Even before the first game of the season this year, University of Northern Colorado head football coach Ed Lamb sees progress and wins in the Bears program.
It remains to be see if Lamb and UNC will earn more victories on the field, continuing the slow rebuild now in a fourth year. UNC didn’t win a game in Lamb’s first season in 2023, but the Bears won one the following year and four in 2025. The four wins was the most for the program in nearly a decade.
There is evidence for Lamb showing that the program is moving in the right direction now, and that comes from the players and what they’re doing off the field. Guys are playing the part of ambassadors and contributing to informal recruiting in the transfer portal and with perspective high school players.
Since Lamb took over in December 2022, he’s emphasized recruiting and developing Colorado players. The recruiting philosophy is about pursing Colorado high school players and current college players interested in returning home. This is where guys on the current roster have been helpful, and among them are offensive lineman AJ Burton, linebacker Hudson Voggesser and running back Jaden Thomas.
“It’s something that we talked about from Day 1,” Lamb said. “One of the byproducts of local recruiting would be that eventually those we weren’t able to sign might be wanting to come back to this area. Might want a fresh start.”
One of those players looking for a new start is wide receiver Garrett Harstad, who joined the Bears in January from Kansas State in the Big 12 Conference. He went to KSU from Loveland High School, where he played with close friend Voggesser.
They’ve known each other and played sports together since they were 5 years old, Harstad said. Harstad went to KSU in 2023 and redshirted, meaning he sat out for season while continuing to practice and train with the Wildcats. He didn’t play in 2024, and saw a little time last fall on special teams. Harstad wanted to play more, so he opted to transfer.
UNC recruited Harstad at Loveland, where he was a first-team all-state quarterback. Harstad had the chance to play at the bigger Football Bowl Subdivision level at Kansas State, a program that recruited him over a period of time. He went to KSU knowing it wouldn’t be as a quarterback and he was comfortable with the change, he told the Loveland Reporter-Herald in February 2023.
When Harstad realized he wanted to transfer, he contacted Voggesser. The young men both went to football camp at Kansas State, and they wanted to join the Wildcats together. Voggesser picked New Mexico State, and he and Harstad signed letters to play college sports with other Loveland High athletes on the same night.
Voggesser, a Big Sky Conference honorable mention linebacker last year, more than recommended Harstad return home.
“Hudson told me to come here,” Harstad said. “He wanted me to come here. It shows that … the culture that coach Lamb is building here is something really special.”
Through his football career, Harstad has played with or against eight other guys on the Bears roster, including Voggesser.
Hearing from another player or buddy that you can play in a program means more from a coach, Harstad said. Voggesser came to UNC in 2024 after transferring from New Mexico State. His roommate there was Thomas, who is from Windsor. Both guys discussed playing at UNC when they opted to leave New Mexico State, Voggesser said.
“I think it means more here,” he said. “I’m from Colorado. I don’t want to get embarrassed (on the field). I think there is more of a motivation to do well. I know these guys from Colorado who want to come here. They want to turn the program around too.”
This spring, there are 15 players on the UNC roster from Colorado who’ve transferred into the Bears program, including Voggesser, Harstad and Burton. The others are Marcus Mozer (Fort Collins/Fossil Ridge High School); Evan Harrell (Aurora/Cherokee Trail High); Trey Stott (Parker/Valor Christian); Tyrese Johnson (Arvada/Ralston Valley High); Josh Harvey (Aurora/Regis Jesuit); Zach Pekarek (Burlington/Ponderosa High); Trey Olsen (Loveland/Loveland High); Jesiah Cornwell (Florence/Florence High); D’Andre Ferguson (Colorado Springs/Sierra High); Jordan Niesent (Wellington/Poudre High); and Keegan Patterson (Longmont/Longmont High).
There are 55 guys from Colorado high schools on the total 95-player roster this spring. More players will come in this summer.Lamb is excited by what he sees with players recruiting players because it plays right into UNC’s best path to be a championship program. This will have to happen with player development and “remarkable retention,” he said. It’s not realistic for the program or university to attract guys with a lot of money.
The program’s best chance to find players is recruiting local athletes who want to spend at least some time with the Bears, if not their entire college career. Lamb said he and the program would certainly celebrate a player’s move to a bigger program.
“But they’re not just looking to come here, make a name for themselves and take the first lateral move they can,” Lamb said. “These guys know that they have the chance to really develop to their fullest potential right here.”
Lamb said the National Football League is issuing studies and research saying the transfer portal hurts player development and chances to be drafted. National media outlets including The Athletic and Sports Illustrated have written stories about these concerns in the days leading to this year’s draft. The draft is in progress this weekend.
“I think we’re building the infrastructure here where young men will want to stay,” Lamb said. “As a general rule, as long as possible and develop themselves.” Burton, the offensive lineman, joined the Bears from Iowa State after the 2024 season. He went to ISU from Cherry Creek High School, which is one of the best high school programs in Colorado. At Cherry Creek, Burton was evaluated as a three-start recruit and top 10 player in Colorado. He was second team all state and won three state titles in high school.
Burton said he left Iowa State because he wanted to find a program where he could play and develop. Improving as a player is a bigger selling point for Burton now when he considers his college experiences. He said he doesn’t regret going to Iowa State. He learned and matured with the Cyclones. In hindsight, he said he might’ve played at a Football Championship Subdivision program like UNC and then switched to a bigger program.
“The biggest thing is getting on the field and getting playing time,” Burton said. “Here, the coach is going to coach you. It’s not the accessories and everything else. Work hard here, and you’re going to become a better football player and a better person.”
Burton said he’s received inquires about UNC from former Cherry Creek teammates who were in grades behind him. Guys have reached out and expressed an interest in visiting UNC or they’ve come up to campus. Burton talks with these players when they visit.
He also heard from Portland State running back Jordan Herron, a freshman from Cherry Creek about transferring to UNC this summer.
“Just selling them on they’re going to come here and get developed,” Burton added. “And that’s the biggest thing for me.”
