At the first tryout for the Colorado State University-Pueblo
football team, long before there was a stadium on campus and months
before any type of competition, head coach John Wristen held court
on the Dutch Clark Stadium field.
He asked Victor Quintana, a wrecking-ball of a player from South
High School, what position he wanted to play for the
ThunderWolves.
"Tight end," Quintana said.
"You're too fat to play tight end," Wristen answered, only
semi-jokingly. "Then I'll play wherever; I just want to play,"
Quintana responded.
And he did.
Quintana was the quintessential Division II football player. He had
enough athletic ability to hold his own, but he had more than
enough heart to carry a team. Quintana led stretching exercises,
workout cheers and was the first player to pick up a teammate or
call him out.
He played nose tackle on the ThunderWolves' 4-6 team last season.
He recorded 40 tackles and 4 sacks.
In the spring, he took another one for the team. The offensive line
was young and inexperienced (which, in college football, are not
the same thing). It also lacked a fire badly needed in the
trenches.
So the coaching staff stoked the embers with Quintana. He moved to
center, took charge in the huddle and gave the offense some
heart.
Then he walked away.
Years of squats in the weight room, car wrecks in the trenches and
time took their toll on Quintana's back.
"I have a bulging disc and broken vertebrae in my back," Quintana
said. "There's a chance I could play and nothing happened, or there
was a chance that I could play and get injured and lose the use of
my legs.
"I'm devastated. I can't believe I'm not going to play football
this season. Coach Wristen and all the coaches advised me to do
what was best for my health. And that's for me to slow down and
walk away."
Quintana, 22, continues to pursue his degree in recreational
management and will work as an assistant coach at DHPH this
season.
"Getting that degree is No. 1 for me, and at least I'll be around
the game," Quintana said. "But I am going to miss playing."
Of all the players not returning this season, the coach said
Quintana's absence will be felt the most.
"He was the heart and soul of the team," Wristen said. "He did
whatever he had to do to make us a better team. He loved the game
and played the game the way it should be played. No question we're
going to miss him."
ThunderWolves defensive coordinator Hunter Hughes said moving
Quintana to offense was not an easy decision.
"It wasn't a move made in haste," Hughes said. "We thought the
offensive line lacked leadership as much as anything and Victor was
the best leader we had. We thought he'd be able to show those young
kids how to work hard and he did."
Quintana isn't the only major contributor from a year ago sitting
out this season. Linebacker Steve Jordan, a standout from Pueblo
West who missed the second half of last season with a back injury,
is done.
"Jordan was a lot like Victor in that they brought something to us
that we didn't have," Hughes said. "I wish we had six or seven guys
like Victor and Steve. We'd be tough."
Offensively, the ThunderWolves' leading rusher in Brandon Gray (401
yards, 2 TDs) and receiver Aromous Robinson (22-250, 2TDs), a
Division I prospect who showed flashes of brilliance last season,
both have left the team for personal reasons.
Casey McConnell, a lineman from Canon City who played in all 10
games last season, decided not to return as well.
Brock Veasely, a freshman from Aurora who saw time at quarterback,
return specialist, receiver and then moved to defense in the
spring, did not make grades and won't be in uniform.
One player who created a buzz this spring was quarterback Tanner
Rogers. A former minor league catcher, Rogers had four years of
football eligibility remaining and was in a battle for the starting
job. Rogers, however, left the team after spring workouts.
"I don't have an answer on Tanner," Wristen said. "I haven't spoken
to him. I don't know why he left or if he's coming back. The door's
always open."
The ThunderWolves report six days from today and begin practice
officially on Aug. 6.
jcervi@chieftain.com
