12 months ago, CSU head football coach Mike Bobo was in a hospital bed.
Pain and numbness from a rare autoimmune disorder spread from his feet up through his right arm.
"It was a tough time," remembers Bobo, understatedly.
Bobo was betrayed by his body and his mind.
"I was feeling a little bit sorry for myself when I was missing those practices and games."
But the disease was treatable, and coach was ready to stick his face in the proverbial fan.
"There's a lot of people dealing with a lot worse things than I’m dealing with,” said Bobo. “Get off your butt, tell them you're ready to get out of here and get back to work."
Now a year later he’s vibrant and back to doing what he loves.
"The intensity at practice definitely rises when he's out there," says senior quarterback Collin Hill.
"I’m not 100% with some of the nerve issues in my feet but I feel great,” says Bobo. “[I’ve been] really getting after them on the practice field so I’m fired up."
Bobo says relationships with players like Hill were a huge help in his recovery.
Hill Is happy to have his coach back.
"He continued to lead. Even when he wasn't physically there, the facetimes, the videos, he sent in videos for us,” remembers Hill. “The mindset's kind of like, we're going to fight for him like he fought for us."
The Rams are ditching old football clichés heading into 2019; instead, they're being led by gratitude.
"I’m thankful to be able to wake up every day and have a beautiful wife and family,” says Bobo. “[To] be able to coach at a place like Colorado State and have kids like Collin Hill on your team. There's a lot to be thankful for."
