Rams remarkable playmaker era: Rashard Higgins leaving CSU is another in long line

Soak it all in, Ram fans.

Perhaps you already have been, enjoying this era of Colorado State football in which offensive records seem to fall every season. In fact, for three straight years, they have.

That’s why we’re labeling this the Rams “Remarkable Playmaker Era.”

Of course, there have been sensational players all throughout CSU football history – Bradley Van Pelt comes to mind, as does Thurman “Fum” McGraw and Greg Myers – but, no one has ever seen the offensive production on an individual and a team-wide basis as what we’ve witnessed the last three years in Fort Collins.

With Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins declaring he’s going to enter the NFL Draft yesterday, it could signal the end of that playmaker era, in which the greatest player at a particular position came to the forefront.

That is, of course, unless that next playmaker isn’t already on the roster.

Let’s begin by rewinding to 2013, the greatest offensive team in Colorado State football’s proud history.

Kapri Bibbs was the leading man for the Rams attack, running the ball with a speed and quickness maybe unseen before his arrival. Bibbs was simply sensational; but he didn’t even start the season as the team’s No. 1 back. No, “The legend of Kapri Bibbs” as Jim McElwain called him, started off in the coach’s doghouse and Chris Nwoke started the season as the top runner. Nwoke was no slouch, but he wasn’t other-worldly like Bibbs, either.

When Bibbs finally did get the start – his first one coming on Oct. 19 against the rival Wyoming Cowboys – he ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns. It was a glimpse of what was to come. In his first five starts, the running back carried the ball for 1,010 yards and 19 touchdowns. That included his 606 yards and 10 touchdowns against Nevada and New Mexico alone.

That season, Bibbs was on a different planet. He utilized impressive quickness to find a hole in the line and then turned on the jets to take off and leave everyone in his dust. When his season was all said and done, Bibbs’ 1,741 yards and 31 touchdowns were Colorado State records. He also became only the third ever NCAA player to rush for 30-plus touchdowns in one season (Barry Sanders and Montee Ball are the others). Also, the 312 rushing yards against Nevada were a single-game school record.

Certainly, Bibbs was CSU’s shining star in 2013, but he was far from the only person who helped them set a tremendous 12 school records. One of the unsung heroes was guard Weston Richburg, who is possibly the greatest at that position, while tight end Crockett Gillmore was a major pass-catching threat, too. Each went onto the NFL, with Richburg moving over to center for the New York Giants, and both are playing at an extremely high level as professionals.

Offensive records the 2013 team set: Most points in a season (507), total net yards (6,591), first downs (321), average yards per game (470.8), first downs in a game (35 twice), rushing touchdowns (37 tied 1990), plays in a season (1,051), plays in a game (109 vs. Boise State), passing attempts in a season (480), completions in a season (298), completions in a game (36), passing yards in a season (3,730).

Of course, the cherry on top of 2013 was the comeback win in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl, which was ironically helped by Shaquil Barrett on defense and SteveO Michel on special teams causing fumbles.

In 2014, it was the Garrett Grayson show. Over the course of his four-year career at Colorado State, Grayson evolved from a dual-threat quarterback into a pure pocket passer and the greatest to ever play the position in Fort Collins.

That season, he was named MW Offensive Player of the Year, throwing for 4,006 yards and 32 touchdowns, each CSU records. Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins was Grayson’s go-to guy, catching 96 of his passes for 1,750 yards and 17 scores, all of which were CSU records and helped earn the wideout consensus All-American. But there were others Grayson threw to, as well, like Joe Hansley, Xavier Williams, Steven Walker and more. And it must be noted that the offensive line in 2014 was stellar to give Grayson time and open holes for Dee Hart; a young man named Ty Sambrailo is perhaps the greatest tackle in CSU history.

That season, the Rams were the only Division I team to have a 4,000-yard passer, 1,500-yard receiver and 1,000-yard rusher (Dee Hart, 1,275).

2014 team offensive records: Average yards per game (480.9), total net yards (6,252 is 2nd), yards in a game (698 vs. New Mexico), passing attempts in a game (58 tied), passing yards in a season (4,181), passing yards one game (452 vs. UC Davis), passing yards per attempt (9.4), passing touchdowns (33).

Just before playing in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, McElwain quit on the team to take over the Florida head coaching position; the team played terribly and lost in the bowl. Grayson cried, interim head coach Dave Baldwin cried. It was a sad day but a proud time to be a CSU Ram.

When his career was all said and done, Grayson went onto impress in the Senior Bowl and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft.

Finally, there’s Rashard “Hollywood” Higgins.

Without a doubt, there has never been a receiver like Higgins to play for Colorado State. He started all 14 games as a true freshman and enjoyed 68 receptions for 837 yards with six scores that year. But, what “Hollywood” will always be remembered for is his 2014 season. That year, he recorded 10 100-yard receiving performances including eight straight at one point, a Rams record. His four touchdowns in the win over Tulsa that season were a single-game CSU record, as well. Higgins ended up as the Colorado State leader in receptions (239), yards (3,649), touchdowns (31) and 100-yard receiving games (18).

He wasn’t just a phenomenal football player – with speed the Rams lacked for years – “Hollywood” was a true character. Higgins was funny, charismatic and it was clear he loved to play football.

So, let’s review the last three years and the players we’ve witnessed come and leave Colorado State. Every one of these young men are possibly the greatest to play their position in Rams football history:

QB: Garrett Grayson
RB: Kapri Bibbs
WR: Rashard Higgins
TE: Crockett Gillmore
G: Weston Richburg
T: Ty Sambrailo

(Honorable mention to Shaquil Barrett, who played defensive end.)

It’s somewhat astonishing to sit back and take in at once.

So, who will continue the legacy of these legendary offensive players? Who on the roster can set school records and perhaps one day play in the NFL?

The early favorite is freshman standout Izzy Matthews, and another name which came up is Xavier Williams. Who do you think, Ram fan?

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