Feeling Fresh and Familiar at the Same Time

FORT COLLINS – Just the first day. One of many.

While fall camp may be a time for teaching, there is a sense of urgency for Colorado State's football program. Some of it centers around the flipping of the roster, where most of the team is new from last fall. Last season's results – and a desire to alter them – factors into the feeling.

As Jack Howell and Henry Blackburn entered the field a good 15 minutes before practice began at 7 a.m., they yelled out, "go get it."

"We try to preach that now. We've been doing this since summer, and a lot of the new faces and young guys are already there. I don't want to say they're way past what we thought they were going to be. There are little hiccups and stuff, and that's going to be natural. I feel like everybody is a step further than what we thought, and that's a good jump."

It looked a lot different than spring camp, with a full roster at hand. Norvell, in his second season atop the program, took his time to take it all in, old and new.

But a full roster makes a difference in the work which can be done. They had five team periods and plenty of bodies to either refresh or teach.

"It's completely different," Norvell said. "The first hour of practice we just run and throw, but having the number or receivers and having depth at the skill position is like night and day. It's like running a real practice."

Norvell moved from area to area, not to take glancing looks, but spent time watching what each group was doing. They had three hours to work this first day, and the Rams used every minute. And unlike spring, it wasn't the same few players repeating the reps. The goal is to turn all of those players into depth, and not just names on a depth chart, but players who can contribute.

Still, noting beats the first day, even for a head coach who has been doing this for decades.

The first game is a month away, but football season has begun.

"It's good. I kinda like step back during practice a lot of times and just observe and get a feel for the team and the players and get familiar with the new guys. That was part of it today, just getting familiar with the new players," Norvell said. "I think we can practice a lot faster. Our conditioning the first day, it shows. We've got to get into great condition and that comes from reps. We'll just keep pouring reps at the players. That's what training camp is all about.

"I'm very blessed. I thank my luck stars every year at this time I get to coach football. Training camp every year, it's like a new beginning every year. I honestly am more excited every year to get to practice, and today is no different."

This is the second season under Norvell, which carries a familiarity for some. It may have been the first practice of camp, but not much of it was new for a team which has been on campus most of the summer working together, be it conditioning, lifting or running player-led practices.

Some of what used to happen in camp has already taken place, but there is a point they all want to reach which means the season extends beyond the Thanksgiving weekend. Being tied together in the pursuit feels new for many of them.

"I would definitely just say the comradery. Obviously last year we though we felt it then we had half the team leave midway through the season," Howell said. "Just being able to – offensive and defense – knowing we have each other's back; last year it felt like we had two different teams, offense and defense. Now, Clay (Millen) throws a good ball, Tory has a good catch, we're all cheering for them. It's just competitive, too. Everyone wants to win.

"Last year it felt like a brand new team, we didn't really know where we were going to be. We definitely have a chip on our shoulder because we felt like we underachieved last year. We know the talent we have this year; we know what we can do, and we want to show people that."

The first day, everybody is ready to go. Optimism is high around the country. Everything is possible, but it only becomes probably if the work gets done.

That, and the excitement of a new season, only requires the simplest of tasks.

"Putting the helmet on. And seeing the new guys and the new additions we have," Horton said. "I'm excited to see the defense, because we have a lot of defensive returners and it's going to be a scary defensive core for this season, so offenses in the Mo0untain West and Pac 12, good luck. It's just nice to see how much they've grown together, being in the same system. You see Jack out there, Mo (Kamara) and Chigi (Chigozie Anusiem) and they're all embracing that leadership role and bringing the young guys along.

"The offensive side, we're getting our O-line together, quarterbacks look more dialed in, the receivers, were trying to pick up our routes and the tight ends know what they're doing. We all look good. We're all trying to be on one accord and have great practices one day at a time."

If a team wants to go get something, the best place to start is the first day.

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results