Rams “locked in” for Mtn. West success
Thunderstruck. If there is a soundtrack to the way the Colorado State football team has opened Mountain West play, it’s the only choice, and the Rams have dialed up the amps to 11, jumping Hawaii and Utah State in the first quarter from every possible angle.
Stops on defense. Points on offense. One feeding the other.
The Rams have put opponents on their heels from the start, scoring 38 first-quarter points, forcing offensive coordinators to throw away their game plan and play catch-up. It’s happened because the Rams are on the prowl during the week leading up to the game.
“The coaches are doing a great job of putting together a great game plan and it’s us having a great week of preparation the week before the game,” said senior quarterback Nick Stevens, who has passed for 1,871 yards in six games. “We get to the point where all we need to do now is come out and execute. We’re ready for the game; we’re ready for what they’re going to bring at us on all sides of the ball. We’ve just been executing. When you can get it down to all you have to do is execute on Saturday, that’s when you can have some success. As long as you’re locked in, and I think we really have been.”
Against Hawaii, CSU’s defense had three consecutive three-and-out series, and the offense countered by scoring on its first five possessions. And against Utah State, CSU’s offense scored the first three times it had the ball, and the defense allowed only one first down the first six times the Aggies were on offense.
A coach can design a game plan, but the blueprint always changes. It just doesn’t seem that way for the Rams.
“They believe in their preparation. They believe in how they’re working is helping them play better on Saturday, and we’ve got to continue to do that,” said CSU coach Mike Bobo.
This week the Rams will play their first home conference game of the season, taking on a Nevada team that has struggled but picked up its first victory at home against Hawaii on Saturday.
The Rams, who are 4-2 overall and 2-0 in Mountain West games, haven’t been challenged by a conference opponent. Well, not in a game. Practice is different.
“We’re taking nothing for granted,” Bobo said. “Each game is a championship football game . ... We’ve got to get back in the training room, we’ve got to get healthy, we’ve got to get a good plan. And we’re looking forward to playing in front of our home crowd.”
CSU’s offense, which is producing the numbers it was expected to generate, is now being matched by a defense that has risen to the occasion. CSU’s defense has given up yards — but not a lot of points. Utah State’s offense scored only one touchdown Saturday against the Rams, and that came late in the game. CSU led 24-7 at halftime and beat the Aggies 27-14.
CSU’s defense continues to improve — and everybody has taken notice.
“They’ve been playing lights out all year long,” Stevens said after Saturday’s road win. “It’s really great when your defense plays well. They get you the ball back. I think we’ve done a great job this year, especially early on in this game and last game of feeding off each other, feeding off each other’s momentum and energy. If we score, they get another stop, we score again. Everybody is playing well and feeling good.”