Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: CSU Athletics Communications
Defense rises up in second scrimmage
8/16/2019 11:17:00 PM | Football
Unit creates four turnovers under the lights
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – August is about learning and correcting mistakes, and in Friday's second scrimmage of fall camp, Colorado State's defense made strides.
Playing with energy, the group swarmed to the ball, creating four turnovers and making it tough for the offense most of the evening as head coach Mike Bobo put his team through a 110-play workout with an 8 p.m. start to mirror the season opener just 14 days later against Colorado in Denver.
"I really felt confident. I think that gave the coaches confidence," linebacker Dequan Jackson said. "It's always more fun when everybody is flying around, making plays. We kind of cut loose the aspect of making mistakes and worried about making plays instead."
After a strong first half, defensive coordinator John Jancek encouraged his side to finish the night strong, which they did.
Two of the turnovers came as the night ended, a 90-yard interception return for safety Logan Stewart off a deflected ball, and a fumble recovery by true freshman Mohamed Kamara on the following series for the second unit.
"I though the defense had a really, really good night, creating four turnovers, two in the overtime period," Bobo said. "The one defense had a pick, and Logan Stewart ran it back. Then the twos, Mohamed Kamara recovered a fumble."
Collin Hill threw both interceptions, both of deflected passes. The first came with Ellison Hubbard making a diving catch after Dajon Owens defended a pass. Hill had a 32-yard scoring pass to Dante Wright, and Marcus McElroy capped a drive for the first team with a 2-yard run.
Other scoring plays came off a 29-yard field goal by Braxton Davis and a 34-yard pass connection from Justice McCoy to Nate Craig-Myers.
Overall, it was a performance the defense needed with the regular season approaching.
"We tried to work on a few things we messed up on last week and we installed some new stuff," Jackson said. "Overall, we wanted to improve on the loafs and straining, making tackles, playing a defense and making sure we were running to the ball."
Stewart again: Stewart has had a pick-six on both scrimmages, Friday's coming as he collected a high bounding deflected pass intended for Cameron Butler. Bobo said the junior, who has gone from walk-on to a scholarship player starting at safety and playing on every special team unit, was only at about 80 percent on the night but still wanted to play.
With each performance, he continues to impress his teammates.
"Logan is definitely a baller," Jackson said. "He's got a dog mentality. He's flying around. I love to play with him behind me."
Moving forward: The team will have Saturday and Sunday off, and by midweek, will have started to work on the Colorado game. Bobo has a special teams scrimmage and an introduction to Air Force's offense planned for Monday, with Tuesday and Wednesday scripted for camp practice, with a bit of CU in the mix. After an off day Thursday, Friday will be approached like a Monday of game week.
With two scrimmages on tape, the Rams will start to narrow down the depth chart moving forward, but Bobo said it's not as cut and dried as it has had to be in the past.
"There will be some guys that aren't quite there yet that we're going to still continue to push," he said. "With the new rule, I think it keeps morale up. You can always encourage guys that there's a chance to play four games."
Playing with energy, the group swarmed to the ball, creating four turnovers and making it tough for the offense most of the evening as head coach Mike Bobo put his team through a 110-play workout with an 8 p.m. start to mirror the season opener just 14 days later against Colorado in Denver.
"I really felt confident. I think that gave the coaches confidence," linebacker Dequan Jackson said. "It's always more fun when everybody is flying around, making plays. We kind of cut loose the aspect of making mistakes and worried about making plays instead."
After a strong first half, defensive coordinator John Jancek encouraged his side to finish the night strong, which they did.
Two of the turnovers came as the night ended, a 90-yard interception return for safety Logan Stewart off a deflected ball, and a fumble recovery by true freshman Mohamed Kamara on the following series for the second unit.
"I though the defense had a really, really good night, creating four turnovers, two in the overtime period," Bobo said. "The one defense had a pick, and Logan Stewart ran it back. Then the twos, Mohamed Kamara recovered a fumble."
Collin Hill threw both interceptions, both of deflected passes. The first came with Ellison Hubbard making a diving catch after Dajon Owens defended a pass. Hill had a 32-yard scoring pass to Dante Wright, and Marcus McElroy capped a drive for the first team with a 2-yard run.
Other scoring plays came off a 29-yard field goal by Braxton Davis and a 34-yard pass connection from Justice McCoy to Nate Craig-Myers.
Overall, it was a performance the defense needed with the regular season approaching.
"We tried to work on a few things we messed up on last week and we installed some new stuff," Jackson said. "Overall, we wanted to improve on the loafs and straining, making tackles, playing a defense and making sure we were running to the ball."
Stewart again: Stewart has had a pick-six on both scrimmages, Friday's coming as he collected a high bounding deflected pass intended for Cameron Butler. Bobo said the junior, who has gone from walk-on to a scholarship player starting at safety and playing on every special team unit, was only at about 80 percent on the night but still wanted to play.
With each performance, he continues to impress his teammates.
"Logan is definitely a baller," Jackson said. "He's got a dog mentality. He's flying around. I love to play with him behind me."
Moving forward: The team will have Saturday and Sunday off, and by midweek, will have started to work on the Colorado game. Bobo has a special teams scrimmage and an introduction to Air Force's offense planned for Monday, with Tuesday and Wednesday scripted for camp practice, with a bit of CU in the mix. After an off day Thursday, Friday will be approached like a Monday of game week.
With two scrimmages on tape, the Rams will start to narrow down the depth chart moving forward, but Bobo said it's not as cut and dried as it has had to be in the past.
"There will be some guys that aren't quite there yet that we're going to still continue to push," he said. "With the new rule, I think it keeps morale up. You can always encourage guys that there's a chance to play four games."
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