Depth Chart Breakdown: How CSU will line up vs. Hawaii
8/21/2018 5:02:00 PM | Football
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K.J. Carta-Samuels is the QB, two true freshman to start on defense
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Head coach Mike Bobo announced the depth chart for the first game of Colorado State's season on Saturday. A look at each position, with starters designated as (1) and the backups listed as (2).
 QB: (1) K.J. Carta-Samuels, a 6-2, 225-pound graduate transfer from Washington, enters his first season with the Rams after appearing in 25 games over the previous four years at Washington... He is included on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watch list... Carta-Samuels was one of the top quarterback prospects in the nation coming out of Bellarmine Prep before joining the Huskies in 2014... Redshirt freshman (2) Justice McCoy was one of the top-rated dual-threat QBs in the nation coming out of high school in New Orleans and has impressed coaches in camp... (2) Collin Hill, a sophomore who is only five months removed from knee surgery, is the only QB on the roster that has suited up for the Rams (five games in 2016 as a true freshman).
Starting QB K.J. Carta-Samuels
RB: (1) Izzy Matthews is on the 2018 Doak Walker Award watch list and is CSU's returning leading rusher with 613 yards last season... Matthews had eight touchdowns last season and is tied for fifth in program history with 26 career TDs... Sophomore (2) Marcus McElroy had two carries for nine yards last year and played in six total games. Â Â
FB: (1) Adam Prentice returns as the team's starter at fullback... Prentice is CSU's nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team and is on the Wuerffel Trophy watch list... (2) Nate Ryken is a redshirt senior and received a scholarship this June.
WR: There are three starters listed -- two at WR and one at FL... Senior (1) Olabisi Johnson leads the returnees, having posted 41 catches for 595 yards and a pair of TDs last season... Johnson has a habit of producing in the biggest games, including a team-leading 119 yards in the 2017 New Mexico Bowl and a CSU-record 265 receiving yards in the 2016 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl... Sophomore (1) Warren Jackson (23 catches, 313 yards, 2 TDs), who stands at 6-foot-5, captured the attention of national media with his two-TD performance at No. 1 Alabama last season... Redshirt junior (1) Preston Williams, a Tennessee transfer and former five-star recruit, will also look to make an impact out wide... Redshirt junior (2) Brenden Fulton who received a scholarship on the last day of fall camp on Saturday, is the backup to Jackson at the flanker spot... True freshman (2) Nikko Hall is the backup to Williams... Jackson is also listed as the backup to Johnson.
TE: Sophomore (1) Cameron Butler (12 catches, 171 yards, 3 TDs in 2017) earned national respect as a freshman in 2017 and is included on the 2018 John Mackey Award watch list... Third-year sophomore (2) Isiah Pannunzio (six games played last year) and true freshman (2) Trey McBride are listed as the backups.
LT: Redshirt freshman (1) Barry Wesley, who was awarded a scholarship during fall camp, is listed as the starter... (2) T.J. Roundtree, a graduate transfer from Louisville, is second on the depth chart.Â
LG: Senior (1) Tyler Bjorklund, who made three starts at this position a year ago, is listed as the starter with redshirt freshman (2) Joctavis Phillips (brother of freshman defensive lineman Devin) behind him.
 C: Senior (1) Colby Meeks is the center after being a primary starter at left guard last season... Meeks owns 34 games of experience with the Rams... Sophomore (2) Scott Brooks (one game played last year) is the backup.Â
RG: Junior (1) Jeff Taylor started the 2017 New Mexico Bowl at right guard and will enter the 2018 as the starter at the same position... True freshman (2) Ches Jackson is listed second.
RT: (1) Ben Knox returns (six starts at right tackle last season) and is backed up by junior (2) Salofi Gaoa, a Fort Collins native.
LDE: Sophomore (1) Emmanuel Jones is CSU's returning leader in tackles for loss (6.0 last year)... Senior (2) Caleb Smith is the backup... Both players transitioned from linebacker to defensive end after the Rams transitioned to a 4-3 defense in the spring.
RDE: Junior (1) Richard King is the most experienced player on the defensive line with 24 career games played... He is also the team's returning sacks leader (2.5 in 2017)... True freshman (2) Brandon Derrow is the backup.
NT: True freshman (1) Devin Phillips, a four-star recruit and member of the ESPN300 list last year, is the starter... Another newcomer, JUCO transfer (2) Damion Dickens, is the backup.
DT: Sophomore (1) Ellison Hubbard (13 games last year, 2.0 sacks) is the starter with fellow sophomore (2) Livingston Paogofie (11 tackles in 11 games in 2017) backing him up.Â
SLB: Senior (1) Tre Thomas, a Colorado native who registed an iconic pick-six in the Canvas Stadium-opening win over Oregon State last year, is the starter... Redshirt freshman (2) Tanner Clem, a native of Conifer, Colo., is the backup.
MLB: Senior (1) Josh Watson is one of the most signficant players on the Rams' roster and will lead the defense from the middle linebacker position... He is the team's top returning tackler (109) and was an honorable mention All-MW selection last year... (2) Anthony Giusti (one career game) is listed at the No. 2 spot.
Starting MLB Josh Watson
WLB: Junior (1) Max McDonald, a Fort Collins native (Rocky Mountain High School), was the team's fourth-leading tackler last season (57)... Sophomore (2) Trey Sutton appeared in four games last season.
 LCB: (1) V.J. Banks, a graduate transfer from Rice, will start at cornerback week 1... He has 36 games of experience at the FBS level, totaling 75 tackles and a pair of interceptions with the Owls... (2) Dajon Owens, a transfer from Long Beach City College, has impressed after arriving on campus just prior to camp and is the No. 2.
RCB: True freshman (1) Rashad Ajayi has been praised in fall camp for his playmaking and maturity and earned the starting spot... Junior (2) Anthony Hawkins, started 12 games at cornerback last year and led the team with three interceptions.
S: (1) Jordan Fogal and (1) Jamal Hicks are the two starters at safety... Fogal was the team's second-leading tackler last year (71)... Hicks played in eight games, starting four, last season before suffering a season-ending arm injury... (2) Braylin Scott has seen a lot of action when the top defensive unit is in a nickel set and true freshman (2) Quinn Brinnon has impressed throughout fall camp.
PR: (1) Olabisi Johnson is the team's leading punt returner and remains in that role... (2) Brenden Fulton is the sure-handed backup.
KR: Redshirt freshman (1) Marcus McElroy and junior (2) Anthony Hawkins are listed... Neither has returned a kickoff at the FBS level.
LS: True freshman (1) Ross Reiter was one of the top-rated long snappers coming out of high school last year... (2) Trey McBride and (2) Huck Vollmar are both listed as backup options.
P: Ray Guy Award watch list honoree (1) Ryan Stonehouse ranked fifth in the FBS with a punting average of 45.9 yards and earned honorable mention All-MW recognition... (2) Joe DeLine comes from a rich family history of kickers and punters at CSU.Â
K: (1) Wyatt Bryan is the second-most accurate kicker in program history (77.7 percent) and is tied for fourth in career FGs made (42)... He is also tied for second in school history in points scored (275) and tied for the most by a kicker... (2) Braxton Davis is 0-2 on field-goal attempts in his career and 3-3 on PATs.
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