CSU linebacker OK with change
Davis says Rams may be underdogs, but a good season awaits
Linebacker Kevin Davis came to Colorado State University from down the road in the Colorado Springs area, recruited to the CSU program by the staff of then-Rams head coach Steve Fairchild.
Only, whoops, by the time Davis arrived in Fort Collins, Colo., Fairchild had been fired and replaced by Alabama assistant Jim McElwain.
In 2014, Davis’ redshirt sophomore year, CSU went 10-3 — the school’s best record since 2000. And, just like that, McElwain was spirited off to Florida.
Enter Mike Bobo, a longtime assistant at Georgia, who took the Rams to a 7-6 record and a bowl game last season.
Davis was used to transitions, being the son of a career soldier. Davis grew up in Germany — his mother is German — playing soccer and hockey before his father, Keith, was transferred to Fort Carson in Colorado Springs.
The McElwain-to-Bobo transition, he said last month at the annual Mountain West Conference media days in Las Vegas, Nev., was never difficult.
“It hasn’t been too hard,” he said. “Maybe that first spring, but once you get into the fall you pretty much know what’s going on . ... I think (the transition) is complete.”
Does that mean the Rams are poised for another 10-win season? Colorado State’s fourth-place position in the Mountain West Mountain Division preseason media poll suggests otherwise.
Davis said he’s putting no limits on what CSU can accomplish this fall.
“I think we’re gonna be the underdog, but we’re gonna work,” he said. “We’re gonna be physical and we’re gonna be disciplined, so I think we’re gonna have a really good season.”
Davis’ personal transition was aided by the continued presence of Marty English, who came to CSU as part of McElwain’s original staff. From 2012-14, he was the Rams’ co-defensive coordinator with Al Simmons, who is now the cornerbacks coach at New Mexico.
English was Bobo’s linebackers coach last season, but again is the defensive coordinator after Tyson Summers, last year’s defensive coordinator, took the head coaching job at Georgia Southern. English continues to coach the linebackers as well.
Davis led Colorado State with 101 tackles last season, adding an interception and a fumble recovery. But the CSU defense produced only 15 turnovers last season, ranking 104th in the nation.
Improving that number, Davis said, is a major focus.
“That was something we’ve been struggling with the last couple of years,” he said. “... If we have a season where we have a lot of turnovers, we could really help the offense out.”
On offense, 2015 starter Nick Stevens returns at quarterback. But he’s in a threeway battle for the job with Georgia graduate transfer Faton Bauta and true freshman Colin Hill.
Bobo told the Coloradoan he probably won’t announce a starting quarterback before the Rams take the field against Colorado on Sept. 2.