Setting the Stage: Toledo

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Sep 20

12-Days

Football

vs UTSA

Sep 27

5:30 PM

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vs Washington State

Oct 3

8:30 PM

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at San Diego State

Oct 10

7:00 PM

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vs Fresno State

Oct 18

5:00 PM

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vs Hawai'i

Colorado State (1-2) vs. Toledo (1-1)
Canvas Stadium, Fort Collins
Saturday, 8:20 p.m.

GAME LINKS

Rams start moving forward without Hill at quarterback

Next Chapter

There isn't anybody in the program who isn't crushed for junior Collin Hill. Not a coach, not a player, not the fans.

While the quarterback is lost for the season after sustaining the third ACL tear in his left knee against Arkansas, Colorado State's season will move forward as scheduled. To that end, the team has to focus on who they have playing, not who isn't.

"That's something we talk about every single day. We have a team meeting every day," CSU head coach Mike Bobo said. "We've done that this year; it's something I haven't done in the past. I always talk to them before and after practice, but now I talk to them in a team meeting before we have our special teams meeting and segment meetings and talk about where we are, where we're going and how we're going to get there. We address it. It's kinda like the accountability program, Say What it is Friday. We say what's going on, who's out, which of us have to step up and we've got to get ready to play."

It's not like the Rams haven't already dealt with injuries, with two different sets of five starting on the offensive line, as well as Toby McBride missing last week and will sit again this week. Injuries are part of the game, and it's one of the bits of adversity Bobo constantly talks about overcoming.

The loss of Hill stings, because he was playing so well, and behind him, the Rams were scoring points. Patrick O'Brien is slated to start, and he said it's his job to keep it going.

"I want us to be the same caliber of offense that we've been. Every week we've been scoring points, we've been moving the ball down the field," O'Brien said. "It's my job to continue that. As long as we're playing the same caliber we've been playing the past few weeks, it's just my job to keep it rolling and play as good as or better than Collin."

Primary Thoughts

Toledo and quarterback Mitchell Guadagni bring in a quick and effective passing attack this weekend which will test CSU's entire defense, not just the secondary. As Bobo said, it is predicated on Guadagni getting rid of the ball quick, then setting up vertical shots. The added dynamic is he is mobile, allowing him to extend plays.

He's throw for 380 yards, added 80 more on the ground and combined for four touchdowns without a turnover.

"We need to play everything in front of us," CSU safety Logan Stewart said. "The biggest thing with that is having a quarterback who is mobile is those slants can turn into deep routes, so we have to play tight coverage all around."

Sacks may be hard to come by, Bobo said, so the defensive line has to be ready to raise their hands when the ball is released, as a tipped pass can make a big difference. So can being assignment sound, as the Rams have been hit with coverage busts this season.

For Stewart, that all comes down to communication and one more item to clean up this week.

A Full Game

In the Rams' two losses this year, the fourth quarter has not been kind. They were close with Colorado when the Buffs scored the final 14 to put it out of reach. Last week, after rallying to tie Arkansas and then missing a chance to take the lead, the Razorbacks answered with 21 unanswered in the final frame.

The result is Colorado State has been outscored 42-10 in the last stanza. That comes down to the obvious.

"We have to play consistent for four quarters," Bobo said. "We haven't done that yet."

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Collin Hill

Toby McBride

Patrick O'Brien

Logan Stewart

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