Rams want to bow out with full-fledged attack

FORT COLLINS» Mike Bobo changed his attire for good reason.

He wasn’t wearing a “State Pride” hat last week on the sideline, instead opting for a camouflage look. It simply read “Rams Attack.”

It was a directive sent to the entire team for the Boise State game, and while the offense took note, the CSU defense didn’t hold up for 60 minutes in a 59-52 overtime loss.

So Bobo wore it again all week.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to wear the hat; that was the message,” Bobo said. “We were going to attack. We’re going to attack all game. At times we did, but at times, offensively, I thought Boise took the attack to us.”

The Broncos did for a five-minute stretch that bridged the halves, putting 21 points on the board. They did it again in the final 3:01 of regulation, scoring two more touchdowns to tie the game, then won it in one extra session.

Colorado State has one more chance in the regular season to do it right, hosting San Jose State on Saturday with a chance to guarantee a winning season if they can end a three-game losing streak.

Situational football is key. The Rams have given up late points in a half the past two weeks, have struggled most of the year on third down, allowing opponents to convert 45.7 percent of the time.

“I think in those situations we’re almost playing not to get beat instead of still attacking, even in a one-minute situation at the end of half,” Bobo said. “You can’t play so soft or so relaxed that you allow them. You still have to attack and put pressure on them.”

San Jose State is not Boise State when it comes to offensive football. They have scored just 172 points on the season (15.6 per), averaging less than 200 yards a game passing and 120 on the ground. The Spartans have played four quarterbacks this year, but have settled on freshman Montel Aaron, who has started games.