Colorado State University Athletics
Rams See Improvement on Defense as Just a Start
10/30/2019 6:00:00 PM | Football
Executing assignments key to current run
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Almost across the board, the numbers are better.
Less points allowed. Better on third down. More sacks, fewer total yards. For Colorado State's defense, it's a start, not a finishing point.
"We're happy with the progress, but we're not satisfied," defensive tackle Ellison Hubbard said. "There's a lot of things we can improve on as a defense. We can improve on our tackling and just making sure we execute our plays and not miss those plays that should have been stopped. We're not satisfied until we get to where we want to be."
For the first time in a long time, the Rams' defense ranks in the top 10 nationally for something positive, the 30 percent third-down efficiency coming in at No. 10. They didn't allow Fresno State to convert until after halftime, allowing the Bulldogs just two in 13 chances and opening with a trio of three-and-outs.
The hope was after one season in defensive coordinator John Jancek's system, the unit would show immediate progress out of the gates. That didn't transpire, but in the past four games, improvement is starting to show.
"Obviously it wasn't as fast as we wanted, but that's football," head coach Mike Bobo said. "That's how things go sometimes. I think it was embarrassing after the Toledo game, as bad as we played defensively – against a good team – but you can't give up 400-something yards rushing against anybody. They were challenged – again – and the good thing about it was they responded.
"I thought we played well against Utah State, San Diego State, New Mexico and Fresno. I'm proud of those guys. They keep stacking good days on top of each other and getting better and better."
The 17 sacks by the Rams are already two more than in 2018. They have already recovered more fumbles (6-5) and are just two interceptions shy of matching 2018. But even the Rams admit not all good numbers are created equal.
The rushing totals are down, but in still allowing more than 200 yards a game (216.6), nobody finds them acceptable. Least of all the head coach.
"We've got to shore up the run game; we've got to stop giving up explosive runs," he said. "We've got a guy in a small space last week on a power play, and he makes us miss and ends up getting a 45-yard gain. We run a corner blitz, we have the guy tackled, he makes us miss and he gets 15. If we've got somebody in the hole, then we have to make those tackles, or at least slow him up a little more than we did the other day. It's just limit those explosive runs. They kill you. If you talk to any defensive staff, it's stop the run first and foremost."
Therein lies the key. Opponents have hit for more big plays in the running game (six of 40-plus) than through the air (four).
On tape, Hubbard said those are the plays which bring most angst in defensive meetings. The key to limiting San Diego State to 91 on the ground were also in place for the other games. Execution is the difference.
"We had everybody executing our defensive plays, everybody doing what they had to do and making sure no gaps were open for the running back," Hubbard said. "If we can get back to that, get in those gaps, we have to make sure we secure that tackle, or hold on until more guys swarm. If we can get back to that night, then we should be good for the rest of the season."
They'll need to be, as two of the stiffer tests still await in Air Force and Wyoming, both ranking in the top 15 nationally in rushing. Bobo loves the effort, admires the dedication and sees a confidence growing.
Safety Jamal Hicks sees it all, too. He feels the unit is playing better now than at any prior point he's been in the program. He, too, wishes the transformation would have started sooner, but now that it's begun, this is no time to stop.
"Our confidence is at an all-time high," he said. "Coach Jancek stays on us – he's never not on us. We know what we have to do, and I just love the swag we have now. We believe in the system, we believe in each other and that's the mindset we share."
For the players, last week's performance has to be improved upon, with the notion of holding down UNLV back Charles Williams, who is averaging just a yard shy of 100 per contest by averaging nearly 6.0 yards per rush.
Colorado State has started to take the necessary steps, but all involved admit the journey is far from over. Better was a must. Good is the next target, great being the final goal.
Less points allowed. Better on third down. More sacks, fewer total yards. For Colorado State's defense, it's a start, not a finishing point.
"We're happy with the progress, but we're not satisfied," defensive tackle Ellison Hubbard said. "There's a lot of things we can improve on as a defense. We can improve on our tackling and just making sure we execute our plays and not miss those plays that should have been stopped. We're not satisfied until we get to where we want to be."
For the first time in a long time, the Rams' defense ranks in the top 10 nationally for something positive, the 30 percent third-down efficiency coming in at No. 10. They didn't allow Fresno State to convert until after halftime, allowing the Bulldogs just two in 13 chances and opening with a trio of three-and-outs.
The hope was after one season in defensive coordinator John Jancek's system, the unit would show immediate progress out of the gates. That didn't transpire, but in the past four games, improvement is starting to show.
"Obviously it wasn't as fast as we wanted, but that's football," head coach Mike Bobo said. "That's how things go sometimes. I think it was embarrassing after the Toledo game, as bad as we played defensively – against a good team – but you can't give up 400-something yards rushing against anybody. They were challenged – again – and the good thing about it was they responded.
"I thought we played well against Utah State, San Diego State, New Mexico and Fresno. I'm proud of those guys. They keep stacking good days on top of each other and getting better and better."
The 17 sacks by the Rams are already two more than in 2018. They have already recovered more fumbles (6-5) and are just two interceptions shy of matching 2018. But even the Rams admit not all good numbers are created equal.
The rushing totals are down, but in still allowing more than 200 yards a game (216.6), nobody finds them acceptable. Least of all the head coach.
"We've got to shore up the run game; we've got to stop giving up explosive runs," he said. "We've got a guy in a small space last week on a power play, and he makes us miss and ends up getting a 45-yard gain. We run a corner blitz, we have the guy tackled, he makes us miss and he gets 15. If we've got somebody in the hole, then we have to make those tackles, or at least slow him up a little more than we did the other day. It's just limit those explosive runs. They kill you. If you talk to any defensive staff, it's stop the run first and foremost."
Therein lies the key. Opponents have hit for more big plays in the running game (six of 40-plus) than through the air (four).
On tape, Hubbard said those are the plays which bring most angst in defensive meetings. The key to limiting San Diego State to 91 on the ground were also in place for the other games. Execution is the difference.
"We had everybody executing our defensive plays, everybody doing what they had to do and making sure no gaps were open for the running back," Hubbard said. "If we can get back to that, get in those gaps, we have to make sure we secure that tackle, or hold on until more guys swarm. If we can get back to that night, then we should be good for the rest of the season."
They'll need to be, as two of the stiffer tests still await in Air Force and Wyoming, both ranking in the top 15 nationally in rushing. Bobo loves the effort, admires the dedication and sees a confidence growing.
Safety Jamal Hicks sees it all, too. He feels the unit is playing better now than at any prior point he's been in the program. He, too, wishes the transformation would have started sooner, but now that it's begun, this is no time to stop.
"Our confidence is at an all-time high," he said. "Coach Jancek stays on us – he's never not on us. We know what we have to do, and I just love the swag we have now. We believe in the system, we believe in each other and that's the mindset we share."
For the players, last week's performance has to be improved upon, with the notion of holding down UNLV back Charles Williams, who is averaging just a yard shy of 100 per contest by averaging nearly 6.0 yards per rush.
Colorado State has started to take the necessary steps, but all involved admit the journey is far from over. Better was a must. Good is the next target, great being the final goal.
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