Steely Dan Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 My vote 4-8 Linkage Linkage for Team Report Colorado State Team Report Forget the scare that Sacramento State gave them in Week 2; the Rams are right where they’re supposed to be heading into their early bye week. Most pundits expected Colorado State to be 1-1 at this point of the season. CSU is just that, with two weeks now to prepare on Houston and two weeks to get better acquainted with its own schemes under first-year coach Steve Fairchild. “It was huge,” senior safety Mike Pagnotta told the Fort Collins Coloradoan about the win. Pagnotta’s fumble recovery with just more than a minute left in the game against the Hornets led to true freshman kicker Ben DeLine’s game-winning 20-yard field goal in the Rams’ 23-20 thriller. “Coach has been telling us all week we can’t worry about the past. We’ve just got to worry about Saturday, and when we’re done Saturday, we need to be 1-1. That’s our goal. We did it.” CSU now can work on some problem spots without the pressure of trying to get that first win of the season. The Rams haven’t really gotten their running attack, expected to be the unit’s strength, going in their first two games. CSU’s tandem of Gartrell Johnson and Kyle Bell has led the ground game to just 83 yards per game and 3.0 yards per carry. That has forced new quarterback Billy Farris to grow up a little faster, and he’s responded. The senior threw for 321 yards, drove the team 61 yards for the game-tying score with 89 seconds to play and converted 12 of 15 on third-down opportunities against Sacramento State. Defensively, CSU must find a way to get its inexperienced more cornerbacks more work in practice to keep from giving up big plays. As a whole, it has to do a better job on third and fourth downs. The Rams are allowing their foes to convert 48% (12 of 25) on third down and 100% (five of five) on fourth down during the first two games. Special teams has been a pleasant surprise, thanks to the efforts of DeLine, who is four-for-four on both extra-point and field-goal attempts as a last-minute replacement for the injured Jason Smith. Notes, Quotes —RB Gartrell Johnson seemingly has earned the lion’s share of the carries in the running game. Johnson is averaging 84 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry, while Kyle Bell is managing only 18.5 and 3.1, respectively. —After being bottled up in the opener, TE Kory Sperry returned to form with a five-reception day and a TD against Sacramento State. He should figure to be among the receptions leaders on the team throughout the season. He’s proving to be the same weapon as he was before suffering a season-ending knee injury early in 2007. NEXT GAME: Houston at Colorado State, Sept. 20. The Rams will look for revenge from last year’s game, in which the Cougars rallied in the second half to beat them. CSU also should get a good measure of where they stand in the MWC because Houston takes on CSU rival Air Force during the Rams bye week. THIS WEEK’S MISSION: The Rams must go back to the drawing board in getting their offensive line to open more holes for the bruising running back tandem of Gartrell Johnson and Kyle Bell. Despite the emphasis on the running game in the off-season, the line has not been very physical in the first two games, and when it has been, the backs haven’t produced as much with the holes as they should. The run game hit its stride in the last half of the 2007 season, and the early bye week gives it a chance to get going much earlier this year. SEPTEMBER AT A GLANCE: CSU’s next two games should help it prepare for Mountain West Conference play in October. It’ll face two offensive-minded clubs in Houston and California. Houston gave up a whopping 379 rushing yards to Oklahoma State in a 56-37 loss, and if the Rams are going to run the ball on anybody, the Cougars seem to be the foe to do it. Both the Cougars and Bears should prepare the CSU defense for several of the wide-open offenses in the MWC. QUOTE TO NOTE: “When I was hired here, I knew it was going to be a process to restore our football program to what our entire university thinks it could be and should be. It’s a big job; it’s going to take a lot of people pulling in the right direction. It’s going to take some time. But in the meantime, we’re going to try to win as many games as we can. There’s no reason why we can’t win every game. We’ve got some talented kids; we’re practicing the way we should.”—coach Steve Fairchild, to the Fort Collins Coloradoan. Strategy And Personnel LOOKING GOOD: Coach Steve Fairchild has lauded the play of first-year starting QB Billy Farris, who has completed 68.6% of his passes. He needs to cut down his interceptions—Farris has thrown three in two games—but he’s also made major strides and has made the passing attack the strength of the offense early. STILL NEEDS WORK: CBs Brandon Owens and Gerard Thomas must endure their trial by fire. Both got burned in the narrow win against Sacramento State and are sure to face better quarterbacks and wide receivers the rest of the way. The key for the redshirt and true freshmen, respectively, is to continue to learn without losing confidence. STAR WATCH: WR Rashaun Greer has answered a huge question at the position going into the season. Greer, a junior who entered the season without any career receptions, already has 17 for 222 yards this season. His presence also can keep opponents from keying on TE Kory Sperry. Not to be outdone is true freshman K Ben DeLine, son of former CSU kicker Steve DeLine, who has not missed a kick since taking over for injured senior Jason Smith and kicked two field goals in the final 89 seconds to lift the Rams to a three-point win over Sacramento State. CRITICAL DECISION: Defensive coordinator Larry Kerr sent CSU on a blitz it hadn’t used all season late in the game against Sacramento State that produced a fumble in the backfield. Rams S Mike Pagnotta recovered to set up DeLine’s heroics. That may have changed the whole outlook on CSU’s first season under coach Steve Fairchild—especially if Sacramento State would’ve completed the upset of the Rams. ROSTER REPORT: —OG Shelley Smith, who missed the Sacramento State game with a sprained ankle should be ready by the time the Rams return to the field against Houston. —CSU also could be buoyed by the return of senior TE Chris Kawulok (knee) and CB Elijah-Blu Smith (foot). Smith’s return potentially could be a big boost in the secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted September 22, 2008 Author Share Posted September 22, 2008 Good lord, they beat Houston 28-25 this weekend. They are 2-1 now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justnzane Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 Good lord, they beat Houston 28-25 this weekend. They are 2-1 now! eesh... that must be the benefit of good recruiting before him. His teams will probably get progressively worse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Darin Posted September 23, 2008 Share Posted September 23, 2008 eesh... that must be the benefit of good recruiting before him. His teams will probably get progressively worse Wait, you mean he's not good at judging personnel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 His team now stands at 3-3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted October 13, 2008 Share Posted October 13, 2008 Ha, I'm headed to the CSU vs Utah game this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted October 13, 2008 Author Share Posted October 13, 2008 Ha, I'm headed to the CSU vs Utah game this weekend. Please report to us. It'll be interesting to see how befuddled Fairchild is on the sidelines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drnykterstein Posted October 19, 2008 Share Posted October 19, 2008 So CSU got blown out. That was fun to watch. Of course I can't see the tears coming from his eyes up in the stands, but man.. after every big Utah play, he'd just stat pacing back and forth, and look at the paper he had in his hand. That was a blast though, I love watching that guy get a beat down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted October 19, 2008 Author Share Posted October 19, 2008 So CSU got blown out. That was fun to watch. Of course I can't see the tears coming from his eyes up in the stands, but man.. after every big Utah play, he'd just stat pacing back and forth, and look at the paper he had in his hand. That was a blast though, I love watching that guy get a beat down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted November 5, 2008 Author Share Posted November 5, 2008 4-5 Sun, Aug 31 at Colorado L 17-38 -- Sat, Sep 6 Sacramento State W 23-20 -- Sat, Sep 20 Houston W 28-25 -- Sat, Sep 27 at California L 7-42 -- Sat, Oct 4 UNLV W 41-28 -- Sat, Oct 11 TCU L 7-13 -- Sat, Oct 18 at (14) Utah L 16-49 -- Sat, Oct 25 at San Diego State W 38-34 -- Sat, Nov 1 (17) Brigham Young L 42-45 -- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steely Dan Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 5-6 could go 6-6 with a win this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Fong Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 5-6 could go 6-6 with a win this week. Gee. Maybe Fairchild wasn't the only problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bmwolf21 Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Gee. Maybe Fairchild wasn't the only problem. Or maybe he's just a better college coach than he is an NFL coach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Fong Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Or maybe he's just a better college coach than he is an NFL coach. Yeah maybe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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