Beyond the Numbers, Rams See Increased Competition

If you know Jordon Simmons, you understand he is not a man to dabble in hyperbole. The speed and strength coach at Colorado State is all about facts and how they explain what he sees.

So, for Simmons – who has been with Jay Norvell as long as he's been a head coach – to proclaim this version of the Rams is the most athletic team he's been around, he's not blowing smoke. Neither is Norvell.

"It's the biggest team we've had, and it's the fastest team we've had. My thing is I want to see it in practice every day.," Norvell said. "If we have guys who can run fast, we need to be running fast every day in practice. Consistency is the key.

"I've seen it. I had a pro scout tell me (during camp) he closed his eyes, and he could hear the hitting and it sounded like an NFL scrimmage. That's probably the best compliment I could get. We want to be physical, and we want to be fast and play with great effort. That's all we've been emphasizing since spring ball started, and we're starting to get more and more of it."

It does start with the numbers. The Rams increased their weight across their position groups. They have twice as many players who can vertical jump beyond 35 inches, from eight to 17. Same for guys who can run 22 MPH or faster (12 to 25), and overall, the team has increased it's speed by nearly 1 MPH.

There are plenty of individual highlights. Caleb Goodie added 20 pounds to his frame without losing a step and maintaining his optimal body fat. Vince Brown kept his too in gaining 33 points. Nuer Gatkuoth, same thing with 40 additional pounds.

What they've done in Simmon's program is impressive, but it doesn't mean a whole lot if it doesn't translate to the field. It's wonderful if players look great in their Instagram photos, but can they make more plays?

The answer they've found in camp is a resounding yes.

"Just leading up to camp, you could definitely see it on the field. Everyone is super-fast, everyone can jump," returning all-conference safety Jack Howell said. "In the drills themselves, they were really competitive. Now it's showing up in camp. Our receivers are running; you have to get over the top quicker on fade balls. You have to break quicker because their routes are smoother and in and out of their breaks. The DBs are running, so it's really competitive. The big guys are getting their hands on people better, so it's been good.

"Just check the Polar numbers. That's what tracks our speed. You can't lie with the speed. If you look at last year, I think we had maybe five guys running 22 MPH. Now we have multiple guys cracking that every single day. It shows up in routes, covering routes and even our O-linemen, pulling guards and tackles getting to the edge and tight ends doing arc blocks faster. It's made people step up their game in every facet."

The improvement in physical prowess didn't just come from players looking to find their way on the depth chart, though those improvements lead to a much deeper team. Starters were represented in those gains as even the best in the Mountain West seek out greater performance.

Tory Horton was already known for his speed and the slickness of his routes. This year, he made a noticeable jump in his change of direction. The idea is individual players making significant gains will translate into team success, and Norvell can tell a difference when forming the depth chart.

"I think it has. I think we're practicing more like we envisioned practicing with the competition," he said. "We just don't have positions where we're void of players. The last two years, we've gone into the season with positions where we've been void of players who could play and win for you. We don't have that anymore. We invested in the young players and they're growing up, and it's fun to see."

What the Rams have seen in preparation for the season has them feeling more than optimistic. They are carrying more confidence, which won't be a terrible thing for a team looking to turn a corner, one which opens the campaign with a tall task on the road at No. 4 Texas.

If there's a time to show you're better, the greatest stage is against a reputable foe on the opening week. Horton expects to be better. He expects others will show the same, and it hasn't been a bad thing some front-line guys were still looking to create separation in a more competitive camp.

"Everybody is out there flying around. It's way more competitive out there each rep," Horton said. "It's a grind to win that rep. Seeing guys fly up and down the field, it's nice. You can tell the offseason paid off with people getting faster and stronger. You hear more popping with the pads. It's like a swarm to the ball, and that's something we all like to see and it's going to help us win a lot of games last year.

"I look at Hank (Henry Blackburn). He's a great player. You see him out there now and he's making fantastic catches and diving for balls. There are some days we have to tell Hank not to dive because we're not in pads, but he has that high motor. When the ball is in the air, he's swarming to the ball and making plays where it's like, dang. Some of them you don't think he can make. When the game comes, we'll expect those plays from him."

The numbers don't lie. Simmons wouldn't tout them if he didn't firmly believe.

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