Colorado State University Athletics
Monday Presser: Getting Back into Form
9/30/2024 1:13:00 PM | Football
Rams hope to gain some depth after bye
The first bye week was situated perfectly for Jay Norvell. Definitely much better than a season ago.
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His Colorado State football team played four games in September, then it hit a break when it was really needed. Last year, the team played one game, had a bye, then finished on an 11-week run. This year, another bye awaits in November, a rest before the final three games.
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There was time for rest, a chance to reflect and recap and a moment to hit the road to recruit before returning to start work on Saturday's date at Oregon State (4:30 p.m.)
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The team comes first, and the direction taken was pretty basic.
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"Just our collective execution offensively. We've got to get our playmakers going and things that are complementing our run game," Norvell said at his weekly press conference on Monday. "It was good to get Tory (Horton) back at practice."
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To take it further, Norvell felt the week was good in terms of increased reps for youngsters Jamari Person, Caleb Goodie and Jordon Ross, even Armani Winfield who gained a bit of a confidence boost from a clutch touchdown catch in the win over UTEP.
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The reps add up, as they did on the other side of the ball. What the players liked was the return to some foundational tasks.
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To tight end Vince Brown II, it was the direction of hand placement. Cornerback Dom Jones noted eye discipline, but he really appreciated the detailed work defensively.
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"I feel like it's always important to know what the installs are, especially the base rules of the defense," he said. "Base fundamentals, I feel like especially on defense, it's key that we keep it simple for us just to play fast."
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The back half of the week found the coaching staff on the road looking for future players, with Norvell saying the announcement the program would be joining the Pac 12 in a few years has already started to open some new doors.
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"We spent a lot of time in California this past week. There's a great response from the kids there and the coaches that we're moving into the Pac 12," he said. "This is obviously a future opponent, and they have a very good program. This is kind of eyes of the future here. This is what our conference season is going to look like in a couple of years."
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Gaining Depth
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The bye week was also a chance for some players to return back to health. Defensive ends DeAndre Gill Jr., and Nuer Gatkuoth haven't played yet this season, and Norvell is hopeful both could return. Same goes for safety Jack Howell, who left the game early against UTEP, and Horton, who missed the past game and hasn't really been full strength since the start of the Northern Colorado game.
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"I think both Tory and Jack are going to be available to play this weekend," Norvell said. "They both practiced some (Monday); hopefully, they'll continue to make good progress. I'm also hopeful that Nuer Gatkuoth will continue to make progress; he was on the field and got some snap today for the first time in about a month. Even DeAndre Gill Jr., I'm hopeful that he'll be back.
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"I'm excited about those guys coming back. We're anxious to get Tory back and really anxious to get Jack back."
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With the two ends out so far, the three-person rotation of Mukendi Wa-Kalonji, Gabe Kirschke and Kenyon Agers have all gained valuable reps. Kirschke leads the team with 2.0 sacks and is tied for Agurs in tackles for loss, both with 3.5.
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Seeing them back on the field also picks up morale in the locker room, as everyone inside the building has been in the same situation at one point.
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"It's good, because no one likes to be hurt and no likes to see our teammates hurt," tight end Vince Brown II said. "You see them … I don't want to say down, but not their usual selves because they're off the field and not on the field playing with us. Seeing them back in pads, it's a better feeling for everybody."
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Here and There
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This will be the third meeting between the programs with CSU winning both previous games. The first was in Corvallis 49 years ago; the second was historic, as it was the first game played in Canvas Stadium in 2017, a 58-27 win for CSU. … After three consecutive home games. the Rams will spend the rest of the schedule alternating between road and home games. … Oregon State is also coming off a bye week.  … The Rams are 6-4 in the past 10 games coming off a bye.
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His Colorado State football team played four games in September, then it hit a break when it was really needed. Last year, the team played one game, had a bye, then finished on an 11-week run. This year, another bye awaits in November, a rest before the final three games.
Â
There was time for rest, a chance to reflect and recap and a moment to hit the road to recruit before returning to start work on Saturday's date at Oregon State (4:30 p.m.)
Â
The team comes first, and the direction taken was pretty basic.
Â
"Just our collective execution offensively. We've got to get our playmakers going and things that are complementing our run game," Norvell said at his weekly press conference on Monday. "It was good to get Tory (Horton) back at practice."
Â
To take it further, Norvell felt the week was good in terms of increased reps for youngsters Jamari Person, Caleb Goodie and Jordon Ross, even Armani Winfield who gained a bit of a confidence boost from a clutch touchdown catch in the win over UTEP.
Â
The reps add up, as they did on the other side of the ball. What the players liked was the return to some foundational tasks.
Â
To tight end Vince Brown II, it was the direction of hand placement. Cornerback Dom Jones noted eye discipline, but he really appreciated the detailed work defensively.
Â
"I feel like it's always important to know what the installs are, especially the base rules of the defense," he said. "Base fundamentals, I feel like especially on defense, it's key that we keep it simple for us just to play fast."
Â
The back half of the week found the coaching staff on the road looking for future players, with Norvell saying the announcement the program would be joining the Pac 12 in a few years has already started to open some new doors.
Â
"We spent a lot of time in California this past week. There's a great response from the kids there and the coaches that we're moving into the Pac 12," he said. "This is obviously a future opponent, and they have a very good program. This is kind of eyes of the future here. This is what our conference season is going to look like in a couple of years."
Â
Gaining Depth
Â
The bye week was also a chance for some players to return back to health. Defensive ends DeAndre Gill Jr., and Nuer Gatkuoth haven't played yet this season, and Norvell is hopeful both could return. Same goes for safety Jack Howell, who left the game early against UTEP, and Horton, who missed the past game and hasn't really been full strength since the start of the Northern Colorado game.
Â
"I think both Tory and Jack are going to be available to play this weekend," Norvell said. "They both practiced some (Monday); hopefully, they'll continue to make good progress. I'm also hopeful that Nuer Gatkuoth will continue to make progress; he was on the field and got some snap today for the first time in about a month. Even DeAndre Gill Jr., I'm hopeful that he'll be back.
Â
"I'm excited about those guys coming back. We're anxious to get Tory back and really anxious to get Jack back."
Â
With the two ends out so far, the three-person rotation of Mukendi Wa-Kalonji, Gabe Kirschke and Kenyon Agers have all gained valuable reps. Kirschke leads the team with 2.0 sacks and is tied for Agurs in tackles for loss, both with 3.5.
Â
Seeing them back on the field also picks up morale in the locker room, as everyone inside the building has been in the same situation at one point.
Â
"It's good, because no one likes to be hurt and no likes to see our teammates hurt," tight end Vince Brown II said. "You see them … I don't want to say down, but not their usual selves because they're off the field and not on the field playing with us. Seeing them back in pads, it's a better feeling for everybody."
Â
Here and There
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This will be the third meeting between the programs with CSU winning both previous games. The first was in Corvallis 49 years ago; the second was historic, as it was the first game played in Canvas Stadium in 2017, a 58-27 win for CSU. … After three consecutive home games. the Rams will spend the rest of the schedule alternating between road and home games. … Oregon State is also coming off a bye week.  … The Rams are 6-4 in the past 10 games coming off a bye.
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Players Mentioned
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