Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: CSU Athletics Communications
Offensive line intent on creating fireworks
8/2/2019 9:43:00 AM | Football
Gains made in strength and technique lead to a nasty disposition
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – In just two days of practice, nobody has grown tired of seeing receiver Warren Jackson go up between two defenders and high-point a ball and bring it down.
Colorado State's junior wideout has made a habit of it already, and one group in particular understands their role in the process. They won't throw it, they won't catch it, but the offensive line knows it is up to them to allow it to happen.
"It's awesome. It makes you feel so much better," center Scott Brooks said. "The opposite is the worst feeling. When someone is open, or Warren is running a streak and you do give up a sack or a pressure and it's a bad throw, it's the worst feeling in the world."
For a unit which has built a strong reputation in the program's past, Brooks has no pause in saying they let those groups down in 2018. When Brooks was a freshman, he noted Jake Bennett, Zack Golditch and Trae Moxley were intent on keeping it alive and passing it down, but last year's group dropped the baton.
The Rams had to throw from behind quite often in 2018 as the running game averaged just more than 100 yards per game. There was no balance, which led to constant pressure.
No more.
"In our minds, yeah. All we have to do is prove it," guard Barry Wesley said.
The issues were multiple in the thinking of head coach Mike Bobo. Learning the scheme and technique of position coach Dave Johnson took time, and the group wasn't as strong as required. The requisite attitude was lost in the shuffle.
One layer unachieved didn't allow the next step in the process to take hold, but over the course of the spring and into the summer, they started to peel back layers. In a nutshell, without fully understanding, they couldn't play mean.
"I'd say it was both. Technique and understanding the schemes is probably No. 1," Bobo said. "And when you don't understand what to do, then you can't play aggressive and mean and nasty.
"It's night and day from the spring to where we are right now. You can tell they've got some confidence because they gained some strength. We still have to get stronger, and the way we're practicing right now allows them to lift in the afternoon like they've been doing all summer, so we can still make some gains even though we're in camp."
They understand mean and nasty, because for them Exhibit A is one of the guys barking at them at practice, graduate assistant coach Fred Zerblis. They've seen the tape of when he was an All-Mountain West guard, of when he not only cleared out an all-conference linebacker, but pushed him off the field and over a barrier on the sidelines.
"If you pull up the plays from when Fred Zerblis was playing, that's the definition of being nasty," Wesley said. "To me, it also means doing it the right way, the way you're coached, not the way you want to do it."
Gaining that edge is as easy as stepping on the field. Across the line from Wesley is defensive tackle Ellison Hubbard. Everybody on the team loves Hubbard, and he's Wesley's roommate. If he can get in the habit of hating him for two hours every day, it'll be easier to carry a nasty disposition into game day.
Just a few short years ago, the Rams' offensive front was one of the best in the nation, ranking in the top five in terms of not allowing sacks, while also setting the tone for a balanced offensive attack. Quarterbacks threw for 3,000 yards, receivers were clearing 1,300 on a consistent basis and rushers were surpassing 1,000.
Bobo preaches balance on offense, so the line is intent on getting back to the days of old, when technique was strong and bolstered by a physical intent. As Bobo noted, once they know what they're doing, it's easier to be successful.
"I feel like we failed them last year," Brooks said. "It's something that we're working toward this year, and these first two days have felt really good. I feel like we're picking up from where we ended at spring ball, and it feels really good. It feels like we're playing really good right now.
"We're strong and faster, so that helps. We're in better condition, so we're able to go faster. When the defense is tired, it's easy to be nasty. They're tired and we're tired, but it's easy to just grit up and just be mean about it."
Colorado State's junior wideout has made a habit of it already, and one group in particular understands their role in the process. They won't throw it, they won't catch it, but the offensive line knows it is up to them to allow it to happen.
"It's awesome. It makes you feel so much better," center Scott Brooks said. "The opposite is the worst feeling. When someone is open, or Warren is running a streak and you do give up a sack or a pressure and it's a bad throw, it's the worst feeling in the world."
For a unit which has built a strong reputation in the program's past, Brooks has no pause in saying they let those groups down in 2018. When Brooks was a freshman, he noted Jake Bennett, Zack Golditch and Trae Moxley were intent on keeping it alive and passing it down, but last year's group dropped the baton.
The Rams had to throw from behind quite often in 2018 as the running game averaged just more than 100 yards per game. There was no balance, which led to constant pressure.
No more.
"In our minds, yeah. All we have to do is prove it," guard Barry Wesley said.
The issues were multiple in the thinking of head coach Mike Bobo. Learning the scheme and technique of position coach Dave Johnson took time, and the group wasn't as strong as required. The requisite attitude was lost in the shuffle.
One layer unachieved didn't allow the next step in the process to take hold, but over the course of the spring and into the summer, they started to peel back layers. In a nutshell, without fully understanding, they couldn't play mean.
"I'd say it was both. Technique and understanding the schemes is probably No. 1," Bobo said. "And when you don't understand what to do, then you can't play aggressive and mean and nasty.
"It's night and day from the spring to where we are right now. You can tell they've got some confidence because they gained some strength. We still have to get stronger, and the way we're practicing right now allows them to lift in the afternoon like they've been doing all summer, so we can still make some gains even though we're in camp."
They understand mean and nasty, because for them Exhibit A is one of the guys barking at them at practice, graduate assistant coach Fred Zerblis. They've seen the tape of when he was an All-Mountain West guard, of when he not only cleared out an all-conference linebacker, but pushed him off the field and over a barrier on the sidelines.
"If you pull up the plays from when Fred Zerblis was playing, that's the definition of being nasty," Wesley said. "To me, it also means doing it the right way, the way you're coached, not the way you want to do it."
Gaining that edge is as easy as stepping on the field. Across the line from Wesley is defensive tackle Ellison Hubbard. Everybody on the team loves Hubbard, and he's Wesley's roommate. If he can get in the habit of hating him for two hours every day, it'll be easier to carry a nasty disposition into game day.
Just a few short years ago, the Rams' offensive front was one of the best in the nation, ranking in the top five in terms of not allowing sacks, while also setting the tone for a balanced offensive attack. Quarterbacks threw for 3,000 yards, receivers were clearing 1,300 on a consistent basis and rushers were surpassing 1,000.
Bobo preaches balance on offense, so the line is intent on getting back to the days of old, when technique was strong and bolstered by a physical intent. As Bobo noted, once they know what they're doing, it's easier to be successful.
"I feel like we failed them last year," Brooks said. "It's something that we're working toward this year, and these first two days have felt really good. I feel like we're picking up from where we ended at spring ball, and it feels really good. It feels like we're playing really good right now.
"We're strong and faster, so that helps. We're in better condition, so we're able to go faster. When the defense is tired, it's easy to be nasty. They're tired and we're tired, but it's easy to just grit up and just be mean about it."
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