Consistency is the name of the game this spring for CSU football. Consistency in practice, consistency in the playbooks, consistency in attitude and effort. At the beginning of the 15-practice period, Mike Bobo said he wanted to see an increased effort and for the team to be more team-led.
The culmination of work will be on display today in the team’s annual Green and Gold Game. Graduate transfer quarterback Faton Bauta will also be on display for the first time in front of the home fans. After throwing three touchdowns in last Saturday’s scrimmage, the hype around the former Georgia Bulldog is at an all-time high.
When asked about his success in last week’s scrimmage, the veteran QB pointed to both his work ethic and the chemistry he has been slowly building with his new teammates.
“I’m building some sort of familiarity with everybody, there’s some chemistry being built,”Bauta explained after practice Tuesday. “I was actually just thinking to myself over the weekend, just how close I’ve gotten to a lot of guys, and how they’ve really welcomed me with open arms and accepted me.”
Bauta is not the only Ram to rave about team chemistry recently. Starting quarterback Nick Stevens claimed the team is much closer than they were a year ago, and linebacker Kevin Davis also spoke of the team’s chemistry this spring. The Rams have continually made strides since Mike Bobo came to Fort Collins, and the progress the team has made over this 15-practice period is evident within the locker room.
“I’m not going to try and compare anything to last year obviously, because I was not here, but from what I’ve seen so far, from the first week to now, I think definitely day and night,” Bauta said.
The veteran QB continued on the progression of the the team this spring, saying, “I think guys have a great attitude when they go out there, which is awesome. There’s not really much moping around, or guys feeling sorry for themselves… I see a constant effort to make improvements.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMBYvNvja8k
Bauta and Stevens have acted like professionals throughout a tough competition this spring, and both will be expected to do the same this fall. Depth is thin currently at running back, but behind an experienced offensive line, and with both quarterbacks trying to leave a lasting impression, fans should have a chance to see these two air it out today.
With the stage set for the Colorado State quarterbacks, Bauta told BSN that today is no different than any other.
“There’s a pressure every day that you need to put on yourself in practice,” the confident young mas said. “Because the more pressure you put on yourself in practice, games, scrimmages, all that stuff should come easy. The way you perform in practice is the way you’ll perform in games. So if that’s consistent, then your game play will be consistent.”
Throughout the offseason, Bauta has said the right things and shown that he is more than competent handling the media. However, words are just that, words.
Bauta has a lot of college football experience, but not a ton of experience on game day. If he is going to win this job, he will have to earn it, because Stevens is going to give his best efforts. You can count on that.
The Green and Gold Game will be the first real test for the talented quarterback duo. With the Ram faithful in attendance, who will stand out at QB for CSU? We will just have to wait and see.
The game — which is an offense vs. defense format — kicks off at 1 P.M. MT at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium. It’s fre and open to the public; see you there!
