Colorado State University Athletics
Dante Wright Unleashed in Season-Opening Loss to Colorado
8/31/2019 1:21:00 AM | Football
True freshman scores twice in debut
DENVER, Colo. – The debate on the Colorado State football team is who is the second-fastest player on the roster.
On any given day, there are a few options, depending on whose legs are fresh. There is, however, no question who holds the top spot.
Dante Wright, and his 4.3-second time in the 40-yard dash.
Early in fall camp, it became clear the true freshman out of Statesville, N.C., was going to require some creativity in how to get the ball in his hands, and each and every practice, new and different ways were explored.
Wright finished Friday night with 150 all-purpose yards, the only downside being they came in a 52-31 loss to Colorado at Broncos Stadium at Mile High to open the season and close the Denver portion of the in-state rivalry.
"Dante Wright has been producing all fall camp. Guys that are productive are going to play," CSU head coach Mike Bobo said. "He's fearless. Like his momma told me in recruiting, Dante is special, and he is special. He's a great kid, a great young man and did a great job tonight."
Nobody is going to argue with Stacy Wright now.
During summer workouts, the speed was a telling sign. Receivers coach Joe Cox talked to Warren Jackson about him one day, and the first thing Jackson pointed out – excitedly – was Wright was fast. Not get-going fast, but quick from the first step.
With that one skill alone, CSU quarterback Collin Hill noted it didn't take long to understand the type of recruit the team had landed, or what kind of weapon he could become.
"Probably day three, after Brenden Fulton got hurt and he kinda got his opportunity," CSU quarterback Collin Hill said of the first glimpse of Wright's talent base. "He's really freaky, he's really fast. He's smooth, a good route runner. He catches the ball really well. I think we all knew he was going to be a stud. I didn't know it would be to this extent."
He can catch the ball out of the slot, as he did in the first quarter on a 39-yard scoring catch from Hill, hitting a flag route perfectly for the Rams' first points of the game. Yet also out of the slot, he can prove to be an effective ball carrier. That became clear when, on a fourth-and-2 call in the second quarter, he came in motion and took a handoff around the right edge, outracing Colorado defenders for a 41-yard scoring play.
Welcome to college football, kid.
"I didn't really expect anything coming in as a freshman, because we had a senior in front of me who was really experienced," Wright said. "Unfortunately, he went down and I had to be ready to go."
Wright kept his expectations low in the summer, seeing Fulton in front of him, but true to his word, he was ready when pressed into action in practice. He was confident, he said, built through those added reps on the practice field. And even though the Rams told him they'd be creative with his opportunities, he didn't overthink his first game.
Hill didn't want him to, either.
"I told him before the game, you don't have to be anything but Dante," Hill said. "Just do what you did in camp and just be yourself. First drive, he goes out and scores a touchdown and then adds another one."
He became the first true freshman to score twice in a game for the Rams since Jackson did so against No. 1 Alabama on the road in 2017. In addition, he is the first true freshman to score on a reception in the opener since Joe Hansley in 2012, also against Colorado.
He also seemed unusually calm about it all.
"It was awesome. It was pretty cool," Wright said. "That's it. Pretty cool."
Wright's two scoring plays were the longest gains from scrimmage in the game. He led the team in rushing (59 yards, three carries), and he finished with 72 receiving yards off four catches. The result is future Colorado State opponents are going to have to start factoring him into the defensive game plan.
Up next is the home opener against Western Illinois. That's a week away, and in his mind, there's still so much to learn. Thinking about possibilities and how high his ceiling really is, well, that's not how he's wired.
"I can't think about that. I just have to think about getting better, not going backwards," Wright said. "I just have to not get tired and be there for my team when they need me."
On any given day, there are a few options, depending on whose legs are fresh. There is, however, no question who holds the top spot.
Dante Wright, and his 4.3-second time in the 40-yard dash.
Early in fall camp, it became clear the true freshman out of Statesville, N.C., was going to require some creativity in how to get the ball in his hands, and each and every practice, new and different ways were explored.
Wright finished Friday night with 150 all-purpose yards, the only downside being they came in a 52-31 loss to Colorado at Broncos Stadium at Mile High to open the season and close the Denver portion of the in-state rivalry.
"Dante Wright has been producing all fall camp. Guys that are productive are going to play," CSU head coach Mike Bobo said. "He's fearless. Like his momma told me in recruiting, Dante is special, and he is special. He's a great kid, a great young man and did a great job tonight."
Nobody is going to argue with Stacy Wright now.
During summer workouts, the speed was a telling sign. Receivers coach Joe Cox talked to Warren Jackson about him one day, and the first thing Jackson pointed out – excitedly – was Wright was fast. Not get-going fast, but quick from the first step.
With that one skill alone, CSU quarterback Collin Hill noted it didn't take long to understand the type of recruit the team had landed, or what kind of weapon he could become.
"Probably day three, after Brenden Fulton got hurt and he kinda got his opportunity," CSU quarterback Collin Hill said of the first glimpse of Wright's talent base. "He's really freaky, he's really fast. He's smooth, a good route runner. He catches the ball really well. I think we all knew he was going to be a stud. I didn't know it would be to this extent."
He can catch the ball out of the slot, as he did in the first quarter on a 39-yard scoring catch from Hill, hitting a flag route perfectly for the Rams' first points of the game. Yet also out of the slot, he can prove to be an effective ball carrier. That became clear when, on a fourth-and-2 call in the second quarter, he came in motion and took a handoff around the right edge, outracing Colorado defenders for a 41-yard scoring play.
Welcome to college football, kid.
"I didn't really expect anything coming in as a freshman, because we had a senior in front of me who was really experienced," Wright said. "Unfortunately, he went down and I had to be ready to go."
Wright kept his expectations low in the summer, seeing Fulton in front of him, but true to his word, he was ready when pressed into action in practice. He was confident, he said, built through those added reps on the practice field. And even though the Rams told him they'd be creative with his opportunities, he didn't overthink his first game.
Hill didn't want him to, either.
"I told him before the game, you don't have to be anything but Dante," Hill said. "Just do what you did in camp and just be yourself. First drive, he goes out and scores a touchdown and then adds another one."
He became the first true freshman to score twice in a game for the Rams since Jackson did so against No. 1 Alabama on the road in 2017. In addition, he is the first true freshman to score on a reception in the opener since Joe Hansley in 2012, also against Colorado.
He also seemed unusually calm about it all.
"It was awesome. It was pretty cool," Wright said. "That's it. Pretty cool."
Wright's two scoring plays were the longest gains from scrimmage in the game. He led the team in rushing (59 yards, three carries), and he finished with 72 receiving yards off four catches. The result is future Colorado State opponents are going to have to start factoring him into the defensive game plan.
Up next is the home opener against Western Illinois. That's a week away, and in his mind, there's still so much to learn. Thinking about possibilities and how high his ceiling really is, well, that's not how he's wired.
"I can't think about that. I just have to think about getting better, not going backwards," Wright said. "I just have to not get tired and be there for my team when they need me."
Players Mentioned
Thursday, May 14
Monday, May 11
Friday, May 08
Tuesday, April 28