Millen's Toughness No Longer A Question Mark

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – After Saturday's game, Colorado State coach Jay Norvell went to the stands and hugged Michele Millen, promising her they weren't trying to let her son, Clay, get hit so much.

Clay, the Rams' redshirt freshman quarterback, was sacked seven times in the loss to Washington State. The running total is now up to 23 after three games, as no team in the country have given up more sacks than the Rams.

They've been forced into things due to injuries – they've had three different starting lines in as many weeks – and adjusted within those changes. Each and every time, Clay gets up and gets ready for the next play.

If the team has learned anything about their young gun, it's that he can take a blow.

"You really don't know how tough any of them are when they're young. My hat's off to him for getting up from some of those shots," quarterbacks coach Matt Mumme said. "I told him, 'dude, you're a defensive highlight reel. Every hit on you seems to be the one a kid on defense is going to use for his highlight reel.' I'm proud of him, and I think it's endeared him to his teammates. A lot of guys on this team are like, golly, this guy just keeps getting up and getting after it play after play."

Mumme would prefer to keep his hat on in this instance.

There's so much an offensive staff has to learn about a new staring quarterback, exponentially when they are as young as Clay. Toughness, and to this degree, isn't necessarily on the checklist. Actually, they'd rather not prove himself by getting back up time after time so many times.

They weren't the only one learning, and this is something Clay has discovered and wears as a badge of honor.

He's fine – thanks for asking. Just a bit sore, but good. "Totally fine, other than that," he said.

"I think I'm pretty tough. Before you play, you don't know how you're going to handle all those hits, and I think that now I've gotten hit a lot, I realize I can take those hits; I'm a tough guy," he said. "I'm competitive after playing, there are some things you find out about yourself. All those hits, I'm taking them and I'm still going. That's my mindset."

Mumme stated the last thing any of them wants is to get their quarterback hit. They'd prefer he not be hurried, either, but that is going to happen. He'll get hit, too, but the number is alarmingly high right now.

The toughness is not just physical, but mental, too. Mumme knows it is having an effect on Clay, even if just slightly.

"Most Ram fans can probably tell he's a little uncomfortable now. Last week, he took a pretty decent shot from (Daiyan) Henley on the fourth play of the game," Mumme said. "Those things are going to have an effect on you no matter what. As much as you wish you would say, OK, next play, I'm up, I'm standing firm in the pocket, it's in the back of your mind. Hopefully we can start to eliminate those pressures up front and be better."

The most impressive part may be Millen's accuracy when the does get a ball away. He is 61-of-85 passing, a 71.8 percent completion rate, which ranks 13^th in the country. Next up, Mumme wants to see more yards and more completed drives stem from those connections. And there are negative. Clay and Mumme both know he has to protect the ball better, as he's thrown four interceptions (at least one in each game) and has lost a fumble in the pocket each outing.

Growing pains were expected, but the sacks are amplifying them.

"The turnovers we had on offense are correctable. Making a protection call, keeping two hands on the ball in the pocket," Norvell said. "Coach Mumme is beating Clay with a bag every day, but those are things that have to become natural. One turnover in the pocket with a quarterback is one too many on a season, so he's got to learn that. Young players have to learn those basic details about playing."

At this rate, he'll graduate top of his class from Hard Knocks U. He expects to be better each time out, and he has faith in the guys up front. Each week, each snap, he says he carries the faith.

"You just have to trust the guys. I'm boys with all those guys up front, so I think it's just continuing to trust them no matter what," Clay said. "I believe in those guys, I love those guys, so I believe every single play I drop back they're going to give me protection, give me time, so I think it's continuing to trust.

"I've taken the hits and I continue to trust those guys. We're doing more stuff in protection each week, trying to game plan, trying to fix some of those problems, so I think each week we keep emphasizing protection. The more I feel myself, I should trust even more. I'm going to continue to trust those guys up front, and I feel good about that were going to get this right. I believe in all my boys up front."

Mumme reminded Clay on Monday about the road he had traveled. A ranked Michigan team. A tough Middle Tennessee squad and a Washington State team playing very well defensively. None of it has been easy, but it's in the past.

Looking back to find correctable mistakes is fine. Lingering there during prep for the next week isn't necessary.

"What I told Clay today was to forget it," Mumme said. "Don't look over your shoulder, don't worry about what you've done, look forward and let's worry about the next nine games and that starts this week."

Starting this week, Norvell would like to keep his promise to Clay's mom.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results