Family over flash: Brayden Dorman’s CSU Pueblo reset
Dylan Foreman
After a 10–2 season, CSU Pueblo football isn’t taking any time off. Spring ball is underway as the ThunderWolves prepare for another run in the fall and one of the most intriguing storylines comes at the quarterback position.
Senior Brayden Dorman’s journey to Pueblo has been anything but ordinary.
Once one of the highest-recruited quarterbacks in the country, the former Vista Ridge standout is now competing for the starting role at CSU Pueblo, embracing a fresh start closer to home and a new definition of success.
The ThunderWolves roster features no shortage of local talent from Pueblo and Colorado Springs. Players like Dylan Hurne of Rye and Vista Ridge alum AJ Jordan — an All-RMAC defensive end — are just a small sample of the program’s strong Colorado footprint.
“We just keep working to get better day by day,” Hurne said. “Best team in the country at getting better.”
Dorman, also a Vista Ridge product, enters his second year in the program and brings with him a Power conference background.
Dorman’s high school success made him one of the nation’s most coveted recruits. That stardom landed him at the University of Arizona, where he envisioned a clear path toward elite football.
“It just felt like almost like an NFL prep school,” Dorman said. “And that was something that drew me to that school.”
But the transition to Division I football came with a steep learning curve.
“You know, like welcome to college,” Dorman said. “For me it was just like, wow, this is really fast… a lot different than Colorado high school football.”
After two seasons, the realities of modern college football, coaching changes, the transfer portal, and logjams at key positions, made him reconsider his path.
“The nature of college football now is just crazy,” Dorman explained. “When you have that many guys in the portal and that many guys with playing experience, it becomes very tough.”
That’s when a familiar opportunity emerged. Before the 2025 season, Coach Phil Vigil called with a chance to return home and help one of the Division II’s most consistent winning programs compete for championships.
“It’s about being a part of something bigger than yourself,” Dorman said. “Yeah, people want to play but Division II, I see the same kind of football.”
Now battling for the QB1 spot heading into August, Dorman has embraced a mindset shaped by experience.
For Dorman, the move to CSU Pueblo wasn’t about stepping down, it was about finding the right fit.
“Honestly, finding a place where you feel comfortable, where you feel a true family connection,” he said, “is way bigger than playing at whatever kind of school you’re looking at.”
As the ThunderWolves continue spring workouts, Dorman’s message resonates beyond the locker room: make the most of where you are, stay true to yourself, and success will follow.