Monday Presser: Rams Make Adjustments for Road Trip

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Nov 8

7:30 PM

Football

vs UNLV

Nov 15

1:00 PM

Football

at New Mexico

Nov 22

12-Days

Football

at Boise State

Nov 28

1:00 PM

Football

vs Air Force

Dec 5

TBA

Football

vs Mountain West Football Championship

A trip to Hawaii is welcomed by almost everyone, except maybe football teams.

A long flight and a huge time change can add up to fatigue, and teams in the old WAC and now in the Mountain West have long been trying to crack the code to have success on the island. Colorado State coach Jay Norvell thinks he has it, thanks in part to his counterpart on Saturday.

"Fortunately, we've played over there several times, and we understand the things that are important to go play over there," Norvell said at his weekly press conference Monday. "Actually, Timmy Chang taught us most of those things. It's really important the kids understand the week, how we've adjusted the week, how we get acclimated to the time change.

"I think it's a fortunate thing that we play them this week. We don't have any school this week. We can adjust our practice schedule, we don't have any conflicts with class, so we can kind of handle this week the way we need to to help them prepare for the win."

At Nevada, Norvell was 1-1 at Hawaii with a big win and a narrow defeat.

Current Colorado State center Jacob Gardner recalled what he felt hampered his team two years ago, which is why what Norvell is doing this week makes sense.

"I would just say the time change, I think. Coach Norvell is starting to push back our schedule, get us acclimated," Gardner said. "I remember two years ago that was the issue, we kind of died off toward the end of the game. With Norvell pushing the schedule back, I think it's going to make a difference."

A 6 p.m. kickoff doesn't sound bad, except when a team's collective body clock is at 9 p.m. That's exactly the issue Norvell is trying to counter. As he noted, the college schedule is littered with important games this week, and his squad plays the last on the docket. Because a 6 p.m. kick on the island means a 9 p.m. start back home.

Step one is to practice in the afternoon, not the morning. With no class schedules to contend with, it makes the changes easier. To add to it, the team will be kept up later, with meetings following practice. Each day will start later than normal, the idea being their bodies will be used to late activities, not time for bed.

"It's a good change up this time of year. It's a good change up for our players and coaches," Norvell said. "It's a little awkward at first. The first part of the week is awkward, but as you start getting closer to the game and you get over on that rock, it starts to feel real comfortable. That's what we're working toward."

Coaching Tree

This will be the second meeting of pupil and mentor, with Colorado State beating Chang's squad in Fort Collins in his first season as the Rainbow Warriors' coach. They generally talk regularly, just not this week.

"I haven't talked to him at all this week. Now last week, we exchanged some messages and stuff because they were here last week in Fort Collins getting ready to play Wyoming. Timmy will prepare that team. They're a very prideful team when they play at home. They play extremely hard, and it's always a tough battle when you play them."

Hawaii led 13-3 at half last season, with a pair of Avery Morrow touchdown runs turning the tables for a 17-13 win. Chang was originally with Norvell in Fort Collins, but when the job at his alma mater came open, Norvell was excited for an assistant who had been with him for five seasons at Nevada.

"I'm really proud of Tim and what he's done there. I know he's really working and developing the players there," Norvell said. "That's really the quality of a good coach is he's going to develop a team, and that team is going to have esprit de corps, they're going to play hard for one another, battle you to the very end and they're going to come to play every Saturday. I know Timmy has those leadership skills."

Here and There

Entering this week there are 68 bowl-eligible teams to fill the 82 postseason slots. There are 25 teams needing one more win to qualify, 12 of which will be favored this week. … Jordan Noyes, named the conference specialist of the week, has hit on 82.4 percent of his attempts this season, which is tied for sixth at CSU for a season. … Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi enters the final week leading the conference in total offense (283.6) and passing (285.7); Tory Horton leads in receptions per game (7.9) and Mohamed Kamara tops the league in sacks (1.14) and tackles for loss (1.50). Kamara ranks fifth nationally in sacks, seventh in TFLs. … Norvell said Morrow was cleared Saturday, adding he probably won't practice much early in the week in hopes he'll be ready to go by game time.

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