Colorado State University Athletics
CSU Practice Report: Day 2
8/4/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 4, 2006
Colorado State University's football team enters the 2006 season with runningback Kyle Bell and quarterback Caleb Hanie entrenched as starters.
But Rams' coach Sonny Lubick said competition for playing time at both those positions has been fierce through two days of practice.
Bell rushed for 1,288 yards and 10 touchdowns last year and was second in the Mountain West Conference in rushing per game. Hanie started five games as a true freshman in 2004, and played as a reserve last year.
Both Bell and Hanie are firmly entrenched as the starters, but Lubick expects the competition to make both players better. Gartrell Johnson and Billy Farris are the top backups behind Bell and Hanie, respectively.
"They are being pushed by the competition," said Lubick. "It will make them both better. Gartrell (Johnson) has really worked hard and is earning playing time behind Kyle. Billy is working hard, too."
Lubick said such competition does nothing but make the starters better.
Lubick said he expects this year's offense to be at least as productive as last season's.
"We will be different, that's for sure, because Caleb gives us a little extra with his running ability. We won't be the prototypical dropback that we had been. If we can get the offensive line to gel, we'll be at least as good if not better offensively than we were last year.
Colorado State returned to the practice field Friday morning for a two-hour workout, the second of five days in a row of non-contact drills. Following Monday's workout, the Rams will take Tuesday off and participate in media day activities at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium at 10 a.m.
The following day, CSU will stage a pair of workouts, then alternate between one- and two-a-day practice sessions.
Lubick said his goal over the first five days of workouts is to install most of the team's offense, defense, and special teams attacks. By the time the teams returns to practice next Wednesday, it will offer his staff a chance to review, correct, and add to the playbook.
Colorado State opens the season Sept. 2, playing host to Weber State at 3 p.m. Tickets to all CSU events are available online at CSURAMS.com.
