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OGDEN — “Just win, baby.”
The late owner of the Oakland Raiders, Al Davis, used to say that to his team, and it's become a nearly universal mantra in football. Teams care more about winning than ever before, regardless of their level.
In preparation for a game at Weber State, Northern Colorado coach Earnest Collins Jr. said as much when discussing his team’s goals for the final two games of the season.
“With this conference being the way it is, you’re always trying to go into the offseason on a positive note,” he said, “whether it's winning your last couple games or going into the playoffs. For us, each week it’s one at a time, trying to get a victory.”
The Bears have had an interesting season. After nearly upsetting FBS team UNLV in the season opener and losing 13-12, Northern Colorado has struggled with consistency. The Bears have beaten conference co-leader Northern Arizona, lost by eight to defending champion Eastern Washington, and fallen to Sacramento State, 43-38.
Despite its struggles, Northern Colorado has demonstrated an ability to score points, albeit inconsistently. The Bears scored 27 points last week in a win over University of California, Davis and had 455 total yards of offense.
Weber State coach Jay Hill said Northern Colorado presents a variety of reasons to be concerned.
Both Weber State and Northern Colorado enter their game Saturday coming off wins.
“I really like their three wideouts; I think those guys do a great job of getting open,” Hill said. “The quarterback (Sean Rubalcaba) does a good job of prolonging plays; he makes plays with his feet and his arm. Offensively, we’ve got to stop those guys.”
By the same token, Collins said he’s concerned with the dual-threat ability Weber’s offense showcased in its win against North Dakota.
“Starting off the game, you’re worried about (running back Bo Bolen) running the ball,” he said. “Then, (Weber quarterback Jadrian Clark) has pretty much taken over their offense, and he’s doing some good things in the run game and throwing the ball pretty well. It’s about us getting ready for that."
Weather could be a factor in Saturday’s game between the Bears and Wildcats. The temperature is slated to be in the 30s, and there is a chance of snow.
Collins said his team’s practices have been affected by cold weather, but he noted the team is overcoming the weather’s limitations.
"The kids have been doing a great job in practice," he said. "Everyone's going through it right now, and the kids have been doing a good job with it. We're just getting ready for Weber."
He said the key for Northern Colorado to beat Weber State will focus on how well the Bears can establish their game plan.
"It's (about) getting prepared for (Weber)," he said. "Making sure we get off to a good start, like we did (against UC-Davis) and playing from ahead."
