Addazio Busy Building Bridges

When they walk into the room, there he is, on the wall.

Garrett Grayson, larger than life. Each position room at Canvas Stadium has a mural of a former great, and for the Colorado State quarterbacks the icon is Grayson, the 2014 Mountain West offensive player of the year and the program's all-time passing leader.

The picture tells each of them he was a big deal. Meeting him gave them an understanding of why, and in his own words, that his path wasn't always smooth. Grayson had challenges placed before him, including battling his own confidence at certain points of his career.

Chatting with him via a virtual world gave Patrick O'Brien a valued perspective. On playing the position. Playing at Colorado State. On heading to the NFL.

"It was huge. He was really helpful, because he talked about his journey with CSU and the NFL and everything," O'Brien said. "That's something I'd like to do in my future as well, and to hear about his triumphs and the problems he had also was great. I got to ask him some questions about his last year at CSU and how they got to turn things around, and I'm going to try to put everything into what he was saying.

"It was big for me to hear what he had to say."

Since being hired as the Rams' head football coach, Steve Addazio has been dedicated to building bridges. Every new coach has to, each with a different plan. Addazio's has been full throttle with every pathway. The process had to start with the players he inherited, but his drive has shown in recruiting – especially the state of Colorado – and former players as well.

His name is on the most important door at Canvas Stadium, but to him, it does not represent ownership.

"I want all the former players to feel like this is their place, their home," Addazio said. "They're always welcome, no matter what, and making sure they know they have access into their program. It's not my program, it's their program. The university's program. I love having these guys around. They're great guys, great mentors for our players and just a great resource. I just want everybody to feel like we're all in this together."

Addazio's team only had seven spring practices to work with, but on the majority of those days, you could spot a former player on hand, some days more than one. They come back because they still care. And they want to feel welcome.

Taking it a step further, Addazio has spent time during the lockdown holding virtual meetings with former Ram standouts. It's his way of getting to know them, and they him. Rashard Higgins used the opportunity to remind the new coach of a certain game played at Boston College in 2014.

Zack Golditch took part, and it really helped put his mind at ease. He'd always felt like he belonged, but each time there's a coaching change, he said one wonders if you can still walk in unannounced.

Now he knows he can.

"It was great getting a chance to hear him talk about things. It was great to see some familiar faces and see what everyone is up to these days," Golditch said. "It was cool, because we got a chance to ask him questions and hear his passion for CSU and the direction he's trying to take the program. It really got me excited, and I'm really looking forward to see what they can do.

"I think it's important, because I think CSU has an outstanding history and tradition. I think to bring older players in to reconnect with the current program, it's able to uphold the legacy. I love the fact Coach Addazio is trying to reconnect alumni and try to make everybody feel a part of it."

The truth is, it's not a one-way street. For the new coaches on hand, the background knowledge proves invaluable.

Take offensive coordinator Joey Lynch. He spent most of his life around the Ball State program, with his father the head coach, as a player and then as part of the coaching staff. He knows that program, but he wants to know Colorado State's just as well.

Having Grayson sit in on a meeting and be able to talk football with him helps open those doors. Yes, he believes the players should know the history and traditions of a program, but so do the coaches.

"I think knowledge is power. It doesn't matter how you get there," Lynch said. "A lot of us are new to Colorado State. Me talking to Garrett Grayson, it's just his experience and thoughts at Colorado State and where we're at today. I think anytime we can reach out and talk to former players and know their experiences, what they went through and why the picked Colorado State just gives you a feel for the whole place."

If a coach is going to sell a future player on the benefits of the university and the program, the more they know, the better the pitch they can deliver. Reaching out to the past is no different than extending to the future.

Every coaching staff will tell you their state is important to them, that they have to keep the best players home. Not all put forth the same effort, however. Under Addazio, each coach has a part of the state that is their territory. For Lynch, it is the Colorado Springs-Pueblo path, and he's spoken to more than 25 of that area's high school coaches already. Some more than once, and they've covered everything from players to play design.

So has everybody else on the staff. Thus, the state will be covered border to border, though none of them will be overloaded with such wide a swath so they can know their part intimately.

The idea is to get the best players to Fort Collins, develop them so they can reach their goals, then welcome them back upon their return. All bridges which are well ahead of pace in Addazio's construction plan.

"That's what it's all about. You give everything you have to a program, your sweat, your blood, your tears, and you invest in that program, that's your program," Addazio said. "Coaches like me, they come and they go, but your investment in what you did for that program, that never goes, and I really appreciate that."

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