Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: AP
San Francisco Loaded with Ties to Colorado State
1/31/2020 11:00:00 AM | Football
Richburg coached on offensive line by Benton
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – This week is a mixed bag for Weston Richburg, though the former Colorado State standout is doing his best to lean toward the positives of being around his San Francisco 49ers teammates for Super Bowl LIV in Miami.
The center was a major reason the 49ers jumped out to a 10-0 start, anchoring the offensive line. It was in Week 13 where his season was shortened by torn patella tendon, missing the end of the regular season and the team's run through the playoffs.
"Through this whole time I've been searching for things to feel good about because this has been pretty difficult," Richburg said. "You want to play in the Super Bowl, you want to be able to tell your kids you played in the Super Bowl, which are things that I'm not going to be able to do, this year at least. I started 13 games, and we went 11-2 over that span. That's the best I've ever done in football. I had a lot of fun; this has been the greatest year of football in my life, the greatest experience with a great team. I'm just happy I was able to contribute a little bit to this thing."
Richburg started 50 consecutive games for Colorado State, earning first-team All-Mountain West recognition as a senior. He was a second-round pick by the New York Giants in 2014, signing with San Francisco as a free agent this past offseason. His arrival strengthens Colorado State's ties to the team, as he is coached by former offensive line coach and offensive coordinator John Benton, with Chris Kiffin, a former Ram defensive lineman, serving as an assistant defensive line coach.
This season has made Richburg realize just how many CSU ties there are in the league, as his former line coach (Pat Meyer) is with Carolina. To be coached by a former Ram and swap stories during the season with others has been fun.
"It's kinda cool to be all at the same place, especially the Super Bowl together," Richburg said. "That's pretty cool. JB stayed at Corbett Hall, and that's where I stayed. Obviously it's changed a lot since he stayed there back in the 40s, whenever he was there. He's an old man. It's cool. He talks about Old Town, and Chuckie Cheese was there since he was there. It's cool to have that in common with those guys. They're great guys, and they make it fun to come to work every day."
Kiffin played for former CSU coach Sonny Lubick, arriving right after Benton ended his time as a player and coach. For Lubick, each time one of his former players or a member of one of his coaching staffs makes the penultimate NFL game, it remains special to him.
Kiffin played on the defensive line from 2002-04; Benton first played for CSU from 1983-86, then returned to coach the offensive line from 1995-2003, serving the final two seasons as the co-offensive coordinator. The fact he's had a long, successful NFL career is no surprise to Lubick.
"You knew he was going to be a great coach, because he was a tireless, diligent worker and he stayed on top," Lubick said. "He was always going to try to learn more about football. He'd come in every year and say, 'hey coach, you think I can go to this offensive line clinic?' He was trying to better himself to coach his players better."
Richburg will be the first to tell you it all paid off, crediting much of his group and the offense's success to his teaching.
San Francisco ranked second in team offense, amassing 6,097 total yards (3,792 passing, 2,305 rushing) while scoring 497 points in the regular season. The rushing attack was second overall at 144.1 yards per game, producing a league-leading 23 rushing scores.
"I can speak for what JB does now, and he's the best offensive line coach I've had in the NFL. He does a tremendous job of keeping things in a light mood, but at the same time making sure guys know what they're supposed to do," Richburg said. "I think that shows up on game day, because we have a lot of fun, but at the same time, we hold each other accountable and we play extremely hard, and I think that's all a testament to how he runs the show."
Richburg expects to be healthy in time for training camp next season, and by then, he and his wife, Marlee – a former CSU volleyball player – will have welcomed their first child, due in April. For this week, though he can't play, he's focused on doing all he can to help his team and enjoy a very rare moment, and do so with a few other former Rams.
It's become a very special moment he never imagined.
"Never. I didn't think I'd ever be in the NFL," he said. "I still have to pinch myself being in the NFL, let alone my team being in the Super Bowl. I'm extremely blessed to be where I am. If you would have told me this when I was a freshman at CSU, I would have laughed at you."
The center was a major reason the 49ers jumped out to a 10-0 start, anchoring the offensive line. It was in Week 13 where his season was shortened by torn patella tendon, missing the end of the regular season and the team's run through the playoffs.
"Through this whole time I've been searching for things to feel good about because this has been pretty difficult," Richburg said. "You want to play in the Super Bowl, you want to be able to tell your kids you played in the Super Bowl, which are things that I'm not going to be able to do, this year at least. I started 13 games, and we went 11-2 over that span. That's the best I've ever done in football. I had a lot of fun; this has been the greatest year of football in my life, the greatest experience with a great team. I'm just happy I was able to contribute a little bit to this thing."
Richburg started 50 consecutive games for Colorado State, earning first-team All-Mountain West recognition as a senior. He was a second-round pick by the New York Giants in 2014, signing with San Francisco as a free agent this past offseason. His arrival strengthens Colorado State's ties to the team, as he is coached by former offensive line coach and offensive coordinator John Benton, with Chris Kiffin, a former Ram defensive lineman, serving as an assistant defensive line coach.
This season has made Richburg realize just how many CSU ties there are in the league, as his former line coach (Pat Meyer) is with Carolina. To be coached by a former Ram and swap stories during the season with others has been fun.
"It's kinda cool to be all at the same place, especially the Super Bowl together," Richburg said. "That's pretty cool. JB stayed at Corbett Hall, and that's where I stayed. Obviously it's changed a lot since he stayed there back in the 40s, whenever he was there. He's an old man. It's cool. He talks about Old Town, and Chuckie Cheese was there since he was there. It's cool to have that in common with those guys. They're great guys, and they make it fun to come to work every day."
Kiffin played for former CSU coach Sonny Lubick, arriving right after Benton ended his time as a player and coach. For Lubick, each time one of his former players or a member of one of his coaching staffs makes the penultimate NFL game, it remains special to him.
Kiffin played on the defensive line from 2002-04; Benton first played for CSU from 1983-86, then returned to coach the offensive line from 1995-2003, serving the final two seasons as the co-offensive coordinator. The fact he's had a long, successful NFL career is no surprise to Lubick.
"You knew he was going to be a great coach, because he was a tireless, diligent worker and he stayed on top," Lubick said. "He was always going to try to learn more about football. He'd come in every year and say, 'hey coach, you think I can go to this offensive line clinic?' He was trying to better himself to coach his players better."
Richburg will be the first to tell you it all paid off, crediting much of his group and the offense's success to his teaching.
San Francisco ranked second in team offense, amassing 6,097 total yards (3,792 passing, 2,305 rushing) while scoring 497 points in the regular season. The rushing attack was second overall at 144.1 yards per game, producing a league-leading 23 rushing scores.
"I can speak for what JB does now, and he's the best offensive line coach I've had in the NFL. He does a tremendous job of keeping things in a light mood, but at the same time making sure guys know what they're supposed to do," Richburg said. "I think that shows up on game day, because we have a lot of fun, but at the same time, we hold each other accountable and we play extremely hard, and I think that's all a testament to how he runs the show."
Richburg expects to be healthy in time for training camp next season, and by then, he and his wife, Marlee – a former CSU volleyball player – will have welcomed their first child, due in April. For this week, though he can't play, he's focused on doing all he can to help his team and enjoy a very rare moment, and do so with a few other former Rams.
It's become a very special moment he never imagined.
"Never. I didn't think I'd ever be in the NFL," he said. "I still have to pinch myself being in the NFL, let alone my team being in the Super Bowl. I'm extremely blessed to be where I am. If you would have told me this when I was a freshman at CSU, I would have laughed at you."
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