Setting the Stage: Nevada

In two of the past three games, Colorado State's defense has produced two of the best outings of the season, allowing fewer than 300 yards of total offense to both Air Force and last week against San Diego State.

Saturday, the Rams face a Nevada offense which ranks 10^th in the Mountain West in total offense, averaging 307 yards per game. While the turnovers created have slowed down of late – just three in the past four weeks – in the same span, the unit hasn't allowed more than 23 points in a game, a touchdown less than the 30.8 average for the season.

To cornerback Chigozie Anusiem, the improvement came via a change in preparation.

"I think just execution really. We've changed how we practice a little bit just to focus on executing," he said. "I think we're a group who will naturally play hard. We're just focused on top of playing hard, which is the expectation, just executing the proper way. That's really the biggest thing."

Based on last season's finish, the unit carried great expectations into this campaign, but the group took some lumps early. There were eight starters returning, which CSU coach Jay Norvell admits was real positive, but there were pieces being thrust into action which were still catching up.

The starting linebackers were new, as was one defensive end and a corner. As the season progressed, more players were inserted into key backup and even starting roles. Norvell believes it's just taking some time to make it all cohesive.

"I think we're getting better. That was the more experienced unit on our team, but we have key players who have not played a lot with our defense, guys like Dominic Morris," Norvell said. "He's a really competitive nickel for us and played really hard Saturday; love the way he competes, but we've had some new guys – Nuer Gatkuoth, Matt Thomas, Justin Sanchez – we've had some new players trying to get involved. Dom Jones, Ron Hardge III, these are all new guy s. We're starting to jell, we're starting to play more the way we envisioned this defense to play, and it's going to be important we finish on a high note. I can't tell you how important it is for us to show improvement this week from last week. For all the things we want to accomplish as a team, we want to finish strong."

Yellow Flags a Red Flag

At 8.2 penalties and 74.1 yards per game, Colorado State is the second-most penalized team in the Mountain West. Only New Mexico has drawn more.

Norvell, who has won a fair share of games in his career when his team has been the most penalized on the field, has seen enough from this year's squad.
"There's a lot of good in (last Saturday's game), there was some bad. I was not happy with the penalties, and that's an area we have to address, and we have to be better," Norvell said. "Selfish penalties, there's no excuse for us to do those and our kids have got to understand and grow up in that regard. That's going to hurt us, that's going to bite us if we don't correct that."

Twice against San Diego State, the Rams moved into the red zone, only to have penalties push them out. Twice after scores, they were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, leading to kicking off deep in their own territory.

The occasional hold and offside call can be overlooked. The real costly infractions are the ones starting to really get under Norvell's skin.

"We had a couple of penalties and that really affected the field position," he said. "The penalties we had after the scores, we had to kickoff deep from our own territory, and that affected our field position. That was critical and we have to do a better job in those areas."

Special Guest

Norvell had a special guest this week, as former college and NFL head coach Al Groh was around the team through Friday. The two first met when Groh was a commentator for a Nevada television game, they started talking and found they had a lot in common and have since stayed in touch.

Groh, who coached the New York Jets in 2000 before leaving to become the head coach at his alma mater, Virginia, spent time around the team, and Norvell enjoys picking the brain of someone who has worked closely with bill Parcells, bill Belichick and Nick Saban.

"He's been so gracious with is time, to spend a week with us and look at every area of our program and give us suggestions of things that maybe we can do better. It's invaluable," Norvell said. "Some things in our games are just truths. Some people want to say 'old school,' but some things are old school because they're just true about our game. Fundamentals don't change. Pad level doesn't change. Keeping leverage on the ball doesn't change. How players need to be competitive doesn't change. It becomes more challenging the way the rules are now and how they've changed them to show players how they have to perform to win.

"He's a great resource; I talk to him every week. He tells me situations, two-minute situations, things we can think of and maybe practice differently. He's just been amazing."

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Chigozie Anusiem

Nuer Gatkuoth

Ron Hardge III

Dom Jones

Dominic Morris

Justin Sanchez

Matt Thomas

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