Weber State’s Eric Kjar Offers Honest Insight Into What Makes Colorado Challenging

Coming off an electrifying 14-13 win over Georgia Tech in Atlanta, the Colorado Buffaloes are 1-0 and will be looking to keep their momentum rolling in their first home game of the season this Saturday.

Meanwhile, Weber State enters the matchup at 1-1 after a 47-42 loss to Southern Utah last weekend. While the Wildcats are heavy underdogs heading into Saturday’s game against Colorado, coach Eric Kjar knows exactly what kind of opportunity awaits his team when it steps onto the gridiron at Folsom Field.

Weber State Coach Eric Kjar On the Challenge Ahead

While a matchup against a Big 12 opponent can offer opportunity to an FCS program like Weber State, Kjar knows his team is walking into a difficult environment against a Colorado team that already made a huge statement during Week 1 in Atlanta.

Ahead of their Week 2 matchup, Kjar spoke highly of the Buffs’ performance against Georgia Tech and the opportunity his team has in front of it this weekend.

“I think it’s an exciting opportunity for us to be able to go into a big environment,” Kjar said. “A lot of people know about Colorado, or at least know their program, from a national standpoint. And they played well last week. I thought they played great defense and made enough plays in the offensive game, running the ball really well and effectively, to where they were able to put themselves in a position to win on the road; that was a big win for them.”

Kjar’s praise of the defense is understandable considering what the Buffs were able to accomplish in Atlanta. Colorado held the Yellow Jackets to just six points and 51 rushing yards on 30 attempts, on the way to earning Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week honors. Defensive lineman Lamont Lester Jr. was also named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.

Now, Colorado will look to use that performance as a springboard to build even more momentum in front of an always-rowdy Folsom Field crowd.

Coach Prime’s Respect for Coach Eric Kjar

While Colorado will enter Saturday’s matchup as 34.5-point favorites, according to FanDuel, Sanders still made it clear during Tuesday’s press conference in Boulder that he holds tremendous respect for Kjar and the success he has achieved as a coach.

“I love him for many reasons,” Sanders said. “I love him because he’s a flat-out winner.”

Sanders also believes Kjar will have his players ready to take advantage of the massive opportunity in front of them, knowing they will be playing in front of a large crowd and on ESPN+.

“His kids play for him,” Sanders said. “And he’s going to have those guys prepared. He’s going to allow them to know the magnitude of the opportunity.”

Coach Prime understands that Saturday’s game could mean a lot more for Weber State’s players than simply another game on the schedule. For some, it could be an opportunity to put themselves on the radar of Power Four programs and potentially earn a chance to move up through the transfer portal.

That motivation alone could make Saturday’s matchup more competitive than the sportsbooks might suggest.

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Colorado Looks to Keep the Momentum Rolling

While Weber State would love to give Colorado a dose of their medicine and pull off an upset on the road, Coach Prime made it clear Tuesday that his team won’t be taking the Wildcats lightly, especially knowing what’s at stake for the players on the other sideline.

“We’re ready, man, we’re prepared. I promise you we’re not taking anything for granted,” Sanders said. “Because I know darn well if I were on that team, I would come here and want to put on and show out so that somebody could notice me and maybe grab me out of the portal and pay me handsomely.”

Sanders explained that it’s exactly how he would approach the opportunity if he were in the Wildcats’ shoes.

“That’s what I would be thinking if I were on that team,” Sanders said. “So I’m pretty sure there are certain guys thinking the same thing.”

Colorado showed massive improvements on both sides of the ball in its season debut on the road. Now, with Weber State coming to Boulder, the Buffs have a chance to build on that performance and keep the momentum rolling in front of their home crowd at Folsom Field.

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