Randon Fontenette had every reason to celebrate his first game at Folsom Field.
The Vanderbilt transfer recorded four tackles and intercepted his first pass in a Colorado uniform as the Buffaloes defeated Weber State 52-21 and improved to 2-0.
“It felt good,” Fontenette said. “Getting the first one is always going to feel good. I’m just thankful my team did its job and I was able to come down with it.”
The interception added to Fontenette’s reputation as an experienced and versatile defensive back. He played 25 games and made 24 starts over two seasons at Vanderbilt, producing 125 tackles, 15 passes defended, 14.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown.
His arrival gave Deion Sanders and Colorado another veteran presence in a reconstructed secondary. Yet Fontenette’s first postgame press conference at Folsom Field was not centered on personal accomplishments.
Instead, he repeatedly returned to what went wrong.
Colorado’s defense refuses to make excuses
Weber State scored 14 points in the first half and finished with 21. Fontenette said Colorado’s defensive problems were not caused by coordinator Chris Marve’s system or play calls.
“We’re really disappointed with our performance,” Fontenette said. “We gave up 14 points in the first half. The scheme is there and the play call is there. We just have to trust each other, win our leverage and do our job. Then we’ll stop the explosives.”
Fontenette reinforced that message when asked about playing for Marve, who called an aggressive defensive game in Colorado’s season-opening victory over Georgia Tech.
“It’s not the defensive scheme because Coach Marve is going to call a great game every time,” Fontenette said. “It’s really on us...owning up to doing our job, trusting each other and winning our leverage.”
Colorado led 35-14 at halftime against Weber State. With the outcome no longer in serious doubt, maintaining the same intensity became a challenge.
“We’re human,” he said. “We have emotions, we have egos and everybody is different. When you get up like that, people pull their foot off the pedal. Coach Marve kept emphasizing that we had to keep going until the clock said zero.”
Coach Prime expressed similar frustration after the game, insisting that Colorado did not perform at the level required of a team with championship ambitions. Fontenette said that dissatisfaction quickly spread through the locker room.
“It starts with the coaching,” Fontenette said. “They’re hard on us, and they weren’t happy. I think that just spreads throughout the locker room.”
For Fontenette, the lesson is learning to remain demanding when the scoreboard makes it easy to relax.
“You have to stay on yourself when things are going good because football is a game of ups and downs,” he said. “Everything isn’t going to be good all the time. You have to be mature, control what you can control and not get comfortable.”
New roles create new opportunities
Colorado adjusted its secondary during the game by moving Boo Carter into the nickel position and giving Jason Stokes Jr. an opportunity on the outside. Stokes responded with three pass breakups.
Fontenette believes Carter’s versatility can make the defense more difficult to attack.
“It probably makes it better, having a playmaker at nickel who can cover, blitz and do everything,” Fontenette said. “It will open up more of the passing game to the boundary my way when he’s shutting down the field his way.”
Fontenette was also impressed by the energy Jah Jah Boyd supplied in Colorado’s dime package. Boyd finished with a team-high eight tackles and forced a fumble.
“I told Jah, ‘I’ve got $500 for a pick if you get a pick,’” Fontenette said. “He forced the fumble. That kid just keeps flying around. When his number is called, he makes a play.”
When someone asked how much the forced fumble was worth, Fontenette quickly protected his wallet.
“I didn’t say anything about the fumble,” he said.
The playful exchange showed the personality behind a player who otherwise spent much of his press conference discussing accountability.
It also capped a memorable first afternoon at Folsom for the 6-foot-2, 220-pound defensive back from Freeport, Texas.
“It felt good. I loved it,” Fontenette said. “Folsom is different. The fans showed love. It was electric.”
Fontenette said his thoughts were simple when he emerged from the tunnel for the first time.
“I’m ready to go. It’s time,” he said. “When you run out of the tunnel, you can’t think too much. You just have to let your instincts kick in and play ball.”
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