Colorado State University Athletics
CSU Fall Camp Notebook: Day 6
8/12/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
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FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Day 2 in pads was an improvement from Day 1, with head coach Mike Bobo saying he was pleased with how his team bounced back from practice Tuesday evening.
"I thought today was better," Bobo said. "It was going to be a tough day no matter if yesterday was a good day or not; we were coming off a late practice from yesterday afternoon, and coming back early today in the morning for a two-a-day. There was good energy - some lapses defensively and missed assignments offensively - but I liked the energy and I liked the concentration throughout the practice."
The Rams now have roughly eight hours to eat, treat, go over film and rest before hitting the practice field again for a second practice, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Despite the tiring schedule, Bobo has complete confidence that the team will embrace the second practice just as it did in the morning, and four of the first five practices to begin fall camp.
"I feel good about this football team and where they are at," Bobo said. "They responded this morning. We talk about it every day, and it's a grind. Coach (Terry) Fair talked to the team last night about how every day you can't allow yourself or your teammates to not go out there and give their best. Everybody is counting on everybody."
After Wednesday's morning session, Bobo highlighted All-Mountain West tight end Steven Walker, who has stood out to the coaching staff throughout the first week.
"I have been really pleased with Steven Walker through the first six practices," Bobo said. "The spring he was a bit rusty, he was dealing with a hamstring and some groin soreness. He has looked sharp. He has good fundamentals, he understands angles and hat placement, which are big for a tight end. You can tell he has an offensive line background."
Walker caught 30 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns in 2014, and last month was named to the Preseason All-MW team. The Rams have an impressive list of tight ends on their roster, including Walker and Kivon Cartwright, who missed most of last season but was a 2013 All-MW selection who has started 23 career games.
"The thing about the tight end position is that we have competition, so the competition brings out the best of Steven, it brings the best out of Nolan (Peralta), Danny Nwosu is light years ahead of where he was in the spring; he wants to get in the mix . . . and then you add Kivon (Cartwright) to it and we have some talented tight ends that are doing a nice job."
CSU also has George Maumau returning from injury and Mitch Parsons, who transferred from Vanderbilt and is eligible immediately.
Including tight ends, wide receivers and backs, CSU returns pass catchers who have accounted for 6,628 career yards and 50 touchdowns, the most and second-most in NCAA FBS, respectively.
"You'd like to have a lot of guys making plays," Bobo said. "Then it's not just Rashard Higgins; as a quarterback, you can go where the ball is supposed to go facing the defensive scheme. Sometimes you've got one guy you feel is explosive or can make plays and you try to force things, you become a little bit more predictable. I like running an offense where five guys have three to five catches instead of one guy with 12."
