CSU QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi aims to cut back the turnovers, unleash offensive potential in 2024

The game is slowing down for Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and that could mean big things for Colorado State’s offense this fall. 

Coming off a breakout campaign in which he threw for 3,460 yards, tossed 22 touchdown passes and had a 62 percent completion rate, there is a lot of positive for the young quarterback to build on going into his second season as the starter. 

For one thing, “BFN” has no shortage of arm talent. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound gunslinger can rip the ball downfield, to the far sideline or pretty much anywhere he wants. As far as big play potential goes, he’s in a different category than most of the guys that have been under center over the last decade. That’s not a slight at anybody in particular — there just are not a ton of quarterbacks at this level that can make the types of throws that BFN can. 

While he proved to be an electric playmaker and somebody that is capable of making the big throw when his team’s back is up against the wall, as most young quarterbacks do, Fowler-Nicolosi also tried to do too much at times. Instead of taking an easy completion underneath, he frequently would try to force a big play. And although not every one of them was necessarily his fault, he led the Mountain West with 16 interceptions in 2023. 

Following Tuesday’s practice, Fowler-Nicolosi explained that his biggest focus this spring has been locking in mentally. He said that it’s one thing to put on a brave face but it’s another to truly stay calm in the heart of the storm. 

“I can put on a good face, I can make it look like I’m calm, but actually being calm and not making those stupid decisions when I don’t need to and getting the ball out,” he said. 

As Fowler-Nicolosi explained, there were times last season where he was trying to win the game by himself. He felt like he had to make big plays for the team to be successful, but the plays he was trying to make were not always there. For example, instead of taking the open guy underneath, he might scramble out of the pocket and launch a deep ball. Sometimes it’s less about being Superman, though, and more about keeping the drive alive. 

“We’ve developed some rules for this season that have been helping me avoid those kinds of mistakes that I really don’t need to be making and (avoiding) some of those turnovers that we can’t afford.”

BFN continued, adding that you don’t ever want to get bored with completions. An opposing defense might give you the same throw 15 times in a game, but if you’re moving down the field, that’s good for the offense. Not to mention that you never know when a player like Tory Horton is going to take a simple play like a screen 70 yards to the house. 

“Don’t get bored of what the defense is giving you and it’ll turn out pretty well,” BFN said. 

Although the starting offense has looked a little different of late with Justus Ross-Simmons missing the spring due to offseason shoulder surgery and Tory Horton recently being out with the flu, BFN said that the reps he’s gotten over the last month have been massive for him.

It’s allowed him to develop better chemistry with some of the younger players on the roster that might have gotten overshadowed under normal circumstances. It’s also been beneficial for his timing with a veteran transfer like Donovan Ollie. 

“He’s played a huge role the past couple of weeks,” Fowler-Nicolosi said of Ollie. 

BFN also shouted out tight end Vince Brown, as well as a pair of young wide receivers, Caleb Goodie and Jamari Person, but made sure to say that all of the pass catchers are progressing nicely. 

With a little less than two weeks remaining in the spring practice period, the soon-to-be redshirt sophomore feels good about the direction of the offense going forward. Although it might surprise some folks to hear this, he actually talked about how great it’s been to implement a more consistent rushing attack. 

“Forcing a defense to respect the run game really opens up the passing game and we would all love to see that,” he said. 

BFN praised the depth and versatility of the running back room, telling us that it’s a group with talent like no other. What really excites him is that with the differing skill sets, they will have multiple tools to turn to in various situations, too. 

“Whatever you need in certain situations, you can pick it and we’ve got it,” Fowler-Nicolosi said. “We trust all of them to go in there and be great.”

Obviously there is still plenty to work on between now and the season opener. Seasons are not defined in April. And as encouraging as it is to return so many key pieces on offense, the reality is the Rams need to take a substantial step forward as a unit and find the consistency that alluded them in 2023.  

What’s good to see is that BFN seems to understands what he did well and how he needs to improve if the Rams are going to make a leap in 2024. 

Fowler-Nicolosi has the type of charismatic personality that a team can rally behind, and he has all of the physical ability needed to succeed; if he can eliminate some of the erratic decisions that cost the team last year and consistently take the easy throws that opposing defenses are giving him, there is enough talent for CSU to be a really explosive team. 

2024 just might be the year that Jay Norvell unleashes the full potential of the Air Raid. We’ll see what BFN has in store for us in year two.