Rick Neuheisel is headed back to Colorado, and he's bringing most of his roster with him. The UFL announced on September 30 that Neuheisel will lead its new Colorado franchise in 2027 after coaching the Dallas Renegades in 2026, carrying forward the roster he built there. The team will play at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs, with its name, colors, logos and brand identity set to be unveiled at a public event there on Sunday, October 25.
Returning to Familiar Ground
Neuheisel's history in the state runs deep. He worked as an assistant under Bill McCartney before taking the Colorado head coaching job, and he went 33-14 with the Buffaloes from 1995 to 1998.
"It's a fun announcement for me given the fact that I have so many fond memories of my time in Colorado, from my assistant coach days working for Bill McCartney, to the head coaching opportunity I was given, which was as good a deal as a guy could get at age 33, to be the head coach of a program like Colorado... Colorado is a wonderful place. Colorado has wonderful people. I took my coaching staff and their wives all to the Broadmoor while I was there, and we had a great time in Colorado Springs."
Asked what excites him about Colorado Springs specifically, he pointed to the setting. "It is gorgeous. John Denver wrote a song, Rocky Mountain High. This is Rocky Mountains and then some. Pikes Peak is right there. The Air Force Academy is right there. It is a spectacular venue," he said.
Keeping His Team
Neuheisel described the timeline as a head start compared with taking over the Renegades last offseason, when he was hired at the end of the calendar year.
"The great news about this is I get to keep my team. Now, it won't have all the same pieces because some guys have decided that that portion of their lives is over, and we're going to try to improve in some areas and see if we can't get ourselves into the championship picture in this first year in Colorado."
He said the rest of the roster would be built through the draft and by reaching out to players on the league's list of eligible free agents, and that he had not yet confirmed whether the regional allotment of schools used in last year's draft - which could give Colorado a claim on former Buffaloes - would apply again. He said those rules would be settled before the November draft. On his staff, he said he doesn't "anticipate too much in the way of change, but I've got some thoughts that I'll keep to myself right now. But I promise you, we'll be well coached."
What Dallas Hears From Him
Asked what he would say to the Dallas market, Neuheisel said his Colorado background made him the logical choice to make the move, and he had a message for the fans he is leaving behind.
"I love Texas. My family loved Texas. We loved going out to Frisco... So to those folks, I say thank you and how much I appreciate all the hard work and the loyalty to our program, to our team. Kevin Sumlin is a friend, not only a colleague but a friend, and he'll do a great job... Kevin obviously knew how to get things going with the Houston franchise. They turned that season around. So I believe good things are in store for the Renegades."
Sumlin was named head coach of the Dallas Renegades on September 30, with his Houston roster moving to Dallas as part of the same round of league changes. The Renegades name stays in Texas.
Austin Reed's Future
Asked about quarterback Austin Reed, who signed with the Baltimore Ravens on August 12, but was cut before the NFL season. Neuheisel said he's rooting for an NFL opportunity to stick.
"I am hopeful that Austin gets another chance in the NFL. It's a precarious league that things happen. We'll wait and see. Austin's young still and got a lot of future ahead. He's a new father. He's raising two twin girls, and he was a blast to be around... If Austin wants to play in the UFL, we want Austin back."
Launch Set for Weidner Field
The Colorado franchise does not have a name yet. That changes on October 25, when the team holds its public launch event at Weidner Field. Neuheisel said he will be there with a couple of players to introduce the team locally, and will return as often as needed for fan events. The team's inaugural home game is set for Sunday, April 11 at 1 p.m. MT on ABC.