Mike Bobo and the Rams had a bad feeling Saturday night about the status of their up-and-coming quarterback.
The Colorado Sate head coach told the media Monday afternoon that Collin Hill tore his ACL against Utah State, effectively ending his 2016 season. In games the true freshman started, the Rams went 3-1.
Redshirt junior Nick Stevens will now be called upon to lead a CSU offense that started to gain some traction with Hill. For most teams, offensive production tends to drop off when a backup is forced into game action.
That’s where the situation with the Rams is so different.
Stevens isn’t a typical second string quarterback with limited upside. The California native was named second team All-Mountain West in 2015, completing nearly 61 percent of his passes for 2,679 yards and 21 touchdowns.
He’s been there and done that.
Granted, Stevens had a forgettable 2016 debut against rival Colorado where he ultimately lost the starter’s job to now-backup Faton Bauta. But according to Bobo, Stevens couldn’t have put himself in better position to be ready for this new opportunity.
“He’s been a good friend to Collin and a good teammate who has continued to help him,” Bobo said to the media Monday afternoon. “He’s been by his side, encouraging him, which is great for a young guy who’s a starter now thrown into a leadership role. That right there probably helped him with this football team more than anything as far as a leadership role because of how he handled things and the situation with Collin.”
Not only does the Rams’ head coach feel good about Stevens leading the offense again, but also about Hill’s future.
“It’s a tough thing for Collin and a tough thing for our football team but I have confidence in Nick that he’s going to come out and play well, and confidence that Collin will rehab well and be back with us this spring,” said Bobo.
Let’s revisit that play where Hill got injured. With the Rams still looking to put points on the board, Hill tried to make something happen with his feet. As he went to plant his foot, his knee buckled.
It’s a shame that Hill’s season was cut short on a non-contact play, but as Bobo explained, that’s the nature of the game.
Said Bobo: “That’s football. You’re going to have injuries, you’re going to have setbacks and you’re going to have some adversity. He’s a well-grounded young man and is going to handle it extremely well. He’s got a good foundation at home – a support system. He’ll have a great support system here with our coaching staff and training staff.”
The way the schedule sets up for CSU, it may not be a bad thing for the more experienced Stevens to be taking the snaps again. Four of their final six games are away from Fort Collins, three of which come against San Diego State, Air Force and this week against Boise State.
So how will the gameplan change offensively with Stevens back in at quarterback? It would actually be surprising to see the Rams get away from what they’ve done in recent weeks.
Look for Stevens to target Michael Gallup, Hill’s go-to receiver, as often as possible. But mainly, especially after the success against Utah State, watch for CSU to continue their success with the ground game.
“You’ve got to be able to run the ball, no matter who’s back there,” emphasized offensive coordinator Will Friend.
