'RMAC will run through Pueblo': Vigil introduced as ThunderWolves head football coach

James Bartolo, The Pueblo Chieftain
·3 min read
Colorado State University Pueblo head football coach Philip Vigil addresses a crowd at an introductory press conference on Tuesday.
Colorado State University Pueblo head football coach Philip Vigil addresses a crowd at an introductory press conference on Tuesday.

A Colorado Mesa University quarterback named Philip Vigil threw two touchdowns to beat coach John Wristen's Colorado State University Pueblo ThunderWolves 26-3 on Oct. 11, 2008.

At a press conference Tuesday at the university, the one-time RMAC quarterback was introduced as Wristen's successor.

Vigil was chosen from a pool of over 50 NCAA Division I, Division II, Division III and NAIA coaches. A hiring committee recommended Vigil to CSU Pueblo President Timothy Mottet on Dec. 22 — less than two weeks after Wristen announced his retirement from coaching.

Wristen, now the university's athletics development and external relations officer, heard the name Phillip Vigil not only on the loudspeaker at Stocker Stadium in 2008, but later on in his coaching career when talented prospects flocked to Fort Hays State University to play for Vigil.

"I followed his career. He happened to be at Northwest Missouri where there's part of that standard of winning national championships and being educated by some of the very best ... then he went to Fort Hays State, where Fort Hays had not won on a lot of ball games," Wristen said.

More on CSU Pueblo's new coach:CSU Pueblo hires Philip Vigil as university's new head football coach

Vigil began assistant coaching with Fort Hays State in 2014. His work as a passing game coach and recruiting coordinator helped the Tigers win back-to-back Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association titles in 2017 and 2018. Vigil became the recruiting coordinator at Stephen F. Austin State University in 2019 before getting a head coaching job at Western New Mexico University in 2021.

Prior to Vigil's hiring at Western New Mexico, the Mustangs amassed only one win in three seasons. In 2022, Vigil coached the Mustangs to 6-5 record — the team's first winning season since 1993. The Mustangs finished the season with a 38-24 victory over Eastern New Mexico in the Green Chile Bowl.

During Tuesday's press conference, Vigil said he plans to continue the extensive recruiting efforts that improved programs like Fort Hays State and Western New Mexico.

"We will recruit tirelessly," Vigil said. "We will own the state of Colorado. If a recruit goes to Mesa, Mines or anywhere else, it's because we said no first. We will own this state. The RMAC will run through Pueblo, Colorado."

Vigil said he will not be recruiting players off of Western New Mexico's roster because he wants to continue to see them succeed. However, he is open to recruiting players from other schools through the NCAA transfer portal, a database for players looking to transfer to other NCAA member schools.

"The portal is a great tool," he said. "There are a lot of good football players in the portal. We will actively recruit from the portal, but they have got to be the right type of people for us to bring to CSU Pueblo."

More on John Wristen's legacy: CSU Pueblo football coach John Wristen retires from coaching, steps into new role

John Wristen, left, presents Philip Vigil with a jersey during a press conference announcing Vigil as the new head football coach of Colorado State University Pueblo on Tuesday.
John Wristen, left, presents Philip Vigil with a jersey during a press conference announcing Vigil as the new head football coach of Colorado State University Pueblo on Tuesday.

While the transfer portal is open to CSU Pueblo athletes, several ThunderWolves players showed up to Tuesday's press conference in support of Vigil.

One of them was Wendell Cole, a redshirt junior defensive back from Aurora. Cole came to CSU Pueblo to play for Wristen and defensive backs coach Donnell Leomiti. Despite experiencing the "heartbreak" of Leomiti's death from pancreatic cancer in 2020 and Wristen's retirement, Cole said he wanted to welcome Vigil to the ThunderWolf family.

"I am glad that he can join us as players," Cole said. "We will all be a family again and try to get the ball rolling."

John Nuschy, a redshirt junior linebacker from La Junta, also was drawn to Pueblo by Wristen's legacy and plans on staying with the Pack.

"We just have to come together, like Wendell (Cole) said," Nuschy said. "Wristen left a legacy here and we have to continue to build on that no matter who they brought in."

Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached by email at JBartolo@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Phillip Vigil introduced as new CSU Pueblo football coach