Colorado State University Athletics
Spring Notebook: Rams football completes first practice of 2015
3/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Colorado State opened its first football spring practice under first-year head coach Mike Bobo on a sunny Tuesday afternoon on the on-campus practice facility just south of Moby Arena. Practice was noticeably more intense and a much quicker tempo compared to years past, and Bobo was pleased with what he saw on the first day.
"The first day went well," Bobo said. "I thought the guys moved around with a lot of energy and played hard. That was the main thing we were looking for was having energy and effort. There are a lot of fundamental things we have to correct but that's what film time and the study session will be about."
Replacing quarterback Garrett Grayson, arguably the best quarterback in CSU history, will be a hot topic throughout spring and into fall camp. No coach is going to name a starter after one practice, but Bobo was quick to point out the play of Nick Stevens.
"Out of the three, I thought Nick (Stevens) had a better grasp and understanding of what we were doing," Bobo said. "We still have to move faster and play faster with our feet. You can see they are thinking a little bit too much, instead of reacting and playing habit, but that is natural. It is new offense, new terminology, new coaches and they probably can't understand half the stuff I'm saying because of the southern drawl. It is going to take time until they figure out what I'm saying and they decipher what to listen to when I'm yelling at them."
The Rams have been able to work on installing plays in the weeks leading up to the first spring practice, so after Tuesday, the new coaching staff feels confident that they have the new system installed.
"We got everything installed," Bobo said. "We've been working on this installation for a couple weeks. There were probably a little more missed assignments then I thought there would be for as much meeting time. The tempo was good. We have to do a better job of getting lined up faster at the skill positions, and locating the signal guy, but I thought it was a decent job."
The Rams return to the practice field on Thursday March 12. Bobo said the staff will meet and decide how much installation they'll continue on Thursday, or whether they'll cut it back and bit and correct some fundamental mistakes.
Spring Notebook
ACTIVE HEAD COACH: Head coach Mike Bobo isn't a coach that is going to walk around the practice facility and constantly observe. Midway through practice on Tuesday, the first-year head coach strapped on an arm pad, and was trying to knock the players off their line.
NEW POSITIONS: Among several minor changes, the most noticeable involves Nu'uvali Fa'apito. Fa'apito, who has been a backup linebacker and special teams player for his first three years at CSU, has moved to fullback.
Bobo was asked why he moved Fa'apito to that spot.
"I thought we needed a bigger guy that could be a point-of-attack guy in our offense. Nu'uvali was going to start on the depth chart at third-team, and he had a chance to be a starter. I wouldn't have moved a guy if he didn't have a chance to be a starter, and he has a chance to be a starter on offense."
"After 4 years, Nu'uvali Fa'apito could finally start at CSU" via Matt Stephens of the Fort Collins Coloradoan.
INTERVIEW LIST: After the next practice on Thursday, the media will have a chance to speak with offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Will Friend.
THE GRIND: Colorado State's popular web series "The Grind" returns on Thursday, March 12. The first episode will cover everything from Bobo's hiring through the first practice of spring.
FAMILIAR FACES: Several graduating members of CSU's 10-3 team from last season were on the sidelines at today's practice. Cornerback Bernard Blake, wide receiver Charles Lovett, linebacker Max Morgan and tackle Ty Sambrailo came to watch their former teammates go through drills on the eve of their own Pro Day workout. The quartet was joined by 2010-13 CSU cornerback Shaq Bell and 2012 team MVP Lanston Tanyi. All will take part in Pro Day workouts for NFL scouts Wednesday morning on the CSU campus, along with linebacker Aaron Davis, defensive lineman LaRyan King and kicker Roberts.
BOBO QUOTABLES:
(on difference between being an offensive coordinator and head coach)
"It was a little bit different. I'm still calling the plays on offense, I'm coaching offense. It was a little bit different now that I have a quarterbacks coach, I'm not involved in every little thing that they do. I have to separate myself a little bit, but I'm still going to call plays and get used to the terminology we have here because it is a little different than what I had at Georgia. Once I get that down, I'll back away a little bit from the offense and just go off the (practice) script, and put the head coach cap on more and focus on the whole team. Right now, the focus was all on offense today."
(on evaluation of his team)
"I like our team. I think we have big guys, we have rangy guys, guys that can run in the fourth quarter. I thought they moved decent today. We are still out there in underwear (shorts and jersey) today, we didn't have on pads. When we put on pads and play real football I'll have a better evaluation."
(on what Bobo is looking for in a QB)
"I'm looking for a guy that can move the ball down field, complete balls, is an accurate passer and can run our offense. The No. 1 thing we do in our offense is we don't want to have wasted plays. We put a lot on our quarterback to not put us in a bad play. They have to keep us out of wasted plays. Every play we call, we want them to get us in the right play and give us a chance for success, and give it to the guy that can make plays. If you are throwing a simple bubble route, put the ball one-foot in front of the numbers so (Joe) Hansley or Deionte Gaines can make yards after the catch. If we are throwing a slant, we want to put it from his chest to his waist, and if we are throwing a deep ball give our guy a chance to make a play. Then, I'm looking for a guy that when he steps in the huddle, those 10 guys know they believe in that guy. That is going to be a process trying to figure that out, and letting those guys develop into who they are. It is going to take time. By no means, after day 1, are we going to say `hey this guy is the guy, or there is no way he can't do it.' We want to see improvement from practice 1 to practice 2, from week 1 to week 2, from spring practice to fall camp."
