Rams Complete First Spring Scrimmage of 2024

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Sep 5

4:00 PM

Football

vs Wyoming

Sep 12

5:00 PM

Football

vs Southern Utah

Sep 19

5:30 PM

Football

vs BYU

Sep 26

TBA

Football

at UTSA

Oct 3

4:00 PM

Football

vs Oregon State

FORT COLLINS - Jay Norvell, like many a head coach, is intentional about his approach to spring football.

The duration is short, — he marvels at the speed at which spring flies by and the fact three of five weeks have already come and gone — meaning his team must pour every ounce of focus into specific, predetermined aspects of the game.

For Norvell, those include improvements in the running game (and stopping it defensively) and end-of-game scenarios. The former was what really stood out in the first full scrimmage of the year.

"We've been the top passing team in our league and we really want to be in more control of games and we want to be able to run the football," Norvell said. "We want to be very physical and we just feel like if we can improve that, we're gonna be very dangerous as a team. As a head coach, I'm looking at all the factors it takes to win.

"The more we can control the football, the more we can play the run well, we become more in control of games and that's really important. It shows the maturity of our team and we're much more physical in our offensive line, too. We have depth in our offensive line and as the program matures, you can see the development in the lines. When you have a good program, you're good from the inside out and that's what we're really focusing on."

Though it's still early in the grand scheme of an entire season, both quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and linebacker Buom Jock also raved about the running game. A little extra love on the ground was required on the day with heavy winds complicating the passing game a bit.

From a roster-building standpoint, the running back room has also needed an extra bit of love throughout Norvell's tenure. Last year, Kobe Johnson was a big help but went down with an injury for the majority of the year.

The Rams also had a young core of backs stepping in, a few of which were needed down the stretch of the year. Now, with that experience under their belt, they don't just have a lot of guys at the position. Instead, as Fowler-Nicolosi put it, they've got a "big group of guys who can play."

Each with unique skill sets, he said, the variety of talent at running back can be advantageous in a number of different situations. Whatever the moment calls for.

Jock sees it from the other side of the field. Not just the backs, but a much-improved offensive line pulling the strings. While it's happening in a scrimmage, it can be frustrating, but he's okay with the fact the run game has improved, especially since it can only make his group better, too.

"They've got a lot of good backs back there and their offensive line has done a really good job blocking and scheming for some of those runs," Jock said. "For somebody like me who's in the box, I see a lot of different things, and I think it's all really good for the defense as well. It's always fun competing against a team that can run the ball really well."

The temperature was an issue, too. It wasn't just windy at Canvas Stadium; it was cold and windy. But Fowler-Nicolosi welcomes that exact sort of adversity.

It may not be fun in the moment, but gaining those experiences when the stakes are low can be helpful in actual game situations. Like the snow game against Air Force last season or a windy night at Wyoming — both losses.

"You never know what you're going to get in a game, so getting out in elements, where it's not just comfortable and I can sit back and throw like I always do at practice, is really good," Fowler-Nicolosi said. "Having to make adjustments and challenging myself to be better is always beneficial."

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