PUEBLO, Colo. – The Colorado State University Pueblo football officially reported for the start of the 2024 campaign on Saturday, Aug. 3 as preseason practice for the ThunderWolves began on Monday, Aug. 5 with an 8:30 a.m. workout for the veterans and a 10 a.m. practice for the rookies at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl.

CSU Pueblo's players reported to campus on Aug. 3 as they moved in the dorms, had a newcomers meeting with the coaches and then in the afternoon, the players received their equipment, had dinner in the cafeteria and participated in a team activity, before having an NCAA Compliance meeting, team meetings, head shot photos and a team dinner on Sunday, Aug. 4 prior to Monday's first on-field workout.

After conducting its first practice of the season on Monday, the team will hold veteran and newcomer practices from 8:30 a.m.-10:20 a.m. (veterans) and from 10 a.m.-11:50 a.m. (rookies) each day until Saturday, Aug. 10 when the team will hold its first practice together and also conduct a scrimmage. That practice, which will be in full pads, is scheduled to begin at 2:10 p.m. and will run for nearly two hours.

During the second week of fall camp (Aug. 12-Aug. 18), the team will alternate evening and afternoon practices as they will practice on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 7-9 p.m., and conduct practices from 2:10-4 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Those practices will lead into a second scrimmage on Saturday, Aug. 17 from 2:10-4 p.m.

The Pack, who went 8-3 overall and 7-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and ended the season winning its final seven games, will shift to morning practices from 7-8:30 a.m. during the week once fall semester classes begin on the CSU Pueblo campus on Monday, Aug. 19.

Second-year CSU Pueblo head coach Philip Vigil welcomes back 65 lettermen, including 21 starters from last season's team that ended the season winning its final seven games. Vigil's 2024 team has eight starters back on offense, nine starters on defense and four on special teams.

Among the top returning offensive starters are senior receiver Reggie Retzlaff (Corona, Calif./Riverside City College), who was a Second-Team All-RMAC selection last season after catching a school record tying 12 touchdown passes. In addition to Retzlaff, redshirt senior receiver Andrew Cook (Tucson, Ariz./Ironwood Ridge), who is a two-time All-RMAC selection and caught 46 passes for 566 yards and has hauled in 20 career receiving touchdowns and senior running back Kiahn Martinez (Denver, Colo./University of Idaho), who was a Second-Team All-RMAC selection last season after rushing for 796 yards and scored seven touchdowns. Other returning offensive starters are sophomore offensive lineman Senon Chapple (Fort Worth, Texas/Fossil Ridge), redshirt junior tight end Tyler Dvorak (Englewood, Colo./Cherry Creek), sophomore offensive lineman Tyler Ethridge (Midlothian, Texas/Midlothian), redshirt junior offensive lineman Domingo Prince II (Aurora, Colo./Cherry Creek) and redshirt junior receiver Zack Rakowsky (Loveland, Colo./Loveland), who led the Pack with 58 receptions for 769 yards and was an Honorable Mention All-RMAC selection. Chapple was named the RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year last season, while Dvorak and Prince earned All-RMAC honors in 2023.

Meanwhile, on defense, the top returning starter in redshirt senior defensive back Daniel Bone III (Colorado Springs, Colo./Pine Creek), who is a two-time All-American and was named a Preseason All-American by Lindy's Football after recording 84 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and recovered three fumbles last season. Other key returning defensive starters for the Pack are fifth-year senior defensive lineman Dominick Fini (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mesa Ridge), redshirt junior defensive back Keith Mckaney (Avondale, Ariz./Desert Edge), redshirt senior linebacker Jon Nuschy (La Junta, Colo./Northern Colorado), redshirt senior defensive back Eli Pittman (Peoria, Ariz./Liberty), fifth-year senior defensive lineman Cody Ramming (Littleton, Colo./Columbine), senior defensive lineman Makeah Scippio (Peyton, Colo./Harrison), sophomore linebacker Gary Seidenberger (Fredericksburg, Texas/Fredericksburg) and senior defensive lineman James Turrentine (Elk Grove, Calif./American River College). Fini is a two-time All-RMAC selection, while Mckaney, Nuschy, Ramming and Scippio all earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC honors last season, while Pittman was a Second-Team All-RMAC selection and Seidenberger was named the RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year.

The Pack's top special team returners are Cook at punt returner, redshirt sophomore running back Moosah Alsaffar (Aurora, Colo./Grandview) at kick returner, sophomore kicker Evan Lyons (Superior, Colo./Monarch) and senior kicker Jacob Willig (Fort Collins, Colo./Rocky Mountain). Cook averaged 11.9 yards per punt return last season, while Alsaffar was a First-Team All-RMAC selection after returning two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged a school record 76 yards per kickoff return in 2023. Lyons handled the kickoff duties last season and averaged 60.3 yards per kickoff and Willig led the team in scoring with 77 points after going 59-for-60 on extra points and 6-for-10 on field goals.  

CSU Pueblo kicks off the 2024 season with a 6 p.m. RMAC road game in Rapid City, S.D., on Thursday, Aug. 29 against South Dakota Mines. The Pack's first home game is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 7 against UT-Permian Basin at 6 p.m. and that will be the first of three straight home contests for the Pack as they host Grand Valley State on Saturday, Sept. 14 at 6 p.m. and then host Colorado Mesa for a 2 p.m. RMAC game on Saturday, Sept. 21. The Pack will host New Mexico Highlands for its annual Homecoming/Hall of Fame Game on Saturday, Oct. 5.

Here is the 2024 preseason practice schedule for the Pack football team (schedule is subject to change and all practices will be held at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl).

Practice #1 (Monday, Aug. 5) – 8:30 a.m. (Veterans) / 10 a.m. (Rookies) – helmets
Practice #2 (Tuesday, Aug. 6) – 8:30 a.m. (Veterans) / 10 a.m. (Rookies) – helmets
Practice #3 (Wednesday, Aug. 7) – 8:30 a.m. (Veterans) / 10 a.m. (Rookies) – shells
Practice #4 (Thursday, Aug. 8) – 8:30 a.m. (Veterans) / 10 a.m. (Rookies) – helmets
Practice #5 (Friday, Aug. 9) – 8:30 a.m. (Veterans) / 10 a.m. (Rookies) – shells
Practice #6 (Saturday, Aug. 10) – 2:10 p.m. (Scrimmage #1) – full pads
Practice #7 (Monday, Aug. 12) – 7 p.m. – full pads
Practice #8 (Tuesday, Aug. 13) – 2:10 p.m. – shells
Practice #9 (Wednesday, Aug. 14) – 7 p.m. – full pads
Practice #10 (Thursday, Aug. 15) – 2:10 p.m. – shells
Practice #11 (Friday, Aug. 16) – 7 p.m. – helmets
Practice #12 (Saturday, Aug. 17) – 2:10 p.m. (Scrimmage #2) – full pads
Practice #13 (Monday, Aug. 19) – 7 a.m. – First day of classes
Practice #14 (Tuesday, Aug. 20) – 7 a.m.
Practice #15 (Wednesday, Aug. 21) – 7 a.m.
Practice #16 (Thursday, Aug. 22) – 7 a.m.
Practice #17 (Friday, Aug. 23) – 7 a.m.
Practice #18 (Saturday, Aug. 24) - TBD
Practice #19 (Monday, Aug. 26) – 7-8:30 a.m. – Game Week
Practice #20 (Tuesday, Aug. 28) – 7-8:30 a.m.
Practice #21 (Wednesday, Aug. 29) – Travel Day
Game #1 (Thursday, Aug. 29 at South Dakota Mines) – 6 p.m. kickoff