Pack football tryout draws more than 100

The last time Steve Jordan set foot on the artificial turf at Dutch Clark Stadium, he was playing linebacker for Adams State College.

That was just last year.

Wednesday, Jordan was back at Dutch Clark, trying to earn a spot with the newly formed team at Colorado State University-Pueblo during an open tryout.

"When they got football back here, I definitely wanted to come back and play in my hometown," said Jordan, who was one of more than 100 potential players trying to catch the collective eyes of the CSU-Pueblo coaching staff.

"It was a really hard decision (to leave Adams State). I started most of the games at the end of last season and I had a good chance to be a starter there again this year. I went through spring ball and was ready to go back. It wasn't until a week before I was supposed to go that I decided to stay. I gave up a lot because I know nothing's going to be handed to me here."

The school plays its first game 350 days from today. Head coach John Wristen made his prospects yell "Panhandle" during conditioning, referring to Panhandle State (Okla.), the T-Wolves' first opponent.

"This was exciting, just getting on the football field with a whistle around my neck and guys flying around," Wristen said. "We knew there weren't going to be any All-Americans out there, and we just wanted to see if these guys could listen, work hard and compete. There was a lot of potential out there."

The open tryout, which lasted more than two hours on the abnormally hot afternoon, attracted dozens of former Pueblo prep players. There also were many transfers and several who were from out-of-town or out-of-state.

Those expecting a light workout were sorely mistaken. So much so that many will be sore today.

Prospects were divided into six groups and put through the paces: First through individual speed and agility drills that lasted more than an hour before a break, then position drills on both offense and defense.

"We wanted to make sure that they knew what it was going to take to play at the college level," Wristen said. "It's supposed to be hard and we tried to make it hard today."

There was blood. And sweat. And tears, along with scrapes, torn clothes and vomit.

"This was intense. It was a good scale to see who really wants to be out here or should be out here," Jordan said. "There were some guys that might be able to make it at the next level. I thought I was in shape, but I'm not. Most of this was just pure adrenaline."
National signing day isn't until February of 2008, so no player officially can commit to the program until then. There were a few on Wednesday, however, Wristen would've loved to sign on the spot.

"We'll get together as a staff and digest what we had here," he said. "Players win games and we need to get players. But seeing this turnout - we only had about 50 that pre-registered - is encouraging."