Colorado State University Pueblo

1982 NAIA Playoff Football Team – Team Category – The 1982 football team that was coached by Class of 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Mike Friedman posted a 9-1 regular season record and made the program's first-ever postseason appearance with a trip to the NAIA Playoffs, where the Pack lost to eventual national champion Central State of Oklahoma … The nine wins matched a program high at the time … Ranked as high as fifth nationally during the season, the only other setback for Friedman's team was a 14-13 loss at Colorado Mesa, who lost in the national championship game to Central State of Oklahoma … The team, who was led by longtime former CSU Pueblo football coach John Wristen at quarterback, led the RMAC in total offense and passing as Wristen completed 68-of-121 passes for 1,358 yards and had 13 touchdowns and just two interceptions … John Trahan was the league's top receiver with 41 catches for 917 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Herman Heard and Jeff Patterson combined to rush of 1,472 yards and scored 19 touchdowns … Linebacker and CSU Pueblo Athletics Hall of Famer Dan DeRose was the top tackler with 12.5 stops per game … Trahan was named a Second-Team NAIA All-American and was joined on the All-RMAC First Team by Wristen, offensive lineman Jeff England, defensive lineman Craig Ward and linebacker Mark DeRose.