Bobo patient in QB search
The Denver Post
Colorado State football coach Mike Bobo had the opportunity to sign a high school quarterback during the December signing period. He held off. A former passer knows best.
“That position is too valuable,” Bobo said.
CSU once believed Matthew Baldwin, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound prospect from Lake Travis High School in Texas would fill that slot when he committed to the Rams in July — before Baldwin was even a prep starter. But after throwing for 3,842 yards and 44 touchdowns as a senior, the scholarship offers rolled in from Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, North Carolina and Ohio State. The Buckeyes ultimately landed Baldwin’s services.
About three weeks passed between his decommitment and the early signing period. The Rams evaluated several quarterbacks in that time, but none in person. A key distinction.
“I want to see a guy throw live,” Bobo said. “I want to see how tall he is, I want to see how big his hands (are) and I want to see the ball come off his hand. Because sometimes that quarterback (highlight) tape can be a little bit misleading.”
The Rams return confidence at quarterback in 2018 with projected starter Collin Hill, who redshirted last fall after throwing for 1,096 yards and eight touchdowns over five games as a true freshman. Depth remains a concern, though, prompting CSU to add another high school prospect to develop. The Rams’ pool to choose from has also shrunk with a high volume of recruits signing in December.
On the flip side: Bobo sees an opportunity to discover a dynamic late bloomer.
“A lot of times the way this (recruiting) cycle goes, there are people who have great senior years that get left out,” Bobo said. “I think this is going to help some of those guys.”
National signing day is Feb. 7. Here is a closer look at three unsigned quarterbacks who might fit in at CSU in 2018:
Totaled 3,615 passing yards and 33 touchdowns last fall. He holds several D-II scholarship offers as a defensive back. Mergerson tweeted Saturday that the Colorado Buffaloes offered him a spot as a preferred walk-on. player of the year in Georgia’s Class 4-AAAA by The Atlanta Journal Constitution as a first-year starting quarterback. Ross has reported scholarship offers from CSU, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Mercer and others.
Threw for 1,981 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2017, according to The Orange County Register. McMahon, listed at 5-11 and 178 pounds, was a dual-threat quarterback who operated a high-tempo offense. He is followed on Twitter by CSU quarterbacks coach Ronnie Letson.
Two CSU hirings made official.
The Rams’ coaching staff gained more clarity Thursday with the announcement of two new football assistants: Eric Lewis and George Helow.
Lewis, a former Tennessee defensive quality control assistant, will coach the Rams’ cornerbacks. Helow, a CSU defensive quality coach last fall, will coach the safeties. Both moves were first reported by FootballScoop.com.