FORT COLLINS – After three consecutive games of preparing for predominantly running offenses, Mike Bobo’s defense will spend the next eight days prepping for an Idaho team that loves to throw the ball.
Vandals’ quarterback Matt Linehan currently ranks in the upper-third of FBS with 2,803 passing yards. The 6-3 junior from Michigan has thrown 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on the season. Bobo explained Tuesday that Linehan uses his big tight ends effectively and specifically mentioned the 6-4, 222-pound Deon Watson as a threat.
Watson caught 36 passes for 555 yards, an average of more than 15 yards per reception.
The 6-3, 230-pound Trent Cowan serves as Linehan’s other favorite target. Bobo’s defense figures to pay close attention to Cowan when the Vandals are in the red zone, as the senior from Washington hauled in six touchdowns to go with his 532 yards.
As physically imposing as the Idaho receivers are, it’s Linehan who engineers the offense. Bobo called him “a heady player who makes good decisions and is an accurate, touch guy. They’ll run him some, but not a lot. They’re a team playing with confidence is what I see.”
Linehan may not throw the ball 50 times against the Rams, but keep in mind the Vandals rank near the bottom of FBS for rushing offense (141.3 yards per game; 105th). So CSU’s secondary should be plenty busy.
Bobo talked about how Idaho will line up in a spread offense, as well as get the most out of play-action. It’s a combination that pushed the Vandals to third in the Sun Belt with just over 28 points per game.
So while CSU’s defense may have gotten into a trend of seeing run-first teams, they’ll be tasked with limiting an offense that prefers to put points on the board through the air. According to safety Jake Schlager, it’s all about discipline.
“Going into this one, you’ve just got to take a step back and realize what they do, how they do it differently and just adjust yourself,” Schlager said. “You’ve always got to expect both, but you can lean heavier toward if it’s going to be run or pass based on the team. But there’s always a 50-50 chance for the most part. So you’ve always got to be disciplined with your eyes, be disciplined with everything – communications, play calls, knowing what to expect. I wouldn’t say there’s going to be a huge change in anything. Just coming down to disciple and the little things.”
The Week Ahead for the Rams
Wednesday: 90-minute practice in the early afternoon as coaching staff finishes up introducing their base plan for Idaho
Thursday: No practice
Friday: Two-hour practice later in the afternoon
Saturday: No practice
Sunday: Two-hour practice in the early afternoon on campus at Boise State
Monday: Two-hour practice later in the afternoon
Tuesday: Final bowl game practice
