Colorado State University Athletics
Changing the Narrative
9/18/2024 2:00:00 PM | Football
Norvell wants defense more competitive, coordinated
The message was pretty clear from the top. The defense has to play better.
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Through three games, one of them against the No. 1 team in the nation, Colorado State is allowing 32.3 points per game, more than 400 yards of total offense an outing with 285.3 through the air, has one sack and forced two turnovers.
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CSU coach Jay Norvell was direct in saying that all had to change, starting with UTEP's visit to Canvas Stadium on Saturday (3 p.m.)
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"We have to cover better on defense. We're giving up too many easy throws," he said. "We have to be more competitive, and we have to be more disruptive. We're not getting a whole lot of pressure right now, and we're not getting turnovers."
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The group has to work in unison. A pass rush will make a quarterback uncomfortable. Tight coverage doesn't allow for easy, early windows for one to release the ball on time and in rhythm.
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Working together is taking some time, a bit longer than expected. Being without Nuer Gatkuoth on the edge hasn't helped, and new cornerbacks are being infused into the system.
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"I feel like as a complete defense, we have some new players, myself, I'm a transfer," cornerback Elias Larry said. "I feel like as a whole collective we're all still learning how to play together. It's only the third week. I feel like we have good stretches in the game where we've done very well, I just feel like we have to put together a more complete performance.
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"We do very good in the game in the beginning, and us just working and working at it, we're just going to keep getting better and start to mesh and start to help each other play well, I feel it will just come together in the long run. I'm going to keep putting in that work."
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Norvell stressed the unit can't allow a quarterback to remain comfortable in a game. His concern has been loose coverage leading to easy completions. The lone sack came against Texas, of all schools, the team with an experienced and talented offensive line. It came early, as did the pressure which led to the first turnover of the season, intercepting Quinn Ewers on a deflected pass.
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Since then, not much. No sacks, though a rush has made the quarterback move at times. One turnover, coming in the flat by stripping a CU ball carrier. When it comes to getting a sack, the players compare it to trying to go deep in baseball. Swing for the fences and you miss.
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"One thing Nuer told me last year if you're so worried about sacks, you're not going to get the sack," Mukendi Wa-Kalonji said. "Just work your move, work your move and when you get there, finish. The more you worry about the sack, the more it will start going away from you. Work your move, beat the man and worry about the sack afterward."
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Get those, and the process of covering receivers becomes easier. Even without constant pressure, Norvell feels the coverage can be better all around, the secondary more aggressive. He stressed that doesn't have to be man coverage all the time, it can be accomplished when playing zone.
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Larry agrees. His take on the issue is that it's not so much technical as it is attitude, and an adjustment is coming.
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"That's' a mindset thing, being aggressive. You can teach technique all day, but aggressive, that's a mindset," Larry said. "You have to practice like that during the week, in certain situations or certain scenarios in the game. You have to know how you're going to play a certain situation. In the game, which is the bigger stage, your body just naturally, you're going to be more timid. That's why I feel you have to practice like a game.
Â
"I feel like after this last game, a big emphasis on us in the back end is we have to be able to trust each other in certain situations. If its third-and-short, they're going to sit and try to get the first down. We can't give them easy passes. We've got to compete. If we're in man coverage, we have to compete with everybody."
Â
Norvell even feels the numbers can be skewed early, and it's not like Texas isn't loaded and capable. And Colorado has NFL talent at skill positions. Even still, asking for better isn't an unnecessary request for a defense which is out to accept the challenge.
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Through three games, one of them against the No. 1 team in the nation, Colorado State is allowing 32.3 points per game, more than 400 yards of total offense an outing with 285.3 through the air, has one sack and forced two turnovers.
Â
CSU coach Jay Norvell was direct in saying that all had to change, starting with UTEP's visit to Canvas Stadium on Saturday (3 p.m.)
Â
"We have to cover better on defense. We're giving up too many easy throws," he said. "We have to be more competitive, and we have to be more disruptive. We're not getting a whole lot of pressure right now, and we're not getting turnovers."
Â
The group has to work in unison. A pass rush will make a quarterback uncomfortable. Tight coverage doesn't allow for easy, early windows for one to release the ball on time and in rhythm.
Â
Working together is taking some time, a bit longer than expected. Being without Nuer Gatkuoth on the edge hasn't helped, and new cornerbacks are being infused into the system.
Â
"I feel like as a complete defense, we have some new players, myself, I'm a transfer," cornerback Elias Larry said. "I feel like as a whole collective we're all still learning how to play together. It's only the third week. I feel like we have good stretches in the game where we've done very well, I just feel like we have to put together a more complete performance.
Â
"We do very good in the game in the beginning, and us just working and working at it, we're just going to keep getting better and start to mesh and start to help each other play well, I feel it will just come together in the long run. I'm going to keep putting in that work."
Â
Norvell stressed the unit can't allow a quarterback to remain comfortable in a game. His concern has been loose coverage leading to easy completions. The lone sack came against Texas, of all schools, the team with an experienced and talented offensive line. It came early, as did the pressure which led to the first turnover of the season, intercepting Quinn Ewers on a deflected pass.
Â
Since then, not much. No sacks, though a rush has made the quarterback move at times. One turnover, coming in the flat by stripping a CU ball carrier. When it comes to getting a sack, the players compare it to trying to go deep in baseball. Swing for the fences and you miss.
Â
"One thing Nuer told me last year if you're so worried about sacks, you're not going to get the sack," Mukendi Wa-Kalonji said. "Just work your move, work your move and when you get there, finish. The more you worry about the sack, the more it will start going away from you. Work your move, beat the man and worry about the sack afterward."
Â
Get those, and the process of covering receivers becomes easier. Even without constant pressure, Norvell feels the coverage can be better all around, the secondary more aggressive. He stressed that doesn't have to be man coverage all the time, it can be accomplished when playing zone.
Â
Larry agrees. His take on the issue is that it's not so much technical as it is attitude, and an adjustment is coming.
Â
"That's' a mindset thing, being aggressive. You can teach technique all day, but aggressive, that's a mindset," Larry said. "You have to practice like that during the week, in certain situations or certain scenarios in the game. You have to know how you're going to play a certain situation. In the game, which is the bigger stage, your body just naturally, you're going to be more timid. That's why I feel you have to practice like a game.
Â
"I feel like after this last game, a big emphasis on us in the back end is we have to be able to trust each other in certain situations. If its third-and-short, they're going to sit and try to get the first down. We can't give them easy passes. We've got to compete. If we're in man coverage, we have to compete with everybody."
Â
Norvell even feels the numbers can be skewed early, and it's not like Texas isn't loaded and capable. And Colorado has NFL talent at skill positions. Even still, asking for better isn't an unnecessary request for a defense which is out to accept the challenge.
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Players Mentioned
Colorado State Football: Jay Norvell Weekly Press Conference - Week 7 (2025)
Monday, October 13
Colorado State Football: Long (L) and Tangelo (R) Post-Game (Fresno State, 2025)
Saturday, October 11
Colorado State Football: Beers (L) and Brousseau (R) Post-Game (Fresno State, 2025)
Saturday, October 11
Colorado State Football: Jay Norvell Post-Game (Fresno State, 2025)
Saturday, October 11