Finally Off Recruiting Trail, MacIntyre Ready To Settle In At CU

DENVER (CBS4) - New University of Colorado Buffaloes head football coach Mike MacIntyre said the last couple of months have been crazy as he had little time to get things together for his new team.

"It's been crazy but it's been a lot of fun. Recruiting and getting to know the football players on our team now and meeting everybody in town, and that type of thing, it's been a blast," MacIntyre said on Xfinity Monday Live! "We went out on the trail recruiting and now I can kind of settle in to our young men on campus now."

MacIntyre said he was aware of the situation at CU with former head coach Jon Embree but he didn't know he was a candidate until about three days before he took the job.

"I was not looking to leave San Jose State, I loved it there. I had a lot of people calling and inquiring about our position, but I wasn't looking to go anywhere," he said. "(I) really didn't know exactly all of the things going on at CU because I was in the middle of our season and we were getting ready for a bowl game."

But he said his phone rang and one thing led to another and he's blessed to be in Boulder.

Part of MacIntyre's package at CU was a commitment to upgrade the facilities and he said it's starting to happen.

"We've got a package together to do that and we're going to do it in phases," he said. "Our president, Bruce Benson, and our chancellor, Phil (DiStefano) and (Athletic Director) Mike Bohn and all of them have been working hard doing that, and I've been very pleased with what they've done so far."

CBS4's Vic Lombardi asked MacIntyre how he describes his demeanor as a head coach.

"I'm an intense with integrity type of guy. I'm hands-on, I enjoy football, I'm very passionate. I've got to make sure I control my passion sometimes," he said. "I love the competitive spirit of football."

The "pistol" formation on offense is hot in football right now and MacIntyre says he's going to run it.

"We will run the pistol formation. I like being able to run downhill, have play-action pass, also be able to get the ball out of your quarterback's hands quick for the spread-type offense," he said. "(It) depends on how well out quarterback can run with how much running we'll do with it."

The people at Monarch High School were very happy MacIntyre decided to come to CU because his son Jay is an excellent point guard at basketball.

"He got his ball playing ability and his intelligence from his mom. He's doing a good job."

Jay MacIntyre also plays quarterback and his dad believes he'll be able to play at the next level.

"He can play at the next level as quarterback or another position. He's a really good athlete."

MacIntyre insists he'll have the Buffs ready when they open the season against Colorado State University on Aug. 31 in Denver.

- By Matthew J. Buettner, CBSDenver.com

Watch more of the video with Mike MacIntyre in the Xfinity Monday Live! section.