Colorado State University Athletics
Spring Notebook: Rams practice outside, add shells
3/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Following back-to-back days off, Colorado State returned to the practice fields on Tuesday for the team’s third of 15 spring practices. Different from the first two practices, however, the Rams were outdoors on Tuesday and added shells. The first two workouts were indoors in the team’s Indoor Practice Facility and were in shorts.
“It was a good day,” head coach Mike Bobo said. “I thought the guys practiced smart. We had some good thuds defensively, but tried to protect each other, too.”
Bobo noted that the surface did get slippery with constant rain falling down, but that it was nice to be outdoors.
After graduating three of the Rams’ top players in the secondary – DeAndre Elliott, Trent Matthews and Kevin Pierre-Louis – there are several position openings up for grabs heading into the 2016 season. While many of the spots won’t be won until August, Bobo said that now is the time for the current players to prove they are deserving.
“They’re getting a lot of opportunity to show what they can do,” he said of the secondary, particularly the cornerbacks. “Their opportunity is right now to prove that they’re dependable enough to be on the bus.”
At cornerback, the Rams return junior Kevin Nutt, Jr. and senior Tyree Simmons, but also bring in two names who are drawing attention. Jordon Vaden, a senior who played wide receiver the past three seasons was moved to cornerback earlier this month due to his length and size.
“I think Jordon’s going to be fine,” cornerbacks coach Terry Fair said. “He’s made some plays. He hadn’t played the position, so we’re still ironing out stuff, but he’s a guy that’s willing. He has the length, he has the size, he has the speed to run with anybody out there on the field. This spring is about improving each and every day and gaining confidence each and every day. I look forward to seeing him compete.”
The other new member is A’Keitheon Whitner, a junior transfer from Eastern Arizona Junior College.
“The opportunity for him to learn the defense before you go into the summer and fall camp is huge,” Fair said. “It allows him to learn the techniques and the philosophy of what we want him to do. He’s a tireless worker who’s putting himself out there. He’s already trying to lead and is taking a big role. He’s a competitor that wants to get better each day. He’ll take lumps, but his focus is to get better and he’s emerged himself as that guy.”
At safety, junior Justin Sweet and senior Preston Hodges are earning time at the strong safety spot, while junior Jake Schlager and sophomore Braylin Scott are lining up at free safety, as is midyear enrollee Houston Haynes, a juco transfer from Pierce Community College.
Overall, Fair said that last year wasn’t good enough for his unit, and it’s using this spring to attack that.
“We want to be the best secondary in the Mountain West,” Fair said. “That’s what we’re shooting toward. Guys have to believe it. This spring is all about gaining confidence, competing with one another and going into summer feeling like we’ve taken that step. Are you committed to doing the little things every single day? I want guys who want to take the next man’s job. You can be best friends, but you’ve got to want his job. You’ve got to make him step up each and every day and put that pressure on him.”
Familiar faces: DeAndre Elliott, Martavius Foster, Cory James, Trent Matthews, Jasen Oden, Jr. and Kevin Pierre-Louis – all members of the 2015 Rams football team – were on the sidelines during practice Tuesday, getting glimpses of their former teammates.
New branding: A new mesh wrap was added to the fence that encloses the practice fields. The green wrapping has repeating logos of the Colorado State wordmark, Ram head logo and Under Armour emblem.
Back at it Thursday: The team will practice twice more this week, going on Thursday and Saturday. Beginning Thursday, the team will don full pads.
