Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Mike Brohard
Rams welcome first wave of freshmen to campus
6/2/2019 12:41:00 PM | Football
Remainder of the 2019 class will join soon
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Some of them bring a few bags, while others pack as if they are never going home. That's always the curious part of move-in day.
"You do get a chance to go home once in a while. This is just summer housing, and then they'll get into their permanent site," Colorado State football offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Dave Johnson said. "We tell them not to bring everything, because you're going to move into their permanent housing later. Guys from a distance, they generally pack a little more.
"It's funny to see the differences. Some guys bring the bare minimum, some guys bring the kitchen sink."
Seven members of Colorado State's 2019 recruiting class and a few preferred walk-ons moved in to Parmalee Hall on Sunday, the first stop in their football journey with the Rams. A handful of transfers have been on hand for about two weeks.
Before the day is out, the new arrivals will have eaten meals together, gone through academic orientation and had a chance to explore the campus on their own.
Monday, they'll get student IDs and then the real work starts, with strength and conditioning coach Joey Guarascio putting them through their first workout in the afternoon.
Running back Christian Hunter and his mother, Melinda, drove in from California, the back of the car packed. They split the trip in half, Christian drawing the second wave, allowing him a chance to drive through the Colorado mountains at night -- which he liked for the most part, best when he could see the curves approaching ahead.
A few flew in from the East Coast, some just headed north up I-25, but they all had one piece in common – they just want to play.
"I mean, it doesn't feel real until I go to practice and school," said linebacker Mohamed Kamara, who made the trip by himself and was checked in before the rest of his new freshmen teammates arrived. "We haven't done anything except move in. I'm ready to go to work. I'm ready for the challenging part, school, the practices. The fun will come. Making it fun, that's a challenging part, too."
For some of the parents, it was the start of saying goodbye. Caleb Blake's mother, Jessie, already had one son in Colorado who had played at CSU-Pueblo, and her job transferred to Denver, so the Florida recruit will be able to find home nearby still. Before that happened, she felt good about Caleb's decision.
She had heard a lot of the same lines from other coaches and schools, but not from Colorado State. She even partnered up with head coach Mike Bobo in a game of Spades. She wanted her son to make his own choice, but she wanted to feel good about it herself.
"It was the entire staff. Coach (defensive coordinator) John Jancek came to our home, he came to my job, and he made me feel very welcome. Coach George Helow, it was the same. I could tell the coaching staff is very in synch with each other, and that speaks volumes. That's very important, because when you go on some of these recruiting trips, you can see the disconnect. I didn't see that at Colorado State."
Melinda had the same feeling. Once again, Bobo's presence left an impact.
"He's just excited, and I'm all for that," she said of Ty. "I appreciated that Coach (Alvis) Whitted came and coach Ronnie Letson were out, and Mike Bobo came with them, too, and that made me feel much more comfortable, having the head coach come. None of the other head coaches made the effort, even during the visits. That was one factor that made me feel more comfortable."
Holy Family product Kyle Helbig moved in with help from his family, and while he is an hour away from his bedroom at home, he's looking forward to being away. The Rams weren't in dire need of a tight end in the recruiting class, but the staff knew they couldn't pass up bringing him into the fold.
That made him feel good about staying close to home, and when he found out the move-in date would be earlier, he jumped at the chance.
"It's really exciting. I've been looking forward to it for a while," he said. "When I got the text we could come up earlier, I was ready to go. I'm excited to finally see what it's all about. I get to start playing football, lifting and stuff. I get to play some football."
It was made possible, Bobo said, by the administration allowing it to happen, creating an extra two weeks in the strength and condition cycle for the team.
It all started on a great Colorado morning, with coaches and support staff aiding the process. Introductions were made over coffee, donuts and fruit and picking a side of the dorm room (first to arrive had first crack of being by the window). All of which is the real benefit in Johnson's view.
"Classes haven't started, so we'll have some time when their attention is just focused on football and getting them squared away," he said. "Probably the biggest thing is they get to know their teammates. It gives them some quality time with the players who are already here and get them assimilated and feeling good about what their situation is here and to join the family."
"You do get a chance to go home once in a while. This is just summer housing, and then they'll get into their permanent site," Colorado State football offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Dave Johnson said. "We tell them not to bring everything, because you're going to move into their permanent housing later. Guys from a distance, they generally pack a little more.
"It's funny to see the differences. Some guys bring the bare minimum, some guys bring the kitchen sink."
Seven members of Colorado State's 2019 recruiting class and a few preferred walk-ons moved in to Parmalee Hall on Sunday, the first stop in their football journey with the Rams. A handful of transfers have been on hand for about two weeks.
Before the day is out, the new arrivals will have eaten meals together, gone through academic orientation and had a chance to explore the campus on their own.
Monday, they'll get student IDs and then the real work starts, with strength and conditioning coach Joey Guarascio putting them through their first workout in the afternoon.
Running back Christian Hunter and his mother, Melinda, drove in from California, the back of the car packed. They split the trip in half, Christian drawing the second wave, allowing him a chance to drive through the Colorado mountains at night -- which he liked for the most part, best when he could see the curves approaching ahead.
A few flew in from the East Coast, some just headed north up I-25, but they all had one piece in common – they just want to play.
"I mean, it doesn't feel real until I go to practice and school," said linebacker Mohamed Kamara, who made the trip by himself and was checked in before the rest of his new freshmen teammates arrived. "We haven't done anything except move in. I'm ready to go to work. I'm ready for the challenging part, school, the practices. The fun will come. Making it fun, that's a challenging part, too."
For some of the parents, it was the start of saying goodbye. Caleb Blake's mother, Jessie, already had one son in Colorado who had played at CSU-Pueblo, and her job transferred to Denver, so the Florida recruit will be able to find home nearby still. Before that happened, she felt good about Caleb's decision.
She had heard a lot of the same lines from other coaches and schools, but not from Colorado State. She even partnered up with head coach Mike Bobo in a game of Spades. She wanted her son to make his own choice, but she wanted to feel good about it herself.
"It was the entire staff. Coach (defensive coordinator) John Jancek came to our home, he came to my job, and he made me feel very welcome. Coach George Helow, it was the same. I could tell the coaching staff is very in synch with each other, and that speaks volumes. That's very important, because when you go on some of these recruiting trips, you can see the disconnect. I didn't see that at Colorado State."
Melinda had the same feeling. Once again, Bobo's presence left an impact.
"He's just excited, and I'm all for that," she said of Ty. "I appreciated that Coach (Alvis) Whitted came and coach Ronnie Letson were out, and Mike Bobo came with them, too, and that made me feel much more comfortable, having the head coach come. None of the other head coaches made the effort, even during the visits. That was one factor that made me feel more comfortable."
Holy Family product Kyle Helbig moved in with help from his family, and while he is an hour away from his bedroom at home, he's looking forward to being away. The Rams weren't in dire need of a tight end in the recruiting class, but the staff knew they couldn't pass up bringing him into the fold.That made him feel good about staying close to home, and when he found out the move-in date would be earlier, he jumped at the chance.
"It's really exciting. I've been looking forward to it for a while," he said. "When I got the text we could come up earlier, I was ready to go. I'm excited to finally see what it's all about. I get to start playing football, lifting and stuff. I get to play some football."
It was made possible, Bobo said, by the administration allowing it to happen, creating an extra two weeks in the strength and condition cycle for the team.
It all started on a great Colorado morning, with coaches and support staff aiding the process. Introductions were made over coffee, donuts and fruit and picking a side of the dorm room (first to arrive had first crack of being by the window). All of which is the real benefit in Johnson's view.
"Classes haven't started, so we'll have some time when their attention is just focused on football and getting them squared away," he said. "Probably the biggest thing is they get to know their teammates. It gives them some quality time with the players who are already here and get them assimilated and feeling good about what their situation is here and to join the family."
Players Mentioned
Thursday, May 14
Monday, May 11
Friday, May 08
Tuesday, April 28