Colorado State University Athletics
Inside Spring Football: It Begins
2/14/2019 6:34:00 PM | Football
FORT COLLINS, Colo.--Spring football comes early for the Rams this year, and the team embraced it with energy and focus on Day 1. Head coach Mike Bobo and the team took the field for the first of their 15 practices just after 3 p.m., and put in two-and-a-half hours of on-field work.
Three weeks of the offseason strength and conditioning program, called "Welcome to the #EDGE," preceded the start of spring ball, commencing on Jan. 22 when students returned for the spring semester. In that time, numerous team members have expressed their eagerness to get back to work in preparation for the 2019 season, and that theme was prominent in Coach Bobo's spring kickoff press conference Thursday.
"I'm really excited to get spring ball started," Bobo said. "It's a little bit earlier than past years, but I have been researching this, talking to coaches who do it early and the benefits of doing it. One benefit is if someone gets injured, knock on wood, they have a longer time to get back and rehab and get ready for the season. It helps our strength cycle going into the summer. We started school a bit later—Jan. 22—than most schools that have a chance to get a full eight weeks in before spring ball. It kind of breaks our cycle of training. I think this is going to help our cycle of training after spring ball, but the main focus today is spring football."
Coach Bobo outlined some of the areas of focus for the team and the coaching staff in all three phases this spring.
"We are looking for great effort, looking for strain, that's the main emphasis for Coach Jancek and the defense," Bobo said. "Offensively, we have to improve execution by doing the little things right and being tied together as a unit. We weren't tied together last year very well, which caused us to bog down a lot of the time on drives. Special teams are a big area for concern. We weren't very good last year and a lot of the time, spring ball, special teams is cut a little bit, but we're treating it just like the fall with full special teams every single day."
GUARASCIO PROMOTED: After spending one season as the Rams' associate head strength and conditioning coach for football, Joey Guarascio has been promoted by Coach Bobo to the head strength and conditioning position. Read more about Guarascio here, with comments from Coach Bobo.
POSITION AND NUMBER CHANGES: Coach Bobo announced today that sophomore Isiah Pannunzio has switched from tight end to fullback for spring football, and will now wear No. 45 (from 82). Sophomore Jadon Walker, who moved from safety to wide receiver while redshirting last season, will now wear No. 1 (from 9). Sophomore Barry Wesley, while staying with the offensive line, will begin spring at center. He started all 12 games in 2018, mostly at left tackle and left guard, but also saw action at right tackle and right guard.
SEASON TICKET RENEWALS UNDERWAY: Season tickets renewals for the Rams' 2019 season began in January and will continue through March 29. New season ticket commitments also are being accepted by contacting the Rams Sales Team at 800-491-RAMS (7267) or visiting www.CSURams.com/tickets. Current season ticket holders may renew their same seating location from the previous season by contacting their Ram Sales Team representative or by logging into their online account by clicking here. Season ticket holders also may request upgrades to their seating location when they renew online or over the phone. The seating upgrade process will take place in late April after the March 29 season ticket renewal deadline.
On being a team leader
"It's pretty cool. I grew up here and always wanted to be a Ram since I was six or seven years old. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm an upperclassman, I'm in a position to be a leader and help the younger guys along. To show them not only how it is to learn and play and work hard, but what it is to be a Ram and embody what it is to be in Fort Collins and accept the community.
Â
On his newly-bleached hair
"I was feeling it. New year, new spring ball, new semester, new me."
Â
On a vivid memory from his freshman year
"It was definitely in my first season, homecoming game against Utah State and I wasn't expecting to go in that game. We were 14 or 21 (points) down and just had gotten it to seven points down and the offense had the ball. They were kicking a field goal. Our linebackers coach at the time, Coach (Marty) English, looked at our starting linebacker, looked at the backup linebacker and looked at me in the background. I had no helmet, I was chilling and he says, 'You're in.' I had to go find my helmet, had to get on the bike, had to warm up. Kevin Davis, the starting linebacker, I had him come over and I was like, 'Walk me though what's going to happen out there because I have no idea.' It was my first meaningful snap. I had gotten in a couple times before that when we were up by a lot or down by a lot. It was the first time where it was middle of the game, important time, homecoming game, it was a big game and he put me in the thick of it. It was something."
Â
On his favorite classes at CSU
"It's kind of dorky, but I'm in computer information systems, so I like software development classes, so I have taken some cool ones in the college of business. I'd say my favorite class I've taken is probably dance. It was a freshman level class and a lot of the time you go to class, sit there for an hour and take notes. In dance, you got to be a little active, learn new things, meet people and hang out. It was a fun class."
Â
On how this spring differs from other ones
"Just coming off the year we had, going into the spring, we have a lot to look at and correct. We're definitely being very demanding, but uplifting also and positive about it. We're excited. There's a lot of room for improvement, and that's an exciting thing when you can go look and see there's so much more you can get better at. It's a great opportunity to get out there every day and work your tail off."
Â
On his mentality when he's on the field in a game
"It sounds cliché, but I just think about the next play. You're going to make mistakes, you're going to have mistakes, things are going to happen out of your control, refs are going to make calls you don't agree with. But you have to have the next-play mentality because if you catch yourself looking back, you can let one play affect the rest of the entire game and that's a mentality that will lose you a lot of football games."
Â
On his pump-up songs
"I know it's cheesy, but the song "Rather Be" (by Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne). I like that one because I'm from here and I like to tell myself this is where I wanted to be for the past 18 years of my life. My favorite song in general is (Guns N' Roses') Paradise City, a rock-and-roll song. It gets me feeling some type of way."
Â
On restaurants he likes in Fort Collins
"Tortilla Marissa's. It's on College and Drake. It's a locally owned Mexican restaurant, and I've known the owners my whole life. We go there on all our birthday occasions. Panhandler's Pizza is the other one. It's a local pizza joint. The old owners sold it to the owners of Tortilla Marissa's and they opened it next door. Family run businesses, you have to support!"
Three weeks of the offseason strength and conditioning program, called "Welcome to the #EDGE," preceded the start of spring ball, commencing on Jan. 22 when students returned for the spring semester. In that time, numerous team members have expressed their eagerness to get back to work in preparation for the 2019 season, and that theme was prominent in Coach Bobo's spring kickoff press conference Thursday.
"I'm really excited to get spring ball started," Bobo said. "It's a little bit earlier than past years, but I have been researching this, talking to coaches who do it early and the benefits of doing it. One benefit is if someone gets injured, knock on wood, they have a longer time to get back and rehab and get ready for the season. It helps our strength cycle going into the summer. We started school a bit later—Jan. 22—than most schools that have a chance to get a full eight weeks in before spring ball. It kind of breaks our cycle of training. I think this is going to help our cycle of training after spring ball, but the main focus today is spring football."
Coach Bobo outlined some of the areas of focus for the team and the coaching staff in all three phases this spring.
"We are looking for great effort, looking for strain, that's the main emphasis for Coach Jancek and the defense," Bobo said. "Offensively, we have to improve execution by doing the little things right and being tied together as a unit. We weren't tied together last year very well, which caused us to bog down a lot of the time on drives. Special teams are a big area for concern. We weren't very good last year and a lot of the time, spring ball, special teams is cut a little bit, but we're treating it just like the fall with full special teams every single day."
SPRING SCHEDULE: The Rams will be back on the field tomorrow, but will generally practice on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays over the next four weeks, culminating with the final practice, the Green and Gold Spring Game, on Thursday, March 14.... and so it begins.#EDGE pic.twitter.com/PnvJHGHaOt
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) February 14, 2019
GUARASCIO PROMOTED: After spending one season as the Rams' associate head strength and conditioning coach for football, Joey Guarascio has been promoted by Coach Bobo to the head strength and conditioning position. Read more about Guarascio here, with comments from Coach Bobo.
POSITION AND NUMBER CHANGES: Coach Bobo announced today that sophomore Isiah Pannunzio has switched from tight end to fullback for spring football, and will now wear No. 45 (from 82). Sophomore Jadon Walker, who moved from safety to wide receiver while redshirting last season, will now wear No. 1 (from 9). Sophomore Barry Wesley, while staying with the offensive line, will begin spring at center. He started all 12 games in 2018, mostly at left tackle and left guard, but also saw action at right tackle and right guard.
SEASON TICKET RENEWALS UNDERWAY: Season tickets renewals for the Rams' 2019 season began in January and will continue through March 29. New season ticket commitments also are being accepted by contacting the Rams Sales Team at 800-491-RAMS (7267) or visiting www.CSURams.com/tickets. Current season ticket holders may renew their same seating location from the previous season by contacting their Ram Sales Team representative or by logging into their online account by clicking here. Season ticket holders also may request upgrades to their seating location when they renew online or over the phone. The seating upgrade process will take place in late April after the March 29 season ticket renewal deadline.
Hey #CSURams, our QB crew has a quick message for you!#EDGE pic.twitter.com/ybLTN2EMTK
— Colorado State Football (@CSUFootball) February 15, 2019
Get To Know Max McDonald:
RS-Junior | Fort Collins, Colo. | Rocky Mountain High School | LB
On being a team leader"It's pretty cool. I grew up here and always wanted to be a Ram since I was six or seven years old. I'm pretty excited about it. I'm an upperclassman, I'm in a position to be a leader and help the younger guys along. To show them not only how it is to learn and play and work hard, but what it is to be a Ram and embody what it is to be in Fort Collins and accept the community.
Â
On his newly-bleached hair
"I was feeling it. New year, new spring ball, new semester, new me."
Â
On a vivid memory from his freshman year
"It was definitely in my first season, homecoming game against Utah State and I wasn't expecting to go in that game. We were 14 or 21 (points) down and just had gotten it to seven points down and the offense had the ball. They were kicking a field goal. Our linebackers coach at the time, Coach (Marty) English, looked at our starting linebacker, looked at the backup linebacker and looked at me in the background. I had no helmet, I was chilling and he says, 'You're in.' I had to go find my helmet, had to get on the bike, had to warm up. Kevin Davis, the starting linebacker, I had him come over and I was like, 'Walk me though what's going to happen out there because I have no idea.' It was my first meaningful snap. I had gotten in a couple times before that when we were up by a lot or down by a lot. It was the first time where it was middle of the game, important time, homecoming game, it was a big game and he put me in the thick of it. It was something."
Â
On his favorite classes at CSU
"It's kind of dorky, but I'm in computer information systems, so I like software development classes, so I have taken some cool ones in the college of business. I'd say my favorite class I've taken is probably dance. It was a freshman level class and a lot of the time you go to class, sit there for an hour and take notes. In dance, you got to be a little active, learn new things, meet people and hang out. It was a fun class."
Â
On how this spring differs from other ones
"Just coming off the year we had, going into the spring, we have a lot to look at and correct. We're definitely being very demanding, but uplifting also and positive about it. We're excited. There's a lot of room for improvement, and that's an exciting thing when you can go look and see there's so much more you can get better at. It's a great opportunity to get out there every day and work your tail off."
Â
On his mentality when he's on the field in a game
"It sounds cliché, but I just think about the next play. You're going to make mistakes, you're going to have mistakes, things are going to happen out of your control, refs are going to make calls you don't agree with. But you have to have the next-play mentality because if you catch yourself looking back, you can let one play affect the rest of the entire game and that's a mentality that will lose you a lot of football games."
Â
On his pump-up songs
"I know it's cheesy, but the song "Rather Be" (by Clean Bandit feat. Jess Glynne). I like that one because I'm from here and I like to tell myself this is where I wanted to be for the past 18 years of my life. My favorite song in general is (Guns N' Roses') Paradise City, a rock-and-roll song. It gets me feeling some type of way."
Â
On restaurants he likes in Fort Collins
"Tortilla Marissa's. It's on College and Drake. It's a locally owned Mexican restaurant, and I've known the owners my whole life. We go there on all our birthday occasions. Panhandler's Pizza is the other one. It's a local pizza joint. The old owners sold it to the owners of Tortilla Marissa's and they opened it next door. Family run businesses, you have to support!"
Players Mentioned
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