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CSU Pueblo football set to kick off 2023 season with new head coach. Here's what to expect

chris abdelmalek, pueblo chieftain
·6 min read

The 2023 Colorado State University Pueblo ThunderWolves will kick off their new season this coming Saturday, Sept. 2, at the ThunderBowl as they take on Midwestern State University.

With the new football season rolling in, what better time than now to take a more in-depth look at the new head coach of the ThunderWolves, Philip Vigil, and what he brings to the table? We'll also look into the rest of the 2023 schedule and what to expect from the ThunderWolves this year.

Welcome to Pueblo, Coach Vigil

Vigil is originally from Colorado, having grown up in Arvada. He is a graduate of Faith Christian High School and went on to play football at Colorado Mesa University, where he first learned about his potential of being a head coach.

“While I was playing there, my head coach at the time was like, ‘Phil you need to get you into coaching’ and my response was simply, ‘No, no, please don't say that,’” Vigil said.

John Wristen, left, presents Philip Vigil with a jersey during a press conference announcing Vigil as the new head football coach of Colorado State University Pueblo on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.
John Wristen, left, presents Philip Vigil with a jersey during a press conference announcing Vigil as the new head football coach of Colorado State University Pueblo on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

Vigil dismissed the idea of coaching for a while and finished out his time at the university. From there he went back to Denver, got a job, got married, and seemed to have a very regular run-of-the-mill life that most people would be very happy with — but not Vigil.

“I got a job in sales and was making great money, but I was just absolutely miserable,” Vigil said. “So, I told my wife, 'I think I want to get back in football.' And so I walked into Bob's (Stitt) office who was the head coach at Colorado School of Mines at the time, and said, 'Hey coach, I want to get into college football, and do you have anything for me?' And he's like, 'Nope.'”

Not to be discouraged, Vigil began to show up every day at practice as a volunteer assistant. It was evident by his work ethic and determination that he was going to be a coach one day. So, the school hired him the next year, thus starting his career in coaching.

More: 'RMAC will run through Pueblo': Vigil introduced as ThunderWolves head football coach

Before long, Vigil was moving up the coaching ranks and when it came time for him to get his first crack at a head coaching gig, it wasn’t necessarily the easiest decision for him.

“I was at Stephen F. Austin's in Texas and while I was there, I got an opportunity for a head coaching job, but at a very tough place — Western New Mexico,” Vigil said. “Most of my mentors told me 'Don't take that job, you know you want the opportunity to be a head coach but if you take a bad job, it's a bad job for a reason.' But we just felt like the Lord was calling us there.”

To make things even more difficult for Vigil, he took the job in May, which was late in the recruiting process at that point, and it was smack in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Things could not have started off any rougher; however, with hard work, his faith and the support of everyone around him, Vigil rose to the challenge.

Fast forward two years and Vigil would transform a 1-11 team into a 6-5 team and earn the program its first season ever above the .500 mark. Vigil would then get a message that he thought would never happen.

“I got a text from Dr. Paul Plinske, the athletic director here,” Vigil said. “I got on the phone with him later that evening and two weeks later, here we are (in Pueblo) and so it's been a journey. We're excited to get back home to Colorado.”

Vigil is ready to take on the challenge of replacing legendary CSU Pueblo coach John Wristen, however, he is going to do it the only way he knows how to do things: with hard work and faith and trust that he will go and do what is necessary to outwork everyone.

“I'm extremely grateful for the opportunity,” Vigil said. “I'm not going to let anyone down, I'm not going to let this town down, and this university. We're going to put a product on the field that people are going to be proud of, and not only that but I'm excited to give back to the Pueblo. I feel like we've been given a platform and I want to be able to get out and be a blessing.

"It's not just about filling the stands. It's about going to elementary schools and giving back to those kids. I want this program to be a bright spot in the Pueblo community, and not just because of what they do on the football field, but because of what they do outside the football field.”

CSUP ThunderWolves 2023 Football Schedule

CSU-Pueblo quarterback Steven Croell drops back to pass in a drill during the Thunderwolves practice at CSU-Pueblo.
CSU-Pueblo quarterback Steven Croell drops back to pass in a drill during the Thunderwolves practice at CSU-Pueblo.

With the formalities out of the way let's check out the CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves' upcoming schedule and take a look back at the 2022 season.

Last season, the ThunderWolves started rough with quarterback Steven Croell being thrown into a gauntlet in the first four games of the season, facing three of the top 25 ranked teams. When some changes were made to the offense, the team seemed to turn things around.

After starting 1-3, they would finish the season on a 7-game winning streak, which included breaking the school records for most points in a game and eventually making the playoffs. Unfortunately, they ran into the Colorado School of Mines which would go on to play in the finals last year.

More: CSU Pueblo football sets school record for points in a game with victory over Fort Lewis

The 2023 schedule will feature the same opponents in the same weeks as last year's schedule, except the sites are reversed. What was a home game last year will be an away game this year, while last year's away games will be home games this season.

With the schedule in place and the talent on the field returning from last season, it's safe to say that the ThunderWolves should have a successful season in 2023.

Here is a look at the full schedule including times, and locations:

(Please note that times and locations are subject to change without notice. Please follow the Chieftain for weekly updates on game coverage of the 2023 CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football season.) 

  • Sept. 2, 2023, 6 p.m. vs. Midwestern State, CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

  • Sept. 9, 2023, 5 p.m. at Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI (Lubbers Stadium)

  • Sept. 16, 2023, 2 p.m. vs. Western Colorado, CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

  • Sept. 23, 2023, 2 p.m. vs. Colorado School of Mines, CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

  • Sept. 30, 2023, 12 p.m. at Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO (Ray Dennison Memorial Field)

  • Oct. 7, 2023, 2 p.m. vs. Adams State, CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

  • Oct. 14, 2023, 12 p.m. at New Mexico Highlands, Las Vegas, NM (Sanchez Family Stadium)

  • Oct. 21, 2023, 12 p.m. at Chadron State College, Chadron, NE (Elliott Field at Don Beebe Stadium)

  • Oct. 28, 2023, 1 p.m. vs. Colorado Mesa, CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

  • Nov. 4, 2023, 12 p.m. at South Dakota Mines, Rapid City, SD (O'Harra Stadium)

  • Nov. 11, 2023, 1 p.m. vs. Black Hills State, CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl

Christopher Abdelmalek is a sports reporter for the Pueblo Chieftain and can be reached at cabdelmalek@gannett.com or on Twitter: @chowebacca. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: CSU Pueblo kicks off new season with new head coach; full schedule