Safety Moeller healthy, raring to go
boulder» With Colorado’s season opener around the corner, Ryan Moeller is feeling healthy and getting antsy and eager to see how much better he is as a junior.
“I’m feeling great,” Moeller said after practice Tuesday. “I had a real good practice today, and I’m feeling pretty good about getting back and doing everything we have to do.”
Projected to start at free safety, the 6-foot-1, 210pound Moeller hasn’t played since Oct. 17 against Arizona. Shortly after that game, he and a friend were involved in a moped accident that left Moeller with several injuries and cost him the rest of the season.
“Seeing as how I missed a good portion of the season last year, I’m definitely ready to be back out there full swing of things,” he said. “I’m real amped.”
Aside from an ankle injury that limited him in practice last week, Moeller has been mostly healthy.
Safeties coach Joe Tumpkin said Moeller had a good spring, and coach Mike MacIntyre said Moeller has continued to progress this fall.
“He’ll be ready to go,” MacIntyre said. “Hopefully everything keeps going smooth.”
So far, so good, and Moeller is eager to put what he has learned into play.
“I’m more responsible out there,” he said. “I definitely know what I’m doing. ... I’m coming to understand better the whole concept of the defense and being more comfortable with it, honestly.”
Expecting Stevens.
On Monday, Colorado State coach Mike Bobo said he has no plans to reveal his starting quarterback until game time. Incumbent starter Nick Stevens and senior transfer Faton Bauta have been battling for the job.
MacIntyre believes he has a pretty good idea of which player will be lining up against the Buffs, though.
“I’m pretty sure they’re going to start their secondteam all-Mountain West quarterback,” MacIntyre said, referring to Stevens. “That’s what we plan on seeing. If they start the other guy, I’m pretty sure the offense will be very similar to what it was, because he ran the same thing at Georgia.”
Stevens started all 13 games for the Rams last year, throwing for 2,679 yards and a Mountain Westleading 21 touchdowns. He was 25-for-39 for 282 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions against the Buffs a year ago.
Adkins back in action.
Running back Michael Adkins, who missed several practices with a hamstring injury, has been practicing for the past several days.
“He’ll be ready to go,” MacIntyre said. “He’s looking OK. We’ll keep him coming along. Hopefully Michael can put together a string of 10, 11 or 12 (healthy) games instead of two or three.”