PUEBLO, Colo. – Colorado State University Pueblo football returns home to the comforts of the ThunderBowl this Saturday as the ThunderWolves host Adams State for its Homecoming 2023 game. Kickoff for Saturday's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest is set for 2:02 p.m.
 
In addition to this weekend's homecoming festivities, CSU Pueblo Athletics will honor its Class of 2023 Athletics Hall of Fame inductees with an induction ceremony on Friday night at 6 p.m. in the OSC Ballroom and will then recognize the nine inductees at halftime of the Adams State game. The members of the Hall of Fame Class of 2023 are former men's basketball player Bobby Graham (1963-66), former women's cross country and women's track and field athlete Bailey Hughes (2015-17), former women's basketball and volleyball player Deborah Hunter (1985-87), former football player and current nine-year NFL veteran center Ryan Jensen (2009-12), former women's basketball player Shelly Watts (1985-88) and former men's cross country and track and field athlete and 14-time All-American Derrick Williams (2014-18). Additionally, former football coach Mike Friedman (1974-83) will join the Hall of Fame as a coach, while the Trahern Family, who spanned 13 seasons and over 400 games and matches in both volleyball and basketball, will join the Hall of the Fame as a Legacy Contributor and the 2016-17 women's basketball team that posted a 28-4 overall record and captured the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular season title and hosted the NCAA South Regional Tournament for the first and only time in school history will join the Hall of Fame in the Team category.
 
CSU Pueblo comes into Saturday's Homecoming game riding the momentum gained from last week's record setting 85-7 victory at Fort Lewis to move its record to 2-3 overall and 1-3 in the RMAC, while Adams State comes into the contest having won two straight games and are 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the league after collecting a 21-14 win last Saturday at New Mexico Highlands.
 
The 85 points scored at Fort Lewis were the fifth-most points scored in an NCAA Division II games this season and bettered the old school record of 75 points set last season against Fort Lewis. In addition to setting a new school record for points, the Pack also set new single game school records for total yards (764), total touchdowns (12), passing touchdowns (7), extra points made (11) and extra point attempts (11). Additionally, the Pack recorded season highs tallied season highs in rushing yards (409), passing yards (355), sacks (8), fewest points allowed (7), and fewest yards allowed (200). 
 
The Pack's 764 yards of offense are the most in a single game in NCAA football at all levels this season, while the 409 rushing yards are the fifth-most in an NCAA Division II game this season and the eight sacks are also the most in an NCAA Division II game on the year.
 
"I thought we came out and put a complete game together last week. I was proud of our effort," CSU Pueblo head football coach Philip Vigil said. "Sometimes in a game like what we had last week, you have the tendency to take the foot off the pedal and ease up, but to these guys' credit, we continued to play hard all 60 minutes and that was great to see."
 
The Pack offense scored on 12 of its 16 possessions, including scoring on seven of its eight first half possessions as they scored 50 points in the opening half. In the first half, the Pack offense ran 31 plays and gained 384 yards and their defense held Fort Lewis to just 77 yards of offense, including minus-5 yards rushing.
 
Graduate student quarterback Chance Fuller (Arlington, Texas/Fort Hays State) tied his season high with five touchdown passes as he was 10-for-16 passing for 174 yards. The Pack also ran for 210 yards in the opening half as junior running back Kiahn Martinez (Denver, Colo./University of Idaho) gained 125 yards on seven carries and junior running back Howard Russell (Phoenix, Ariz./Eastern New Mexico) added 87 yards on eight carries.
 
Fuller has now passed for 80 touchdowns in his collegiate career, which is fourth among active Division II quarterbacks, while his 9,114 career passing yards is third among active Division II players.
 
The biggest touchdown producer for the Pack was junior receiver Reggie Retzlaff (Corona, Calif./Riverside City College) as he caught three passes, all of which went for touchdowns in the first quarter of the game. Retzlaff's first score came on the Pack's third offensive play of the game as he caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from Fuller. He also had a 30-yard touchdown pass and capped the scoring in the first quarter with a 4-yard touchdown pass.
 
"I was proud of the offense. They got off to a quick start and did a good job, throwing a touchdown on its third play of the game, that was a good way to start the game," Vigil said. "Our defense was able to hold them (Fort Lewis) in check for the entire game, so I was pleased overall with our team and how they played."
 
Vigil said his team was the aggressor in last Saturday's game and that is something he wanted to see.
 
"We knew we wanted to be aggressive in the game, which is why we went for two after the first touchdown and that is why we kicked an on-side kick after our first touchdown. We wanted to be the aggressor," the Pack coach added. 
 
One of the positives of the score on Saturday was Vigil and his coaching staff were able to play a lot of players and see how those guys play when giving a chance to perform. All but one of the 65 players that suited up saw action in the game.
 
"I thought our guys when given their opportunity, they made the most of it. Whoever it was when they got their number called, they played hard and relished in the opportunity. I was proud of them for that," added Vigil. "There's no substitute for game experience and our guys got a lot of that on Saturday."
 
One of the biggest strengths for the Pack offense over the past few games has been their running game as the Pack have gained 626 yards on 66 carries and are averaging 9.5 yards per carry. The stretch started with 217 yards rushing against Mines two weeks ago and then continued with a season-high 409 yards against Fort Lewis.
 
"Early in the season, we had some challenges running the ball as the opponents we were facing were overloading the box which makes it difficult to run the football, so that limited our numbers a little bit," said Vigil. "But if we want to win in the November and in the playoffs, we've got to be able to run the football. The last couple of games, our backs have found ways to create angles and have been running hard and our offensive line has done their job and allowed our tailbacks to get to the third level and when they got to the third level on Saturday, they were making guys miss."
 
On the season, Martinez is not only the team's top rusher, but also the rushing leader in the RMAC as he has gained 408 yards on 67 carries and is averaging 6.1 yards per carry and a league-best 81.6 yards per game and has scored three touchdowns. In addition to Martinez, Russell has gained 232 yards on 23 carries and has scored two touchdowns and is averaging 10.1 yards per carry and 46.4 yards per game.
 
Meanwhile, on the receiving end, Retzlaff and redshirt junior Andrew Cook (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge) have each caught 20 passes on the season. Retzlaff leads the team with 260 receiving yards and has caught five touchdown passes, while Cook has recorded 206 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
 
One area that has really stepped up lately has been the offensive line, which has suffered several injuries that has forced the Pack to play a lot of young linemen. Against Fort Lewis, two of the five starting linemen – center Senon Chapple (Fort Worth, Texas/Fossil Ridge) and left tackle Tyler Ethridge (Midlothian, Texas/Midlothian) – were true freshmen.
 
"Coach (Garrett) Graf has done an excellent job with our offensive line and is getting those guys to play at a very high level. We've had a couple of guys banged up and it's just the next man up mentality and that next man up right now is a true freshman. They're playing well, doing things right and that is good to see," Vigil said about his team's offensive line play. "I'm excited about this group as they continue to get better each week."
 
Much like the previous five opponents, Adams State will present challenges on both side of the ball for the Pack on Saturday.
 
"We've got to be able to stop the run, stop the explosive plays, keep the quarterback in the pocket, get off the field on third downs and create turnovers," the coach said. "We did a good job on those things last week and we've got to continue that this weekend."
 
One of the big keys for the Pack on Saturday will be to limit distractions with it being homecoming week on campus.
 
"Once again, this week, one of the big keys to victory is about us. It's about the Pack and playing to our standard," said Vigil. "It's homecoming week and that means there's a lot of events and things going on and a lot of things to get distracted about."
 
Saturday's homecoming game will mark the 37th in school history and the Pack are 30-6 all-time in homecoming games, including being a perfect 14-0 on homecoming since the Pack football program restarted in 2008. Last season, the Pack collected a 75-3 win in last year's homecoming game against Fort Lewis. CSU Pueblo has faced Saturday's foe, Adams State, five times previously on homecoming and is 4-1 in those games, including winning four straight games against Adams State on homecoming.
 
"I think what makes CSU Pueblo special is the pride and the support of the alumni and it's special because of the people. I am looking forward to seeing some familiar faces and meeting some new ones and hopefully putting a great product on the field that they can be proud of," Vigil said about the CSU Pueblo football alumni.
 
Along with being the 37th all-time Homecoming game, Saturday's game will mark the 35th all-time meeting between the two schools and the 16th game since CSU Pueblo restarted football in 2008. The Pack leads the all-time series, 25-9 and have won 13 straight games in the series since Adams State collected a 16-8 win at Pueblo in 2008. The Pack are 13-5 at home in the series and 12-4 in the series at Adams State.
 
Following Saturday's game, the Pack will hit the road for two straight games away from home as they begin the road swing on Oct. 14 with a 12 p.m. game in Las Vegas, N.M., against New Mexico Highlands, before traveling to Chadron, Neb., for a 12 p.m. game on Oct. 21 at Chadron State.
 
ABOUT ADAMS STATE
Adams State comes into Saturday's game having won two straight games, including a 21-14 win at New Mexico Highlands and their three wins this season are the most since the 2019 team won four games en route to posting a 4-7 overall record.
 
As a team, Adams State, who is coached by Jarrell Harrison, is scoring 19.0 points per game, and is averaging 260.6 yards per game as they are rushing for 108.2 yards per game and are passing for 152.4 yards per game. The Grizzles have thrown seven touchdown passes and have scoring six rushing touchdowns.
 
"Coach Harrison has done a good job with his guys. They're playing at a high level right now. They're 3-2 and tied for third in the RMAC and they're doing it with two freshmen quarterbacks and those two have done a good job," said Vigil about Adams State.
 
In last Saturday's win at New Mexico Highlands, the Grizzles were outgained, 315-228, but outscored the Cowboys 21-7 in the first half and sealed it win on an end zone stop with 22 seconds left in the game.
 
The Grizzlies offense has played four quarterbacks this season with freshmen Connor Underhill and Chase Nelson leading being the primary signal callers. Those two have combined to go 61-for-109 passing for 671 yards and have tossed six touchdown passes and have thrown two interceptions.
 
"They've played two quarterbacks and each of them are different players and will present some challenge for our defense," said Vigil. "They're both good football players. Underhill is a little bit more athletic and can create things with his legs and scramble around, while Nelson is good with his arm, and both scare you when you watch tape."
 
ASU's big target through the air is senior Kentrell Petite, who has caught 20 passes for 212 yards and has three touchdown receptions, while sophomore Aaron Johnson has caught 11 passes for 164 yards and is averaging 14.9 yards per reception. On the ground, the Grizzlies are led by senior Daylen Boddie and junior Rasheed Rankin. Boddie leads the way with 166 yards rushing on 25 carries and has scored two times and is averaging 6.6 yards per carry, while Rankin has rushed for 159 yards on 42 carries and has scored four touchdowns.
 
"They also have a really good receiver, some really good tailbacks and their offensive line has been solid," added the coach.
 
On defense, the Grizzlies are allowing 30.4 points and 407 yards per game. In addition, ASU's foes are averaging 199.8 rushing yards per game and 207.2 passing yards per game. They have recorded four sacks, 19 tackles for a loss, three interceptions and have broken up 20 passes. The defensive leader for ASU is redshirt senior defensive back Daniel Mendoza, who has recorded 48 tackles, including 33 solo stops and has three tackles for a loss, one sack and six pass break-ups.
 
The Grizzlies special team's unit is led by senior punter Zachary Survillas, who is averaging 44.3 yards per punt. He has had five punts of 50 or more yards and is 2-for-4 on field goals and a perfect 10-for-10 on extra points, while redshirt sophomore returner Ellis Santana is averaging 33.6 yards per kickoff return and is averaging 65.2 all-purpose yards per game.
 
PACK FOOTBALL NOTES

• The sixth Philip Vigil Show of the 2023 football season is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5 at the Thunder Zone, which is located across the street from the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.
• In the Preseason RMAC Coaches' Poll, the Pack were tabbed to finish second as they received 71 points to sit nine points in front of third place Western Colorado, who earned 62 points and a first-place vote and 10 points behind first place Mines, who earned 81 points and nine first place votes.
• The Pack are the winningest football program in the state of Colorado in terms of winning percentage as the Pack has won 64 percent of its all-time games since beginning its four-year school tenure in 1963. The Pack have posted a 249-139-4 record in football since 1963. Colorado is the second winningest team in the state as they Buffs have won 57 percent of its games all-time as they have posted a 722-538-36 record.
• Saturday's game will mark the 176th game played since the restart of the Pack football program in 2008. Since 2008, the Pack have posted a 135-40 record.
• Saturday's game with Adams State marks the fourth home game this season for the Pack and its third RMAC home game. The Pack have posted a 71-18 overall record at home since 2008 and is 1-2 at home this season.
• The Game Day sponsors for Saturday's game are Parkview Health System and ENT Credit Union.
• All Pack football games will be broadcast once again this season on Fox Sports Pueblo (1350 AM) with Jim Brooks and Joe Cervi on the call. Saturday's broadcast will begin with a pregame show starting at 1:30 p.m. MT.