night Scrimmage #2, Butler-Hancock Practices Fields, Open to Media/Public
Aug. 21, No Practice
Aug. 22, Fall Classes Begin, No Practice
Aug. 23, 7:00 AM – Practice #20, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 24, 7:00 AM – Practice #21, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 25, 7:00 AM – Practice #22, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 26, 7:00 AM – Practice #23, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 27, 9:00 AM – Scrimmage #3, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 28, TBA – Practice 25, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 29, No Practice
Aug. 30, 7:00 AM – Practice #26, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 31, 7:00 AM – Practice #27, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Sept. 1, 7:00 AM – Practice #28, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Sept. 2, TBA – Walk-Through at Nottingham Field, CLOSED
Sept. 3, 2:05 PM – vs. Rocky Mountain College, Nottingham Field
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GREELEY, Colo. – The sixth season of Northern Colorado football under Head Coach Earnest Collins Jr. will get underway August 3. Coach Collins released his 2016 fall camp schedule consisting of 25 practices and three scrimmages that are open to the public and the media.
After August 22nd, practices will shift to a morning schedule, beginning at 7:00 a.m. and conclude by 9:30 a.m.
Follow Along With Fall Camp
Twitter: @UNCBEARSFB (hashtag: #BearGang, #BigSkyFB)
Facebook: /NorthernColoradoFootball
Instagram: UNCBearsFootball
Youtube: Northern Colorado Athletics
Quickly
The Northern Colorado Bears open their 123rd season of intercollegiate football on Saturday, September3 at Nottingham Field, squaring off against Rocky Mountain College (Mont.)... The game, the first meeting between the two teams will kick off at 2:05 p.m. It will be just the second time in the head coach Earnest Collins Jr. Era that the team will face an NAIA opponent to open the season. The Bears faced Langston to open the 2013 season and came away with a 31-10 victory... UNC enters 2016 with a 433-454-27 all-time record (a .473 winning percentage). The Bears will be on the road to finish out its non-conference play at Abilene Christian (Sept. 10) and Colorado State (Sept. 17). Northern Colorado and Colorado State will meet 19th time in program in the Rams final season at Hughes Stadium. UNC is just 1-17 against CSU, with their lone win coming 1899... The last time the team faced CSU was in 2011 where the Rams handed UNC a 33-14 loss. The Bears open Big Sky play with Northern Arizona (Oct. 1) at 1:05 p.m. in Greeley. Last season the Lumberjacks handed UNC a 63-21 defeat in Flagstaff, but Northern Colorado walked away with a 24-17 victory at home over NAU in the 2014 season.
Confidence
The Bears have put a little swagger back into their step after coming off a 12-year drought of losing seasons. UNC finished 6-5 and 3-5 in the Big Sky in 2015, making a large jump from the 3-8 record in 2014.
Northern Colorado had many notable moments in 2015:
- First winning season in 12 years and first in D1 era
- First victory over a Top 10 FCS opponent in DI history
- Third player in D1 history to record 100 tackles (Taylor Risner)
- Won all three non-conference games
- Highest average total of points per game in five seasons (30.0)
- Most rushing yards in a season under Collins (1,833)
- First time the kick return and punt return units were nationally ranked
Staff Changes
There were two offseason staff personnel moves. After the retirement of defensive coordinator, Larry Kerr, Collins hired former special teams coordinator, James Jones as his associate head coach and new DC. Jones will also oversee the defensive line. Brandon Maguire, who was the offensive assistant in 2015, was hired on as the defensive ends coach, replacing Derrick Davison who left to pursue other opportunities. Current special teams coordinator, Bryan Cummings, was shifted to coach the linebackers during the transition, and Brandon Charles, the current film coordinator was hired to take over all football operations.
Young Guns
2015 saw the offense thrive with a core of young guns at the helm. The Bears points per game jumped from 19.5 in 2014 to 30.0 last season, as well as the total offense going from 339.6 to 384.5...For the majority of the 2015 season, UNC had at least four freshman and four sophomores in the starting lineup on offense, and they return all but one offensive lineman from last year, so you could expect the points per game and offensive totals to increase once again.
2016 Anniversaries
There are a few notable anniversaries in 2016, starting the 20th anniversary of UNC's first national championship team (NCAA Division II), as the '96 Bears were known as the heart-attack kids. UNC kept fans on the edge of their seats until the clock struck zero as all three NCAA playoff games were won on the final drive to lead Northern Colorado to its first-ever national football title. Head Coach Joe Glenn was in his seventh season and led the Bears to a 12-3 overall record and a tie for second-place in the North Central Conference (NCC) with a mark of 6-3. The team averaged 31.1 points per game, while holding opponents to 15.9 a contest. Northern Colorado earned the title with a 23-14 win over Carson-Newman on Dec. 14, 1996. It's the 36th anniversary of UNC's first NCAA playoff team, the 1980 Bears. Under head coach Bob Blasi, UNC finished the season 7-4, but went 6-1 in the NCC to finish first overall in the conference. Northern Colorado faced Eastern Illinois in the opening round of the playoffs, but lost the game 21-14. Finally, it's the 82nd anniversary of the program's first conference title. The 1934 season under legendary coach John Hancock saw the Bears finish with a 6-1 overall record, claiming a Rocky Mountain Conference title... The only loss of the season came at the hands of Colorado State.
Academic Success
Besides bringing the first winning record in the program's FCS history to UNC, Coach Collins has also turned the team around in the classroom. Since he took over in 2011 they have raised the team GPA from a 2.51 to a 2.83, the highest the GPA has ever been in the Division I era... He's also placed 45 student-athletes on the All-Big Sky Fall Academic teams, including a team-best 12 players on the 2015 fall conference All-Academic team. Both junior linebacker Bryan Stansbury and junior safety Tyler Bloyer also earned first team NCAA Division I CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 honors. To be nominated, a student-athlete must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.30 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at his/her current institution and must have participated in at least 50 percent of the team's games this season.
Season Tickets on Sale
Season tickets for 2016 are officially on sale and begin as low as $60. UNC is once again offering the Family Pack for just $150, featuring two adult and two child tickets with each additional child ticket for larger families being prorated. With five home games on the schedule, that's just $7.50 per ticket.
Â
For more information on any UNC football ticket packages, please call 970-351-4849 or click here.
Practice Schedule
Aug. 4, 3:00 PM – Practice #1, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 5, 3:00 PM – Practice #2, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 6, 3:00 PM – Practice #3, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 7, 3:00 PM – Practice #4, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 8, 3:00 PM – Practice #5, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 9, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #6/7, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 10, 3:00 PM – Practice #8, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 11, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #9/10, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 12, 3:00 PM – Practice #11, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 13, TBA - Scrimmage #1, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 14, No Practice
Aug. 15, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #13/14, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 16, 3:00 PM – Practice #15, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 17, 8:55 AM/3:00 PM – Practice #16/17, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 18, No Practice – Move in Day
Aug. 19, 3:00 PM – Practice #/18, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 20, TBA – Bears Bash, Night Scrimmage #2, Butler-Hancock Practices Fields, Open to Media/Public
Aug. 21, No Practice
Aug. 22, Fall Classes Begin, No Practice
Aug. 23, 7:00 AM – Practice #20, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 24, 7:00 AM – Practice #21, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 25, 7:00 AM – Practice #22, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 26, 7:00 AM – Practice #23, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 27, 9:00 AM – Scrimmage #3, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 28, TBA – Practice 25, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 29, No Practice
Aug. 30, 7:00 AM – Practice #26, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Aug. 31, 7:00 AM – Practice #27, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Sept. 1, 7:00 AM – Practice #28, Butler-Hancock Practice Fields, Open to Public/Media
Sept. 2, TBA – Walk-Through at Nottingham Field, CLOSED
Sept. 3, 2:05 PM – vs. Rocky Mountain College, Nottingham Field
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