Colorado State University Athletics
Spartans’ Attack Not Hard to Decipher
10/9/2024 2:00:00 PM | Football
Nash’s 55 catches lead the nation
Just follow down the line and you'll get there.
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San Jose State likes to throw the ball. The Spartans average 40 passes per game, their standard mode of transportation on their way to averaging 35.4 points per game. They rank eighth nationally in passing offense, averaging 328.6 yards per game.
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For the most part, it's been Emmett Brown as the trigger man, the Washington State transfer hitting on 110 of his 186 throws with a very tidy 15-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. So, it is clear San Jose State will throw.
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It's almost just as clear who they are going to throw the ball to, as well. Every quarterback has a favorite target, and Brown's is Nick Nash – by a disproportionate amount.
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Nash leads the country with 55 receptions which – checks the math – accounts for half of Brown's completions. Nash's 142.4 yards per game ranks second in the country. Numbers like that trigger a certain line of thinking for a defense.
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"It's obvious you have to give a lot of respect to that receiver. We have to try to eliminate him and make the quarterback uncomfortable throwing to other people, targets he's not used to," CSU safety Jack Howell said. "No. 1 is eliminating that receiver.
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"He's a good receiver. I think they have good receivers across the board, and we treat everyone the same. We have a lot of guys we feel can contain him, and we have a good game plan."
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Nash has three games with at least 10 catches – snaring a season-best 17 in a win over Kennesaw State – and in all of them, he had at least 150 receiving yards. In the Spartans' two conference wins, his numbers have been normal, 12 catches total for a combined 165 yards.
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Against Nevada, he had five for 75, a game where Brown was pulled twice for ineffectiveness. Backup Walker Eget led the comeback over Nevada, but it was Nash – the former SJSU quarterback – who threw the game-winning touchdown pass. He's thrown two this season to go with his nine scoring catches.
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"Quarterbacks are human beings. They want to go with who they have success with," Norvell said. "Nash is an impressive guy. He started as a quarterback from them, he's played both wide receiver and quarterback. He's a very good athlete. He's a smart player, and he's done an excellent job for them. His productivity is unquestioned. He's done a great job, and we're going to have to do a good job against him. They have a lot of confidence throwing him the ball. We're going to have to do a good job covering him."
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To that end, Norvell is calling for his secondary once again to be more physical than they have been. It's a request nickel Dom Morris said the group is trying to fulfill, remaining after practice to better their technique at the line of scrimmage.
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The backend of the defense would be greatly aided by an improved pass rush. The Rams are averaging just 1.0 per game, and they did not record one in the loss to Oregon State, the second game this season without a sack.
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This will be a test for a defense which ranks 112th nationally against the pass, allowing 255.8 yards per game.
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In short, the Rams are looking to pick up the pace in a couple of areas to cover the sum.
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"That just lets us know we have to be on our game this week. That's just a great opportunity is what it is," Morris said. "It triggers that mindset of we're all competitors and we love the opportunity to go out and compete. We'll have a good game plan and a way we're going to handle that."
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The game plan is a 180-degree turn from the week prior, with the Beavers boasting the nation's No. 7 rushing attack. Next week, it will be another reverse in facing Air Force's option.
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It's called being prepared for anything, even the obvious.
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"I think that's just college football. You have to be prepared to switch each week,"Â Howell said. "One week you play a team like Oregon State who is good at the rush, that's their identity. The next week you get a team like San Jose State who likes to air it out 50 times in a game, and you have to be able to adapt. I think we have a defense that can do that."
Â
This week, the Rams have a pretty clear idea of what to target.
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San Jose State likes to throw the ball. The Spartans average 40 passes per game, their standard mode of transportation on their way to averaging 35.4 points per game. They rank eighth nationally in passing offense, averaging 328.6 yards per game.
Â
For the most part, it's been Emmett Brown as the trigger man, the Washington State transfer hitting on 110 of his 186 throws with a very tidy 15-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio. So, it is clear San Jose State will throw.
Â
It's almost just as clear who they are going to throw the ball to, as well. Every quarterback has a favorite target, and Brown's is Nick Nash – by a disproportionate amount.
Â
Nash leads the country with 55 receptions which – checks the math – accounts for half of Brown's completions. Nash's 142.4 yards per game ranks second in the country. Numbers like that trigger a certain line of thinking for a defense.
Â
"It's obvious you have to give a lot of respect to that receiver. We have to try to eliminate him and make the quarterback uncomfortable throwing to other people, targets he's not used to," CSU safety Jack Howell said. "No. 1 is eliminating that receiver.
Â
"He's a good receiver. I think they have good receivers across the board, and we treat everyone the same. We have a lot of guys we feel can contain him, and we have a good game plan."
Â
Nash has three games with at least 10 catches – snaring a season-best 17 in a win over Kennesaw State – and in all of them, he had at least 150 receiving yards. In the Spartans' two conference wins, his numbers have been normal, 12 catches total for a combined 165 yards.
Â
Against Nevada, he had five for 75, a game where Brown was pulled twice for ineffectiveness. Backup Walker Eget led the comeback over Nevada, but it was Nash – the former SJSU quarterback – who threw the game-winning touchdown pass. He's thrown two this season to go with his nine scoring catches.
Â
"Quarterbacks are human beings. They want to go with who they have success with," Norvell said. "Nash is an impressive guy. He started as a quarterback from them, he's played both wide receiver and quarterback. He's a very good athlete. He's a smart player, and he's done an excellent job for them. His productivity is unquestioned. He's done a great job, and we're going to have to do a good job against him. They have a lot of confidence throwing him the ball. We're going to have to do a good job covering him."
Â
To that end, Norvell is calling for his secondary once again to be more physical than they have been. It's a request nickel Dom Morris said the group is trying to fulfill, remaining after practice to better their technique at the line of scrimmage.
Â
The backend of the defense would be greatly aided by an improved pass rush. The Rams are averaging just 1.0 per game, and they did not record one in the loss to Oregon State, the second game this season without a sack.
Â
This will be a test for a defense which ranks 112th nationally against the pass, allowing 255.8 yards per game.
Â
In short, the Rams are looking to pick up the pace in a couple of areas to cover the sum.
Â
"That just lets us know we have to be on our game this week. That's just a great opportunity is what it is," Morris said. "It triggers that mindset of we're all competitors and we love the opportunity to go out and compete. We'll have a good game plan and a way we're going to handle that."
Â
The game plan is a 180-degree turn from the week prior, with the Beavers boasting the nation's No. 7 rushing attack. Next week, it will be another reverse in facing Air Force's option.
Â
It's called being prepared for anything, even the obvious.
Â
"I think that's just college football. You have to be prepared to switch each week,"Â Howell said. "One week you play a team like Oregon State who is good at the rush, that's their identity. The next week you get a team like San Jose State who likes to air it out 50 times in a game, and you have to be able to adapt. I think we have a defense that can do that."
Â
This week, the Rams have a pretty clear idea of what to target.
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Players Mentioned
DB
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