Colorado State University Athletics
Sperry, CSU, a perfect fit
9/29/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 29, 2008
By Jeff Jacobson
Athletic Media Relations
From being one of the Rams' top offensive producers to relaxing in one of the greatest cities in America, senior Kory Sperry has really found his niche at Colorado State.
Taking trips to watch basketball tournaments on campus since he was a kid, Sperry has always wanted to come to CSU and continues to enjoy the Fort Collins area.
"I like that it's real calm," he said. "You can have anything you want. You can have your college scene or you can just go relax or you can just go somewhere real quiet. That's what I like about it. It's got everything you need in it."
Finding everything he needed three hours north of his Pueblo hometown, Sperry shifted paths from being a four-year quarterback in high school to the tight end position, although the decision wasn't up to Sperry.
"That was a coach's decision," he said. "I was recruited as an athlete. I actually had no idea where I was going to play until I got to camp and they threw me with tight ends."
With the quick transition in fall camp, Sperry quickly bulked up and currently stands at 6-feet-6 and 250 pounds. But even as one of the biggest players on the roster, Sperry has an older brother, B.J., even bigger than he is. But for Sperry that doesn't matter. He is still able to take on his sibling who competes for a semi-pro football team in Denver.
"My brother's bigger and older than me, but I can still beat him up," the younger Sperry said. "He's two years older than me and he looks really mean. But I'll hand it to him."
And while Sperry takes this toughness into the games, pregame is a different story.
"Before the game, me and Dion Morton pretty much hang out and joke around," said Sperry of his roommate. "I just go have fun. And once the whistle blows, then it's business."
But once the final horn blows, the competitiveness takes a break and Sperry finds time to kick back. He spends the few moments he has off the field sleeping and watching Kansas City Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez, to whom Head Coach Steve Fairchild - a former NFL assistant -- has compared Sperry.
"I just like watching him play," Sperry said, "because he's a good blocker and a great receiver and it's just fun watching him."
And although Sperry might be able to enter the league with Gonzalez some day, as he is perhaps the Rams' most promising NFL prospect, Sperry is also prepared to enter the traditional workforce.
"That's everybody's goal right now in college football (to play in the NFL)," he said. "That's the dream. That's something I want to pursue, but if don't happen, real life is going to have to hit soon."
Currently on the 2008 John Mackey Award watch list, for an award annually given to the year's most outstanding tight end, Sperry is looking to have a great second senior year. Since, two games into the 2007 season he suffered a knee injury and missed the remainder of what was expected to be Sperry's final season. Yet, Sperry isn't about to take his final year as a student-athlete for granted.
"Treat this one like my last year because it literally is," he said. "I just want to stay healthy, have a good year and take as much time as I can with the team before I get into the real world."
