Colorado State University Athletics
Setting the Stage: Air Force
11/12/2021 3:00:00 PM | Football
Rams still developing ability to roll with punches
Colorado State (3-6, 2-3)Â vs. Air Force (6-3, 3-2)
Canvas Stadium |Â Fort Collins, Colo.
Saturday, Nov. 13, 5Â p.m.
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Canvas Stadium |Â Fort Collins, Colo.
Saturday, Nov. 13, 5Â p.m.
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| Â Team Still in Process of Developing Resilience |
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A string of injuries hit the linebacker in the loss to Wyoming, and the flu started to creep its way into the program and taken hold this week. He wants a program where the players learn to overcome such things, and until that takes hold, it will affect the current season.
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"That's what we learn how to handle. That's part of the evolution of building this program," Addazio said on Wednesday. "I just talked to the team about that. You literally have to be able to handle the curveball punches that come your way, and you can't get derailed. You have to take it on and you have to go, be it the flu, injuries, a lot of things. It can't be a coddled thing. Life is going to punch you, football is going to punch you and you have to find a way to punch back. These are things that I think we're in development with, the curveballs that come and not let it rock your world.
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"Saturday, it rocked our world a little bit. To some degree, that's understandable, because it was a little extreme, but it just can't."
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He is not sure where the team stands on the injury front completely, most notably with starting middle linebacker Dequan Jackson. He tried to play against Wyoming, but it became evident in the first series he wasn't physically ready.
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Offensively, wide out Dante Wright and running back David Bailey have been progressing, both playing well in last week's contest. What has stung the team is illness, which has forced a few players a day to miss practice each day.
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"These guys are working really hard, and we're hoping to get a couple of guys back. We'll be OK," Addazio said. "I don't have any updates on that, but guys are working hard in practice and I think our defense is doing a good job getting on top of this offense. That's' what it is, a day to day grind. Between the injuries and the flu, this thing has hit us hard. We're in the middle of it."
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Approach
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What Addazio did see Sunday was the response he wanted from the team. They were made, they were stung but they were ready to get back to work.
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The Rams have sustained three consecutive emotional losses, all of which can leave scars. Defensive tackle Devin Phillips hasn't seen the team react in that manner.
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"We're still moving forward. I do like the response of this team," Phillips said. "I'm not going to just say we don't let things get to us, because we do have that heartfelt emotion; we're human. Everybody is really putting their head down, moving forward, not getting complacent. We will have a bigger picture. We can still get bowl-game eligible. Nobody's head is down."
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Phillips understands it can be a lot for the younger players on the team. They didn't really get to experience a full season, and the current three-game slide is tough to stomach, especially if it is something new to them in their football careers.
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What he's seen is the veterans and captains on the team setting a tone for moving forward by focusing on what awaits, not what happened in the past.
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"It's getting the younger guys who have never experienced it before," he said. "It's bringing them along, up to the level of the older guys. These younger guys will step up and fill the roles they've been waiting to fill."
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Here and There
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Last week's game was just the 11th time since the 2000 season the Rams have allowed at least 385 yards rushing to an opponent. Looking forward, the bad news is seven of those occasions have come against option teams – once by Navy, the other six by the Falcons. In four of those games, the Falcons surpassed 400 yards. … The Falcons have won the past four meetings between the teams. Their record for consecutive wins in the series is seven, twice (2006-2012, and 1983-89). Colorado State's longest run of success in the series is five games, also twice (1975-80 with no game in 1977, and 1992-96).
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Players Mentioned
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