Saturday was a good day to play offense for the University of Northern Colorado football team.
Yes, that’s right. Offense. The UNC unit that averaged 11.33 points in 12 games a year ago showed itself to be the strongest group during the nearly 90-minute blue and gold spring game at Nottingham Field.
The morning game, played in front of about 250 fans, wrapped up UNC’s month-long spring practice period.
Led by multiple quarterbacks, the UNC offense moved the ball effectively on their defensive teammates. The running game and the passing game both worked and worked well.
“I completely agree,” said Brayden Munroe, a rising junior wide receiver from Parker and Chaparral High School. “We’ve made some really big progress this spring. I think our pass game looks, yeah, sharp. We’ve always relied on the run but the pass game looks a lot better.”
Not all of the players wore jersey numbers matching those listed on the team’s spring roster. The game was a casual deal for the spectators in that sense. The UNC coaches as expected knew what was going on.
University of Northern Colorado quarterback Kenny Lueth drops back to throw a long touchdown pass while playing in the Spring game at Nottingham Field on Saturday May 3, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)UNC head coach Ed Lamb said objective No. 1 was achieved with no major injuries from the game. That’s always a relief for a football team in a final scrimmage or preseason game. He said a lot of the bona fide starters played limited minutes and plays with little to prove to the coaches.
Beyond that, Lamb called the game “our most productive offensive scrimmage” in his time with the program. This fall will be Lamb’s third at UNC.
“By far,” he added. “A lot of production. A lot of confidence on that side of the ball. Running backs, offensive line. The biggest difference in our program the last, going on three years now, is the offensive line. When that happens, everybody looks a little better.”
Second-year offensive lineman Jack Bacon agreed the offensive unit won the day. Bacon said the O-line was successful in “moving the line of scrimmage,” and overpowering the defense
“It was a lot of technical discipline and knowing all of our assignments,” added Bacon, a rising senior from Santa Cruz, California. “Getting our hands and feet right on all the plays.”
In general with the passing game, Saturday was a good day for the tight ends — who appeared to have plenty of room to operate in the open field. Charles Garrison, a returning player from suburban New York City, was among those in the position group to show well.
University of Northern Colorado tight end Charles Garrison reaches high to snag the ball while playing in the Spring Scrimmage game at Nottingham Field in Greeley on Saturday May 3, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Munroe moved the chains at least once, and wide out River Stout pulled in a tough touchdown catch in the corner of the end zone from starting quarterback Peter Costelli.
Backup quarterbacks Kaiden Box and Eric Gibson also threw touchdown passes. Gibson, a transfer from junior college and LSU, also ran for two touchdowns.
Costelli, a redshirt junior from San Pedro, California, was the only QB of the five who played to wear a red, noncontact jersey.
University of Northern Colorado head football coach Ed Lamb watches during the Spring scrimmage at Nottingham Field in Greeley on Saturday May 3, 2025.(Jim Rydbom/Staff Photographer)Costelli was the starter last season coming out of fall camp. He suffered a knee injury late against Colorado State in the second game of the season, and was on the shelf for most of the rest of the year. Costelli returned for a short time in the home finale against Eastern Washington before shutting down again for the year.
The running game was on from the start, with converted defensive back Rocco Traore finding yards inside.
Defensive line coach and assistant head coach Aaron Fernandez said he thought the defense reset and responded to the game and the play later in the scrimmage.
Lamb said he sees the strength of the defense at this point being from the back to the front — the defensive backs, to the linebackers and defensive line. The D-line was a focus of recruiting efforts and additions to the program earlier this year with the loss of guys such as David Hoage and Sam Iongi-Amituanai.
New players are being worked into the defensive line, and other guys weren’t on the field for the scrimmage. Among the players in the latter group: Brody Bliek, a junior listed at 6-foot-2 and 300 pounds from Castle Rock and power high school program Valor Christian; and redshirt junior Brooks Maile, also 6-2 and 300 pounds.
“It was really good back and forth stuff,” Fernandez. “That’s what we want. Any time you end spring ball, you just want competition. We still have a lot of work to do and that’s what the summer’s for.”
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