Following their 3-0 victory over Grand Canyon University, Jamie Franks concluded his media session with a heartfelt handshake and appreciative words for the Box State Footy crew. Franks, 36, is currently in his ninth season in charge of the Denver Pioneers and comes across as a person whose poise and confidence are akin to those of a grizzled veteran coach who's seen it all. Franks may need more years to truly claim he's "seen it all", but one undeniable fact is that he is a significant factor in the success of the University of Denver soccer program. In a sports world where collegiate athletes move and shift around for the best opportunities—both academically and professionally—DU embraces and welcomes top young talent from around the state. Coupled with humble (yet still impressive) facilities, a gorgeous pitch, a simple style of play, and a strong recent track record of success, the Pioneers stand out as a gem of a team to follow in the Colorado soccer landscape.
Thanks for reading Box State Footy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
In Case You Missed It:
Juanners
If you look through the current 2023 Men’s roster, you’ll recognize some familiar names if you pay attention to the youth pipeline in the Centennial State. The two that stand out the most, due to name and club recognition, are goalkeeper Isaac Nehme and midfielder Sam Bassett, both currently under contract with the Colorado Rapids. But beyond them, you'll find other homegrown talents like Ian Smith, David Biggers, and Ben Smith. Add talents like Jason Belloli, Ian Welch, Holger Olsson, and Oje Ofunrein to the mix, and you have the makings of a truly promising core and squad to watch. This team has been meticulously built by Coach Franks, who believes in the importance of growth not only as players but also as individuals. In an interview on the Denver Coaches’ Radio Show, Franks elaborated on this and emphasized the program's guiding beliefs and principles.
“At the core of what we’re doing is development. We’re not looking at the transfer portal and bringing thirteen new guys off the transfer portal…for us it’s the development of the person. So we feel that the longer that you’re with the program the more you’re going to develop. The more that you’re going to learn through the experience.
-Jamie Franks on the August 22nd edition of the Denver Coaches Radio Show
Tactically, the team plays a slow burn possession style of soccer. They look to stretch their opponents with wide full backs opening gaps in the middle. The inter-play between the center backs and the holding midfielder allows for their midfielders to roam into key spots and the full backs to find space if those midfielders get closed down. You need a set of tactically astute and technically gifted players to make this style work; which the University of Denver has. This allows the team to dictate tempo and lets them decide how quick or slow they want to play with the ball. They also give up the ball to their opposition when in rest defense and transition into a low and compact 4-4-2. They invite pressure in and welcome it as they look to hit their quick and crafty strikers. It’s all the makings of a team that really utilizes the altitude in ways that just works. It’s a simple style of soccer that may be, admittedly, hard for casual soccer fans to follow. The minute they flick the switch though and ignite into a quick and seamless transitional attack is when the real magic happens.
This season, the Pios' expectations have been firmly established. Coach Franks believes they are contenders and can rival the best programs across the state. In the previous season, DU was eliminated in the second round of the NCAA College Cup by Duke in a 3-1 loss. To secure a spot in the College Cup, they'll need to secure victory in the Summit League Conference Championship—an end-of-year tournament among the top four teams in the Summit League. Looking ahead to the current schedule for the University of Denver, they'll be engaging in numerous out-of-conference matches. With an impressive record, this avenue could serve as another path to qualification.
We’re a championship program and we need to win championships. So it’s the regular season and then the Summit League Championship. Those are our first goals that we can hit…If you look at our out of conference schedule over the past five, six, seven years, we’re tried to play against the best so our RPI is good... Right now it’s RPI games for us but we’re just focused on growing and getting better each week so that we can win knockout football games come November.
RPI, or rating percentage index, is a metric used to rank teams’ wins and loss across conferences and strength of schedule. It’s used to sort of weed out the big fishes in small ponds. Out of their 17 games this season, DU will play against 12 teams with a Top-100 RPI rating and three Top-20 RPI rating teams included 17th ranked Portland, 7th Ranked Pittsburgh, and 3rd ranked Creighton. These games will be the true measuring stick for where the University of Denver are at and if they have what it takes to compete for a NCAA Championship. Games like the 0-0 against San Diego State (ranked 50th) may be the norm for knockout collegiate footy. It’ll be up to Franks to figure out the best strategies against those teams.
If the play style and potential championship aspirations aren't sufficient to persuade you to keep notifications for DU set to "on," I inquired with Franks about his call to action to encourage people to come out and offer their support
You’ve got a top ten college soccer team that’s won a lot of games over the past ten, twelve years. We’re doing it with top GPA in the country, most “Community Service Best” awards and they’re all coming from Colorado; about half of our roster is from Colorado…we take a lot of pride in winning the state of Colorado… For us the support is great we want to see the next generation come out and support.
What struck me about this is how the program is constructed and operated akin to an actual club team. It could have been simple for the school to bring in a coach who implements their own style and brings in their own players. However, DU has chosen to invest in local talent. Their style of play also aligns with the altitude and the geography of the Box State. Numerous factors surrounding this team extend beyond the field. The Pioneers have everything one could desire from a professional team. They offer an RTD light rail station right next to the stadium, ensuring quick and dependable transportation. The vicinity boasts excellent restaurants, including Jerusalem, Spanky’s, Illegal Pete’s, and my personal favorite, Tacos El Metate. The campus-area bars are also noteworthy. My videographer and I enjoyed a drink before the game at the Stadium Inn—a nifty dive bar that offers free billiards from 1PM to 7PM. The neighborhood they call home is brimming with community spirit and local enterprises. I'm somewhat regretful for only realizing this now. Yet, that's the beauty of Box State Footy. It's about uncovering these unique spots and soccer communities in Colorado, while also inspiring more individuals to attend these matches and experiences. Failing to attend a DU game is depriving oneself of a near authentic football club experience. Admittedly, the games might have their quirks—the countdown clock, the music during stoppages, and the intricate nature of collegiate conferences and rankings (lord knows I had to do my fair share of research on the whole structure) .But once you surpass these initial hurdles, it's challenging not to develop an affinity for what could very well be Denver's genuine team.
VIDEO: Jamie Franks Full Post Game Media Session
Thanks for reading Box State Footy! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.
Thank you for reading this Box State Footy feature. We intend to bring you more of these for various teams and stories throughout the season. If you possess a compelling soccer story that deserves to be shared, please reach out to us at Boxstatefooty@gmail.com. Our coverage of the University of Denver's opening week of the season will wrap up on Thursday, as we introduce our inaugural Box State Baller. Stay tuned for more, and once again, thank you for reading.
