Rams Camp Notes: CSU DB's feeling confident, physical as team approaches second scrimmage

 

FORT COLLINS, Colo.— Just a few days removed from the team’s first official scrimmage, Colorado State football held its 11th practice of fall camp Tuesday morning.

As the sun came up above Canvas Stadium, the Rams practiced in full pads—something they didn’t do on Monday—and continued to prepare for the team’s second scrimmage this Saturday.

After the team’s initial scrimmage over the weekend, head coach Mike Bobo told the media that he is trying to create a nasty football team—one that practices so intensely that he’ll be scared to have them face off. We haven’t had an opportunity to speak with the fifth-year coach since, but in the first six periods of action that the media watched on Tuesday, it was clear that the staff was once again looking for a high-intensity day.

Following practice, redshirt junior safety Logan Stewart, confirmed as much, telling BSN Rams that the defense, in particular, is looking to play with an edge on a daily basis. According to Stewart, guys have been flying around, looking to make plays and create havoc for the offense.

So what’s been different?

According to Stewart, a multitude of things are improved, but the biggest keys have been communication and physicality.

Let em’ know what’s up

As mentioned above, the Rams are aiming to be a much more vocal squad in 2019. If players are communicating with each other, they’re more likely to be on the same page when it comes to making checks. And in theory, this means the Rams will give up less big plays.

According to multiple starters in the secondary, CSU did a poor job of making sure all 11 players on the field were in sync last season. In fact, there were multiple occasions where defenders ran completely different coverages altogether. This fall, players like Stewart and sophomore cornerback Rashad Ajayi are taking steps to ensure this isn’t an issue.

“When you don’t communicate, you’re not going to be on the same page and you’ll run different things,” Stewart said. “That’s how you break coverages, and that’s why this year, we’re really focusing on communicating and staying on the same page. Even if we’re all wrong, we’re all wrong on the same page.”

Ajayi agreed with Stewart’s sentiments and added that not only are the players taking their film seriously—they’re doing so without being constantly pressured by the staff.

“It’s players choosing to come in and get more in the playbook,” Ajayi said. 

That extra attention to detail is allowing everyone to play more freely and confidently. What’s more, they’re playing with more cohesiveness and a better sense of togetherness.

“We really came together as a team and as a defense,” Stewart said. “When you go through stuff, it bonds you together and brings you closer… We’re not just teammates now, we’re brothers.”

Players leading players

Along with an increase in communication, the defense is working hard to hold each other accountable. When someone isn’t meeting the standard, the players respect each other enough to call each other out and not have it cause issues.

More importantly, because they’re more comfortable with the system, their individual assignments and their teammates’ as well, the players are able to more effectively communicate and not just scream at each other.

“I just tell them to keep their heads up and that we’ve got a long practice and a long season,” Stewart said. “We’re going to make mistakes, but it’s how we respond to them.”

Look good, feel good, play good

While becoming better versed in the playbook and communicating are more obvious changes, the most noticeable difference might actually be how much swagger the team is playing with.

There were times last season when anyone in the stadium could see that the Rams were defeated both physically and mentally. But Stewart explained how this fall, the body language has been significantly better on the field, even in the tough times.

“Good body language is a big part of the defense and (creating) momentum,” Stewart said. “Seeing everybody’s hungry just makes you want to go even harder.”

Body language doesn’t seem to be the sole change, though. The bodies, themselves, are improved and it’s allowing the defense to play with better physicality.

“When you weigh a lot and know that you can really run through somebody’s chest, it gives you a lot of confidence,” Stewart said. 

“You work and believe in what you’re doing in the offseason and you have belief in the work you’re putting in,” redshirt senior linebacker Max McDonald added. “That just gives you the confidence, from putting in the work.”

There’s no ‘I’ in team

Finally, the most important difference for the 2019 defense so far has been the depth. Between the extremely talented freshmen and sophomore classes and transfers that will play in 2019, CSU finally has enough talent on defense to shake up the looks they will give opposing offenses.

Players like Ajayi and Stewart will likely be staples of the secondary, along with senior cornerback Andre Neal. But Quinn Brinnon (sophomore) and Malcolm McGee (sophomore) each received significant playing time last season.

Jamal Hicks (senior), Christian Cumber (junior) and Anthony Hawkins (senior) will be fighting for playing time in 2019 as well. Not to mention the true freshmen that could end up making things interesting—Keevan Bailey and Brandon Crossley are for real.

With an improved defensive line and up-and-coming linebacking corps to accompany the secondary, the Rams have an opportunity to be drastically better than the team that gave up 37 points per game last year.

“There are more people that can play, so everybody won’t be so dead tired,” Ajayi said. 

While the Rams are definitely deeper on the defensive side, they’re also fairly green as a unit. With a healthy mix of experience and raw talent, CSU should be able to challenge most teams they face, especially if everyone stays together. But the Rams definitely have a long way to go.

“You’ve never seen a CSU team that was the most highly ranked, top recruited or highly touted guys—you see a bunch of tough, sticktoitiveness, get it done, kinda guys,” McDonald said. 

“They might not be the fastest, the biggest or the strongest, but when it comes down to it, they’re going to fight harder than the other team. I think that’s something we need to get to.”