Rams looking for win vs. Toledo without QB Hill
FORT COLLINS» Colorado State’s fourth and final non-conference matchup holds a pivotal stake in the Rams’ 2019 destiny.
Toledo arrives in Fort Collins for a Saturday night clash at Canvas Stadium as CSU looks to avoid digging an undesirable 1-3 hole before Mountain West play initiates next week.
The 1-1 Rockets stand in the Rams’ way of evening up their record following a convincing 45-0 victory over Murray State while Mike Bobo’s squad has some adjusting to do without starting quarterback Collin Hill commanding the offense.
“They have to do their job,” Bobo said. “They have to protect. We have to catch the football. You have to hold onto the football. We can’t turn it over. I’m not going to sit here and say we have to play out of our minds because Collin Hill isn’t there… We’ve had all week to prepare, and we are going to go and play. Will it be perfect? No. But I think we will be able to execute.”
Though Bobo hasn’t officially announced who will take Hill’s place, Nebraska transfer Patrick O’Brien operated alongside CSU’s first-string offense in practice this week and will almost definitely earn the nod against Toledo. If so, the redshirt junior faces the challenge of keeping up with a reputable Rockets offense.
Toledo returns the majority of its scoring production from a 2018 group that finished ninth in the FBS averaging 40.4 points per game en route to the program’s ninth consecutive winning season and fifth straight bowl appearance.
“We have a tough team coming in this week in Toledo, a team that knows how to win,” Bobo said. “A team that has been to bowl games. A team in recent years has been very, very successful and have been prolific on offense. Coach (Jason) Candle, since taking over as the head coach, has continued to produce high-powered offenses that know how to score.”
Defensively, the Rockets find themselves in a partial rebuild after losing five of their seven leading 2018 tacklers. Given how Toledo struggled on defense last season even while boasting optimal depth, Saturday is shaping up to be a shootout under the lights.