Rams starting QB still undecided
CSU prepares for delayed opener at Fresno State
While desperately yearning to commence the shor tened campaign, by no means did Colorado State eagerly digest the Mountain West’s decision to cancel its season-opening clash against New Mexico.
Amid the aftermath of the contest abandonment, reason for amplified frustration arose when the league allowed the Covidplagued Lobos to play their week two bout at San Jose State instead of on their home turf as initially scheduled –– after forbidding the squad from traveling to For t Collins.
Never theless, as the Rams see it, the past is the past. CSU began coming to terms with its lost game the moment the Mountain West declared it a “no contest.” In doing so, Steve Addazio’s troupe immediately shifted gears to its Thursday-night battle at Fresno State upon focusing on the positive aspects of last week’s development, which entail obtaining more time to devise a plan for facing the Bulldogs at 8 p.m. MT.
“It definitely was disappointing,” redshirt senior defensive back Logan Stewar t said. “We had a good week of practice leading up to the New Mexico game. Ever yone was fired up to play the first COVID game at Canvas Stadium. And then hearing that we weren’t going to be able to play kind of felt like we were getting the rug pulled from under our feet. But then we looked at the positive of it. It gave us more time to prepare for Fresno.”
More time, indeed.
In fact, if CSU played UNM last Saturday at Canvas Stadium, preparing for Fresno State on a short week likely would have emerged as a troublesome circumstance considering the extent to which nor thern Colorado’s recent snowstorm impeded the Rams’ practice tur f on Monday.
In the words of former coach Mike Bobo, CSU star ted “stacking good days on good days” last Thursday with a game-like scrimmage while equipping itself to butt heads against the 0-1 Bulldogs. So when the elements interfered, Addazio believed his team already constructed ideal progress.
Simply put, the first-year coach feels satisfied regarding his group’s standpoint as Thursday approaches.
“We were able to have a real full week, which thank God we did because the snowstorm that hit here would have really thrown us through a loop,” Addazio described via Zoom on Tuesday. “We had an extra day, so we were able to handle that snowstorm. Because we were out there and we practiced (on Monday), but we didn’t really get anything done in terms of timing and stuf f like that...and then we came out and had a great workout today.”
Once the Rams and Bulldogs kick-of f, Addazio and company will quickly learn whether or not the complete practice week truly pays dividends.
Additionally, the primary question surrounding the green and gold concerns who will be readily available to take the field at Fresno. As has become apparent, CSU continues grappling with an oftenshorthanded roster in light of the nation’s pandemic.
However, Addazio mentioned that his roster’s numbers have improved since last week –– though this can, of course, fluctuate at any point before kick-of f.
“As of today, it’s a little better,” the coach said on Monday. “I don’t know what tomorrow brings. So today, we had a pretty good compliment. Obviously, I’m not going to share who’s not there. But we had a pretty good compliment today. Let’s hope we can stick with that by the time game time comes. I forgot when we’re getting tested again, probably tomorrow. You just never know.”
With COVID’S potential, endless interruptions in mind, Addazio explained how preparing as many players as possible at ever y position constitutes his staff’s best interest. This modified strategy likely correlates to why the coach has yet to name a starting quarterback for CSU’S upcoming contest –– versus a Bulldogs squad that surrendered 229 passing yards during its 35-19 defeat against Hawaii after finishing 11th in the MWC in passing yards allowed per game last season (259.2).
After all, each and ever y one of the team’s gunslingers could wake up to a positive test Thursday morning.
“We have not made a decision yet,” Addazio said. “I don’t feel the same urgency that I have in years past because I really think that, at a lot of positions, but especially that position, guys have got to split reps right now and really compete because I just don’t know if we’re gonna wake up tomorrow morning or Thursday morning and be dictated that someone’s out. So because of that mindset, it makes me look at it differently. Let’s just keep competing, and let’s keep ever ybody rolling.”
Ever y option remains on the table.
Fans may witness the Rams’ supposed frontrunner in redshirt senior Patrick O’brien seize duties under center following a campaign where the fill-in quarterback manufactured a 61.5 completion percentage for 2,668 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in nine star ts. Temple transfer Todd Centeio, who continues grasping half of the first-team reps alongside O’brien, is undoubtedly in the mix as well.
The aforementioned quarterbacks may even both earn a fair share of snaps come Thursday and throughout the season, which particularly materializes as a possibility given how Centeio’s dual-threat nature conveniently fits inside offensive coordinator Joey L ynch’s up-tempo scheme.
It’s also wor th noting that, though O’brien seemingly represents the leading candidate, the fifth-year senior “missed a fair amount of time through no fault of his own” –– suggesting O’brien may have contracted COVID-19 somewhere along the line since the Rams resumed voluntar y activities in late August.
No matter who wins the quar terback competition, Addazio “feels comfor table that (CSU) could play with any one of those” en route to performing as intended of fensively. Players agree.
“They’ve both done a tremendous job,” redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Cam Reddy said. “Whether it’s leading the guys, setting the tempo, they’re saying all of the right things, and they’re doing all the right things. They’re both really smart guys and great players. I have confidence in both of them, and I think this of fense is gonna come together.”