FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- The Colorado State football team held its 14th practice of spring camp on Friday, its last workout before the Green & Gold Spring Game tomorrow at noon at the on-campus stadium.
The team is treating tomorrow like a regular season game, which means that today was vital in the preparation for game day. That philosophy extended throughout the day and will go through the beginning of the scrimmage tomorrow.
"Tomorrow is the closest we can come to a game day, so tonight should be treated like the night before the game, your mind on the game, and go over your tips and reminders, wake up in the morning and come over here locked in and focused," head coach Mike Bobo said. "It won't be a true game but there will be some scrimmage situations and it will be the last opportunity for them to go out and show their teammates and their coaches that they are someone their teammates and coaches can depend on. I went back to our first meeting that we had at the start of spring practice and I said to them 'When did I say your opportunity was?' and they said, 'Now.' And they are right, their opportunity starts right now. It's not in fall camp or the week of the first game, it's right now if you want to establish yourself as a guy that we can depend on. Now can you overcome some things, but if you want to make a good impression you need to do it in spring ball and this is the last opportunity to do it tomorrow."
In regards to his assistant coaches, Bobo stated that he does not want a staff full of clones of himself. Wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted, who has coached two Biletnikoff Award finalists in Rashard Higgins and Michael Gallup, may have a different approach to teaching than Bobo does, but he said that he has learned a lot from him.
"I will say that Mike Bobo is probably one of the most brilliant offensive minds that I have been around," Whitted said. "I have learned so much more football from him than I have learned from a lot of other coaches. The way that he teaches and the way that he goes about organization, and just teaching the offense and how he just tries to develop quarterbacks, that's something that anyone can learn from. I am very fortunate to be here and to learn from him because he has done it for a long time. The system that we run as an offense is pretty dedicated to getting our playmakers the ball and just being creative offensively. He is a creative offensive mind and if you want to continue to go that route, he's the kind of guy that is just brilliant. As far as game day organization and making adjustments he thinks like a quarterback. The flow of a game as a play-caller, he just gets it and you know myself, (quarterbacks coach Ronnie) Letson, (tight ends coach) Joe Cox, we're all just trying to soak it in. It really has been awesome just learning from him. And you know his resume just speaks for itself. He's a great football coach and I have been very fortunate to be here."
With the NFL Draft right around the corner, Whitted talked about former Rams superstar Michael Gallup and the pre-draft process he's gone through. Whitted, who played 123 games in the league, has a lot of insight that he can offer to Gallup -- and to league personnel who have reached out about the 2017 Biletnikoff Award finalist.
"I have been in touch with that young man probably every week because there are different receivers coaches in the league that have been calling me," Whitted said. "I actually have been talking to the Cowboys receiver coach, Sanjay Lal, who was actually my (coach) in my last year in Oakland... he and I became very close my last year in Oakland and now he is in Dallas and we talked about Michael and had a great conversation as far as the type of kid he is."
"Michael is a such a good kid.... I think once he is around a good group of veterans that can show him the ropes and say 'Hey this is how you become a pro' and take him under their wing, the sky's the limit for that kid," Whitted continued. "From an athletic standpoint, he is what you want: He is a grown man. He can play at that level and he can do some great things. I am just really excited for him and his family and just the opportunities that they have because I am sure everyone knows his background but I just want great things for him."
Tomorrow's Green & Gold Spring Game is free to the public. Gates will open at 11 a.m., and the New Belgium Porch will be open to all fans. For more information on the day's festivities, click here.
Q: You had one of the more iconic plays of the season last year—your pick-six in the opener against Oregon State. What was the feeling like scoring a touchdown in front of a raucous crowd in such a historic game?
A: It was definitely a great feeling. It was unbelievable especially knowing it was the first game of the season, first game in the new stadium with a sold-out crowd. It's really unbelievable having your teammates be on your back like that. It's something you can always dream about, honestly. It felt like a dream… everything felt like a dream. I was just going through my head like, "I can't believe this is happening on this day at this moment. It was a great feeling."
 Q: What do you have to do this year as a senior leader of the defense?
A: I think what I have to do is establish my role better and help in the advancement of our new scheme and really bring the team together.
 Q: What's it been like working with a new defensive staff? What have you learned?Â
A: I think it's been good working with the defensive staff. They're helping us through the new scheme, helping us build a better football IQ and a different mentality coming into defense.Â
 Q: What are some of your favorite Coach Bobo memories?
A: I think some of my favorite Coach Bobo memories are when something good happens and he starts to jump and get excited when we know he has a knee problem. I think that's definitely it.
  Q: Favorite songs?
A: Nipsey Hussle's "Dedication." That's definitely a banger. I'd say... I listen to so much music, you have no idea. [I definitely like] hip-hop/R&B. I listen to slow songs too, it may not look like it, but I definitely [do].
 Q: Have you seen any good movies lately?
A: 'Black Panther' was definitely a good movie, obviously. A movie that a lot of people don't know about—this movie called 'Acrimony' with Taraji P. Henson and it's a Tyler Perry movie, it's crazy movie, it's definitely crazy. It's about really your relationship with your significant other and how it can turn you crazy and make you do crazy things.Â
 Q: If you could have any superpower, which would you choose and why?
A: I would choose to fly. You would just never see me... at all! I'd just fly on into practice every day. I'd be everywhere all over the continent. You'd probably catch me, most likely, by the beaches.
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