Colorado State University Athletics
Scrimmage recap: Rams go 47 plays in second fall scrum
8/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 21, 2010
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By Zak Gilbert
Athletic Media Relations
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – CSU completed its most arduous fall practice Saturday, highlighted by a 47-play scrimmage in 90-degree heat at Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium just two weeks before the Cinch Jeans Rocky Mountain Showdown.
Matt Yemm and Lou Greenwood each hauled in long touchdown passes from Pete Thomas, named the Rams’ starter Tuesday, and Raymond Carter and John Mosure each had big carries, but the day belonged to the defense.
After losing a tight contest last Saturday, CSU’s defense responded with five sacks and an interception during live periods to win, 33-25.
“I thought our defense played really, really well today,” Head Coach Steve Fairchild said. “Last week, I thought we had a slow start defensively. This week, from start to finish, we played sharp defensively. We played smart. We got lined up. They had a couple flags, but not too many for this time of year. I got nothing but praise for our defense.”
Specifically, coaches were praising defensive end Davis Burl, a sophomore that was recruited as a safety and played linebacker as a redshirt freshman. Burl on Saturday got great air to bat away Thomas’ second pass, then sacked him several plays later. Linebackers Mychal Sisson and Mike Orakpo, and tackles Te’Jay Brown and Guy Miller, a team captain, also posted sacks Saturday. Along with those five sacks, Adam Seymore and Eugene Daniels had big tackles for loss.
Fairchild was pleased with his defensive penetration.
“I think our pass rush is good,” he said. “Our offensive line’s not playing up to snuff, so that makes them look good, but I think we’ve helped ourselves defensively with those moves.”
Those moves, in addition to Burl, included shifting Orakpo from safety to linebacker, Seymore from tight end to defensive tackle, Broderick Sargent from tight end to defensive end and Crockett Gillmore, a true freshman that will likely play this year, also from tight end to defensive end.
Having depleted their tight end position, the Rams late this week transitioned Ben Tedford from defensive line to tight end, the position his late godfather, Keli McGregor, played for the Rams as an All-American in the mid-1980s. Tedford also wears McGregor’s number, 88.
“Ben in high school played a little tight end,” Fairchild said. “We’re not really deep there. Like I keep saying, tight end and safety kind of scare me a little in terms of depth chart, so I think he’s got a chance to help us, certainly down the road.”
Other than the Thomas touchdowns to Greenwood, a 50-yarder completed with a tight, arching spiral, and Yemm, a 40-yard strike on which Yemm used one hand to secure the perfectly placed ball on his left hip and beat tight coverage from Najee James, Fairchild wasn’t pleased.
“Offensively,” he said, “we stunk up the field today. We had 16 penalties, 12 procedures. Our first five plays, we had a procedure and turnover. I put that on players and coaches; we just didn’t show up like we wanted to play. We’re not accountable offensively.
“I think it’s time the coaches and the players decide, ‘I’m going to be accountable for my actions on the field.’ You can see that we’re not doing that.”
Thomas hit 8 of 11 passes for 147 yards and the two touchdowns. His day’s first attempt was dropped, and Burl batted away his second. Then, the quarterback finished by completing 8 of his last 9, his only incompletion an interception by Marcus Shaw.
“I thought he played really well last week,” Fairchild said. “I thought he had a good week of practice. I’m not sure he was a sharp (Saturday), but it’s hard, knowing everything around you is going wrong. It’s hard, again, to say one thing – this guy was good or bad. I think our offense just needs to sit in a room and decide that they’re going to be accountable for the product here out on the field.
“I think Pete’s going to be a very, very good quarterback for us. His development, obviously, will speed up as the development everywhere else doesn’t hinder him. We’ve got to pick it up everywhere else.”
Ram Club Scrimmage: The day marked the first annual Ram Club Scrimmage, as Fairchild closed the practice to everyone except CSU donors.
When reporters assured the coach that CU head coach Dan Hawkins wasn’t in the stands, Fairchild said that if Hawkins were an honorary member of the Ram Club, the Buffs coach would’ve been licking his chops at what he saw Saturday.
“If I’m Dan Hawkins right now,” Fairchild said, “I’m feeling really good about this game, after watching this offense.”
CSU associate athletic director of development Mike LaPlante and annual fund director Randy Kinder estimated that just under 600 Ram Club members made the trip to the stadium Saturday. Fairchild took time out from the early part of practice to address most in the Rams’ home locker room. After the speech, CSU treated Ram Club members to a complimentary lunch in the Ram’s Horn club seating area.
Click, clack: After breaking in black Under Armour shoes over the first two weeks of camp, the Rams were at it again Saturday, this time breaking in their new white Under Armours. With gold, green, white and traditional orange Russell jerseys, green, gold and white pants, and now black and white Under Armour shoes, the Rams have 24 possible uniform combinations.
Family rivals: If CU freshman Jered Bell sees playing time against the Rams Sept. 4, the CSU receivers might benefit from a special scouting report supplied by offensive graduate assistant Darrell Ballard. Bell and Ballard, a former CSU receiver, are cousins.
OTHER POST-PRACTICE QUOTES FROM FAIRCHILD…
On the offensive line: “It’s hard to gauge anything because, sometimes it’s not the pocket; sometimes it’s the quarterback, sometimes it’s a receiver. We’re blocking it quick and the receiver’s running the wrong route, or something along those lines. And then sometimes it’s the offense line. When you play that poorly, you can’t attest it to any one group or any one thing. I’m concerned at every part.”
On dropped passes: “There were some, and there were some poor throws, poor protection; it was equally spread offensively.”
On John Mosure: “John Mosure is starting to step up. We’ve had poor play at running back all camp, and John’s kind of started to turn the corner and do some nice things. He may be playing up the depth chart.”
On Klay Kubiak: “He’s got a little groin. I don’t think it’s too serious.”
On whether CU naming Tyler Hansen its starting quarterback changes any of the Rams’ preparations: “I don’t think so, no.”
On what’s wrong with the offense, whether there’s not enough film study happening: “It doesn’t look like it. It doesn’t look like we’re teaching well enough, and it doesn’t look like they want it like good football teams want it. They came out here and stunk it up. That’s probably what they prepared to do.”
On questions to answer in the next two weeks: “I think our rotation in the defensive line, the backup positions in the secondary, and really, after today, every position offensively.”
On injured RB Leonard Mason (hamstring), and whether he can return next week: “I don’t think he’ll be full-go. It’s my understanding game week we’re going to start doing some things and at that point, we’ll assess whether he’s good enough to go the first week or not.”
On injured T Mark Starr (foot) and whether he’ll return to practice this week: “I don’t know. We’ll have to let him see the doctor in the next couple days. He’s not ready right now, that’s for sure. I don’t think it’s anything serious, though.”
On RB Chris Nwoke, and why he didn’t see much action in the scrimmage: “He fumbled.”
On too many offensive penalties: “I think it’s not having that edge, not being ready to play. Obviously when you have 12 procedure penalties on offense, you’re not ready to play.”
