Colorado State University Athletics
Rams Conduct Sixth Spring Practice
4/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Colorado State University football coach Sonny Lubick has a pretty simple outlook on his team's spring football drills. Following Thursday's workout, the team's sixth of the spring, Lubick said being physical on both sides of the ball remains the focal point of practice sessions.
"We are trying to see if we can be physical, be tough, on both sides," said Lubick following a two-hour workout. "We need to be consistent (on defense), and make tackles. We cannot give up the big plays. That's been our nemesis the last two years."
Lubick, for the second day in a row, put his team through a brief full-contact session near the end of the workout.
"We have to knock one another off the ball," he said. "Eighty percent of the (live) drill was the run. This weekend, we'll do the same: Pound the ball at one another."
"We have to get our team to get that mindset to be physical, to buckle up our chin strap and either knock the other guy off the ball, or be knocked off the ball. Hopefully, we're going to get that.
Lubick's defense has eight starters returning from last year's team. But a couple - cornerback Robert Herbert (leg) and tackle Blake Smith (back) - are missing spring drills due to injury.
"It gives some other young players a chance to move into the lineup," he said.
Lubick praised the play of redshirt freshman Matt Rupp, inserted into the lineup in place of Smith. Rupp played one play in one game last year and suffered a concussion on that play - on the opening kickoff against Montana State. Formerly a defensive end, depth concerns forced Rupp inside to tackle this spring.
Linebackers Nathan Pauly and Jeff Horinek also drew praise from Lubick. for their improvement this spring.
Lubick said the Rams would take Friday off, then practice at 11 a.m. Saturday. Sunday, Lubick and his staff will welcome more than 100 prospective student-athletes to campus to watch the team's 3 p.m. workout as part of "Junior Day."
Lubick also said Sunday's workout will feature a controlled situational scrimmage.
