Colorado's storybook 2016 season ended on a downswing as they lost the Pac-12 Championship in their bowl game.

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The Buffs also lost their defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach to coaching positions at Oregon. In the couple of weeks leading up to National Signing Day, there was also an allegation against safeties coach Joe Tumpkin, who is now CU's former safeties coach.

Things seemed like they weren't going in head coach Mike MacIntyre's favor heading into the pivotal National Signing Day. However, Colorado signed their best class since 2008 and according to coachingsearch.com, CU had the most improved recruiting class.

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There were decommitments from Xavier Newman and Morrell Osling, but the Buffs held onto Grant Polley, KD Nixon, Nate Landman, and Chris Miller, who officially visited other schools in January.

Keeping those recruits, especially the defensive recruits, was big for Colorado as they faced adversity before NSD.