Colorado State University Athletics
CSU Fall Camp Notebook: Day 5
8/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Colorado State Rams stepped on the field for Day 5 of preseason camp on Tuesday with a different look. The players donned full pads for the first time in fall camp, and with that occasion usually comes an increase in intensity.
After praising his team for the fire and energy it brought in its first four practices, head coach Mike Bobo said he did not see the same level of effort and intensity that had characterized the first four days. There is a benefit to the relentless schedule of camp, though: The team will have an opportunity to regain its form right away on Wednesday morning when the first two-a-day is scheduled.
“I’m expecting them to come out here every day, like I said yesterday, and practice like a champion,” Bobo said. “Every day we step on the field, every day we come in that building, we have to practice like a champion.”
While padded practices are generally not conducted with full tackling, there are still advantages to being in full pads that replicate game situations.
“Most of it’s going to be thud,” Bobo said on tackling. “Sometimes thud’s a little bit better because guys have to bring their feet and wrap up instead of diving and leaving their feet; they have to get in position to tackle.”
Camp is an opportunity for the defense, under first-year coordinator Tyson Summers, to establish its identity. Bobo has emphasized that he wants his Rams team to be tough and physical, and while that applies to the whole team, the senior-laden defense appears ready to take that philosophy to heart.
Bobo spoke on Monday during the team’s media day about the importance of a strong defensive unit, and the role the seniors will play.
“If we want to be a good football team that turns into a great football team, we’ve got to be great on defense,” Bobo said. “Our seniors on our football team are on the defensive side of the ball. Our offense had a lot of confidence, a lot of belief. On defense, I thought we had some confidence as individuals, but as a group I wasn’t really sure. So we’ve been stressing (that) if we want to be great, we’ve got to be great on defense. We put those expectations on those guys, because those are the Trent Matthews, the KPLs (Kevin Pierre-Louis), the (Nick) Januskas, the Cory James, the SteveOs (Michel)…those are the guys who are the seniors. There’s always something about a guy who’s a senior, his last year, how important it is that he goes out as a winner. So we put those expectations on them to help lead, to help push. ‘Don’t wait around on the offense; you set the tempo every day when we take the field.’”
The Rams will practice 19 times during a 16-day period, including five two-a-day practices, beginning Wednesday. The first practice will also mark the team’s first morning practice of fall camp.
Saturday, the team will scrimmage at Hughes Stadium – one of two scrimmages – before receiving their first day off on Sunday.
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