Colorado State University Athletics
Carter's Improved Weekdays Leading to Better Weekends
11/3/2021 1:56:00 PM | Football
Linebacker making more impact plays for Rams
to FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The basic production is just the same.
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Cam'ron Carter is averaging eight tackles per game, just as he did in an abbreviated 2020 season. What has changed are his impact plays. The senior linebacker has produced 7.5 tackles for loss, highlighted by a career-high six sacks, which ranks him second on the team with Mohamed Kamara. The Rams aren't using him any differently, asking him to do anything new.
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What's really sparked the change is basic, too.
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"It's practice," Carter said. "I'm going hard in practice, and it carries over to the game. That's it."
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Succinct and to the point. No window dressing, just hard work.
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For position coach Sean Cronin, it's always enjoyable when the light goes on for a player and they decided to do something about it. He joked when a player first doesn't succeed, the smart thing to do is do what the coach told you to do the first time, but in becoming serious, he heaped praise on his backer for taking the reins himself.
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The message has always been the same, but Carter took a different approach during the week.
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"He's practicing better, which is the biggest thing. He's starting to learn how to practice and he's going to work every day and it's showing on Saturday," Cronin said. "He's a classic case of you play like you practice. You practice better, you play better.
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"He's done it all himself. That's the thing about coaching. All you're doing is giving the blueprint. You can't force them to do it. He's put it on himself, and he's done a phenomenal job himself of coming to work. I don't coach him any different than I did last year. I don't. But he's different. He's working different. That's' the only way to get better is self-made."
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His past four games are among the best in Carter's career. He's posted at least nine tackles in each of those games, 14 in each of the past two. In the same span, he has at least one tackle for loss and at least one sack.
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The tackles for loss haven't been uncommon for him since he became a full-time starter last year, but he did post a personal-best three in the win over New Mexico. The sacks are different, however. He had only two in his career prior, which he matched against the Lobos.
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The parallel is right there on Carter's tape.
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"I feel like, for me, it was practice. If I practiced harder, I would be better in the games," Carter said. "If I have a good week of practice, I'll have a good game. Coach Cronin, he's brought me in his office a couple of times and told me if I have a good week of practice, I'll have a good game, and it typically shows."
Â
With better practice habits, Carter has also grown to understand the overall defensive scheme a bit better, which he also attributes to his current rise in production and his ability to handle each of his tasks better.
Â
Every now and then, he also has to drop into coverage, producing his second career interception against Utah State, which he returned 27 yards. While he knows more, the said there's still more where he can gain a better grasp.
Â
"I feel like I know the front seven better," he said. "I need to learn the back end better, but I feel like I'm more understanding what the (middle linebacker) has, what the people in front of me have."
Â
Seeing what he has of late gives Cronin even more trust in the player himself. He's learned over the years, some require more time to blend the physical talent with the work necessary at this level to remain successful.
Â
Right now has been Carter's time, and the Rams are benefitting from his play.
Â
"The thing is, the more consistent you are, the more trust you have in somebody, because when they go out there, you know what you're going to get," Cronin said. "If they go out there like a roller coaster and have highs and lows, you don't know when you put them on the field what you're going to get.
Â
"They're just getting better at understanding what we were trying to get done. They have a better understanding of how to get those sacks."
Â
As Carter now knows, what he puts in during week days comes out on weekends. It's been that simple.
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Cam'ron Carter is averaging eight tackles per game, just as he did in an abbreviated 2020 season. What has changed are his impact plays. The senior linebacker has produced 7.5 tackles for loss, highlighted by a career-high six sacks, which ranks him second on the team with Mohamed Kamara. The Rams aren't using him any differently, asking him to do anything new.
Â
What's really sparked the change is basic, too.
Â
"It's practice," Carter said. "I'm going hard in practice, and it carries over to the game. That's it."
Â
Succinct and to the point. No window dressing, just hard work.
Â
For position coach Sean Cronin, it's always enjoyable when the light goes on for a player and they decided to do something about it. He joked when a player first doesn't succeed, the smart thing to do is do what the coach told you to do the first time, but in becoming serious, he heaped praise on his backer for taking the reins himself.
Â
The message has always been the same, but Carter took a different approach during the week.
Â
"He's practicing better, which is the biggest thing. He's starting to learn how to practice and he's going to work every day and it's showing on Saturday," Cronin said. "He's a classic case of you play like you practice. You practice better, you play better.
Â
"He's done it all himself. That's the thing about coaching. All you're doing is giving the blueprint. You can't force them to do it. He's put it on himself, and he's done a phenomenal job himself of coming to work. I don't coach him any different than I did last year. I don't. But he's different. He's working different. That's' the only way to get better is self-made."
Â
His past four games are among the best in Carter's career. He's posted at least nine tackles in each of those games, 14 in each of the past two. In the same span, he has at least one tackle for loss and at least one sack.
Â
The tackles for loss haven't been uncommon for him since he became a full-time starter last year, but he did post a personal-best three in the win over New Mexico. The sacks are different, however. He had only two in his career prior, which he matched against the Lobos.
Â
The parallel is right there on Carter's tape.
Â
"I feel like, for me, it was practice. If I practiced harder, I would be better in the games," Carter said. "If I have a good week of practice, I'll have a good game. Coach Cronin, he's brought me in his office a couple of times and told me if I have a good week of practice, I'll have a good game, and it typically shows."
Â
With better practice habits, Carter has also grown to understand the overall defensive scheme a bit better, which he also attributes to his current rise in production and his ability to handle each of his tasks better.
Â
Every now and then, he also has to drop into coverage, producing his second career interception against Utah State, which he returned 27 yards. While he knows more, the said there's still more where he can gain a better grasp.
Â
"I feel like I know the front seven better," he said. "I need to learn the back end better, but I feel like I'm more understanding what the (middle linebacker) has, what the people in front of me have."
Â
Seeing what he has of late gives Cronin even more trust in the player himself. He's learned over the years, some require more time to blend the physical talent with the work necessary at this level to remain successful.
Â
Right now has been Carter's time, and the Rams are benefitting from his play.
Â
"The thing is, the more consistent you are, the more trust you have in somebody, because when they go out there, you know what you're going to get," Cronin said. "If they go out there like a roller coaster and have highs and lows, you don't know when you put them on the field what you're going to get.
Â
"They're just getting better at understanding what we were trying to get done. They have a better understanding of how to get those sacks."
Â
As Carter now knows, what he puts in during week days comes out on weekends. It's been that simple.
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