Former Ram Sperry still at school in San Diego

Jan. 3, 2011

By Zak Gilbert
Athletic Media Relations

DENVER, Colo. - Kory Sperry realized Sunday's win over the Broncos was the 10th time he'd played a football game at Invesco Field. But this time, even though he grew up in mile-high Colorado, there was a difference.

"The air felt a little thinner," he said. "Finally, it was thinner."

And that's a good thing, because it signifies that Sperry's young NFL career is beginning to stabilize.

The former CSU tight end, tied for second on the Rams' all-time list with 20 career touchdown catches, finished his second NFL season Sunday as the Chargers held off the Broncos, 33-28. He finished the season with four catches for 73 yards, an impressive 18.3 average, including a key, 17-yard reception from Philip Rivers on San Diego's third-quarter TD drive, giving him seven catches for 104 yards and a TD in 15 NFL games.

And he finished the year with the Chargers, spending the entire regular season with the organization. After injuries hobbled perennial Pro Bowler Antonio Gates, Sperry capitalized on an opportunity and played in San Diego's final seven games. He hopes that his performance over the second half of the season will earn him an invitation to return to the Chargers for training camp in 2011.

"That's what I'm hoping happens," said Sperry, who signed with CSU out of Pueblo County High School in Southern Colorado. "But at the same time, it's one of those anything-can-happen situations, so I take it day by day and see what happens."

What happened during Sperry's first two seasons isn't uncommon among countless early NFL careers. On Sunday, he returned to Invesco Field wearing the same San Diego Chargers colors he donned when he entered the league as a non-drafted free agent in 2009. Released by San Diego in September of 2009, he spent the first half of 2009 on the Miami Dolphins practice squad, then earned playing time over the final two months of his rookie year, catching a TD pass against the Buccaneers.

He then spent the entire offseason and most of the 2010 preseason with the Dolphins until the Broncos claimed him on waivers Aug. 24. After two weeks in Denver, catching passes from Tim Tebow on a daily basis, he returned to San Diego as a free agent just before the season-opener.

"One thing I've learned in this business is that you can be anywhere at any point and when you get an opportunity you just try not to make a mistake and lose it. So, I'm here, I'm with these guys, and I love it."

One reason he loves it is the Chargers' pro-style playbook, eerily similar to the formations and terms employed by Steve Fairchild at Colorado State. Sperry hopes to continue to learn from coaches and players that used that playbook to finish No. 1 in the NFL in total offense and No. 2 in passing offense. Having learned the offense as a senior at CSU under Fairchild, Sperry knows that the Rams' playbook is a primary reason high-school prospects choose to come to Colorado State, because the offense best prepares them for a career at the next level.

And having now established his foundation at that level, Sperry lists reaching the next step as his primary goal entering 2011.

"Learn more," said Sperry, who's attentively followed the Chargers' three veteran tight ends, Gates, Randy McMichael and Kris Wilson, who have a combined 24 years of NFL experience. "I just want to get into the system a little more and learn on a vet level with how the game evolves, instead of being one of the young guys. Basically, getting in there and learning the game with a different view."

One view that won't be different, no matter what his future holds, is his outlook on circumstances. One week after catching three touchdowns against CU at Invesco Field in 2007, his senior year came to a crashing halt when he tore an ACL at home against DeSean Jackson and No. 10 Cal. Experiences like that at CSU have prepared him for anything that lies in his NFL path.

"That's how it is," Sperry said. "It's one of those situations where you've just got to accept what's going on. And once you find your fit, hopefully it fits. I was with guys in Miami that had been with 4-5 teams. It's a tricky business, but once you hopefully find a team, you're able to play. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow. What happens today is what matters."

And on this today, Sperry was happy to be back home, even though he had trouble getting enough tickets for his family and friends.

"I only got seven tickets," said the tight end. "I can't get too many tickets. It's a little expensive sometimes."

Even before returning to Colorado Sunday, Sperry obviously hadn't forgotten his roots. On a weekly basis, he keeps in touch with fellow CSU players, including his former QB and playoff-bound Caleb Hanie of the Chicago Bears

He also keeps his Chargers playbook in the same Oakley New Mexico Bowl backpack he received for participating in the 2008 contest, won in dramatic fashion by the Rams, thanks in part to a spectacular TD catch he made just before halftime.

"A lot of guys, you know, they buy the Gucci and the Prada for their playbooks. I keep it my bag I got from the bowl game."

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