Colorado State University Athletics
Offense Out to Reestablish Identity
9/4/2024 2:00:00 PM | Football
One game hasn’t changed confidence level
Nope, not what they thought.
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The offense felt it could make plays, thought coach Jay Norvell felt his Rams needed a plan which kept them on the field and Texas' playmakers on the sidelines. It just didn't go according to plan.
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"We felt like we had to play a certain way to manage the game and to eat up clock and to keep their home-run hitters off the field," Norvell said. "It's a very uncomfortable way for us to play, but I felt like we needed to do that to give ourselves an opportunity."
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The Texas offense proved his point, scoring on seven consecutive possessions to pull away. Even still, he and the Rams' offense came away with their confidence intact, maybe even a little more.
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Hard to believe with an offense which only gained 195 yards, but the brunt of it came courtesy a running game the team spent all camp working to improve.
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Justin Marshall had 106 yards on 25 carries, the young back showing no fear going up against a quality defense and doing so behind an offensive line introducing two new parts.
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"I think we have a lot we can pull from that game, and that's one of them, Justin being able to run the football. Our offensive line did a lot of good things against a really good defense," Norvell said. "We have to build on that. As we go, we're trying to build a more physical team, we're trying to build a more rugged team that can hold up over a conference season and be able to run the ball when we have to run the ball. I think we made strides with that Saturday. The final score doesn't look pretty, but we did some good things running the football."
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Alex Foster and Aaron Karas made their first starts up front, and not only did they give Marshall lanes to hit, they didn't allow a sack. Drew Moss was encouraged overall. No, the effort wasn't perfect, but it was a perfectly good starting point.
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A sweltering day, a noisy crowd and it won't be the last. The senior guard felt that was a perfect way to start to behind a cohesiveness which will pay off down the line.
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"We definitely did some things we wanted to do, but there were times we weren't firing on all cylinders like you have to against a team like Texas," Moss said. "We want to prove that against Northern Colorado, to work as a group and get stuff done."
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The downside was there were no explosive plays at all, and the longest pass went for just 12 yards, produced by tight end Vince Brown II. His take was the Rams got behind schedule early in the game, and once that happens against a team like No. 3 Texas, it's extremely hard to get back on track.
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This Saturday is a different team, a different game and he expects to get back to the offense they expect to be, one which pushes the envelope in the passing game and is aggressive by nature.
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None of them are happy about what happened. Nor are they discouraged by one outing.
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This is a group which still features Tory Horton on the outside, a receiver with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw for more than 3,400 yards a year ago. Those performers are still in play.
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"If you look around, we have so many ball players, people who can make plays from receivers to tight ends, even the O-line. Those guys make plays so we can shine for them," Brown II said. "I think we have a bright future. One game is not going to decide our future. We have a long road ahead of us, so one game is not going to deter us."
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They feel one more game can get them back on track, the overriding feeling it needs to be the one at Canvas Stadium this Saturday.
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Just be themselves. Perform up to their standards. Easy enough in their eyes.
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"I say we go out there and execute, every man," Moss said. "That's really all we have to do. Nothing different. Just execute. We've got to move forward after wins, losses, everything. Next guy, that's all there is to it."
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An identity Colorado State expects to reestablish.
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The offense felt it could make plays, thought coach Jay Norvell felt his Rams needed a plan which kept them on the field and Texas' playmakers on the sidelines. It just didn't go according to plan.
Â
"We felt like we had to play a certain way to manage the game and to eat up clock and to keep their home-run hitters off the field," Norvell said. "It's a very uncomfortable way for us to play, but I felt like we needed to do that to give ourselves an opportunity."
Â
The Texas offense proved his point, scoring on seven consecutive possessions to pull away. Even still, he and the Rams' offense came away with their confidence intact, maybe even a little more.
Â
Hard to believe with an offense which only gained 195 yards, but the brunt of it came courtesy a running game the team spent all camp working to improve.
Â
Justin Marshall had 106 yards on 25 carries, the young back showing no fear going up against a quality defense and doing so behind an offensive line introducing two new parts.
Â
"I think we have a lot we can pull from that game, and that's one of them, Justin being able to run the football. Our offensive line did a lot of good things against a really good defense," Norvell said. "We have to build on that. As we go, we're trying to build a more physical team, we're trying to build a more rugged team that can hold up over a conference season and be able to run the ball when we have to run the ball. I think we made strides with that Saturday. The final score doesn't look pretty, but we did some good things running the football."
Â
Alex Foster and Aaron Karas made their first starts up front, and not only did they give Marshall lanes to hit, they didn't allow a sack. Drew Moss was encouraged overall. No, the effort wasn't perfect, but it was a perfectly good starting point.
Â
A sweltering day, a noisy crowd and it won't be the last. The senior guard felt that was a perfect way to start to behind a cohesiveness which will pay off down the line.
Â
"We definitely did some things we wanted to do, but there were times we weren't firing on all cylinders like you have to against a team like Texas," Moss said. "We want to prove that against Northern Colorado, to work as a group and get stuff done."
Â
The downside was there were no explosive plays at all, and the longest pass went for just 12 yards, produced by tight end Vince Brown II. His take was the Rams got behind schedule early in the game, and once that happens against a team like No. 3 Texas, it's extremely hard to get back on track.
Â
This Saturday is a different team, a different game and he expects to get back to the offense they expect to be, one which pushes the envelope in the passing game and is aggressive by nature.
Â
None of them are happy about what happened. Nor are they discouraged by one outing.
Â
This is a group which still features Tory Horton on the outside, a receiver with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi threw for more than 3,400 yards a year ago. Those performers are still in play.
Â
"If you look around, we have so many ball players, people who can make plays from receivers to tight ends, even the O-line. Those guys make plays so we can shine for them," Brown II said. "I think we have a bright future. One game is not going to decide our future. We have a long road ahead of us, so one game is not going to deter us."
Â
They feel one more game can get them back on track, the overriding feeling it needs to be the one at Canvas Stadium this Saturday.
Â
Just be themselves. Perform up to their standards. Easy enough in their eyes.
Â
"I say we go out there and execute, every man," Moss said. "That's really all we have to do. Nothing different. Just execute. We've got to move forward after wins, losses, everything. Next guy, that's all there is to it."
Â
An identity Colorado State expects to reestablish.
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Players Mentioned
TE
/ Football
OL
/ Football
QB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
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