GOLDEN — For the first time in more than a decade, a Colorado native will start at quarterback for the Colorado School of Mines' season opener.
Denver South product Joseph Capra has taken the reins as the Orediggers’ next signal caller.
“It’s cool. It’s kind of nice to just kind of represent where I’m from a little bit, just being a local kid coming from Denver,” Capra told Denver7 Sports. “Just to have my parents at every single game, it’s really nice. If I come run off the field after a touchdown, I look up there and they’re cheering. So it’s really special.”
Capra turned heads last fall when he torched Fort Lewis for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and just one incompletion.
“I have a feel for the speed of the game, and I got to play in a good amount of games against some pretty good teams last year,” Capra said. “So that's definitely something that’s going to help me.”
Head coach Bob Stitt is back on the sidelines after a hiatus from the program. He said Capra’s command of the offense set him apart.
“You know, he’s got all the physical tools that we’re looking for, but he’s the one that grasped the offense the best,” Stitt said. “He’s a younger guy, but the leadership’s coming out in him, and we just felt like he’s the one that could take the reins.”
Stitt returns with a renewed focus on culture and connection in his first season back.
“Everyone told me that when I got hired, there’s a lot of talent on the team," Stitt said. "We needed to bring the other things together, and we’ve accomplished that.”
One of the returning stars is All-American wide receiver Flynn Schiele, who’s coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons and 12 touchdowns in 2024.
“I’m expecting to see dominance,” Schiele said. “I think we got the scheme down. We’ve been running our offense through spring and fall now. I think everyone’s confident across the board with our 11 starters, even with the guys rotating in. I’m excited.”
The Orediggers open the season at West Texas on Thursday night.
