Altered Green and Gold Game format brings new scoring

Springtime brings that special something in the air. Ah yes, football.

Tuesday might have brought one of the better practices of the spring session per head coach Mike Bobo, but, mounting injuries and a lack of depth at some positions mean an altered format for the annual Green and Gold spring game.

“We’re banged up,” Bobo said after practice Tuesday. “A little big more than we were last year. Don’t have as many numbers. But the guys came out and worked.”

With Deonte Clyburn sitting out the spring practices, Josh Watson has had to step up and is doing well, while senior Kevin Davis will be leaned on heavily. He’s part of a thin linebacking corps who will be missing departed seniors Cory James and SteveO Michel. Another spot which has been depleted due to players moving on is the secondary; Trent Matthews, Kevin Pierre-Louis and DeAndre Elliott were all senior starters who are now gone. It’s part of the reason Jordon Vaden was moved from wide receiver to cornerback, and Bobo has been impressed with his progress there. And in the fall, more recruits will come into fill voids.

For now, a lack of depth means it will be offense versus defense instead of a true “game-like” scenario. The 1s will face the 1s, and 2s vs. 2s and so on.

Today, Bobo released the scoring format, and it looks something like this:

This year's Spring Game will be Offense vs Defense! We're ready to get after it!! #EDGE #NeverSatisfied pic.twitter.com/l0fBj8RxLI

— Coach Mike Bobo (@CoachMikeBobo) April 20, 2016

The Spring Game kicks off at 1 p.m. MT at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium. But there are much more to the festivities that day. At 9:30 a.m. MT, the alumni flag football game kicks off and goes until 10:45 a.m. No word yet on exactly who will be playing but some big names may just show up. So you should, too!

At 10 a.m. the Ram Town Kids’ Zone opens, and from 11-Noon on Sonny Lubick Field, kids aged kindergarten through eighth grade can participate in a youth football clinic put on by the City of Fort Collins. Signup begins at 10 at Ram Town.

Beginning at 11 a.m. Chick-Fil-A will be giving away free sandwiches to the first 1,000 fans. They’ll be on the west concourse so get to Hughes early and bring an appetite!

Following the Green and Gold Game, players will be available for autographs on the field.