This week is all about pride. The CSU football program is at its lowest point in a very long time and even a win against Wyoming isn’t enough to salvage this season. Ravaged by injuries and really bad coaching, the Rams are on the verge of a third consecutive 3-9 season. Guess who else was 3-9 last season? That’s right, Wyoming was and one of those wins was a decisive victory in last year’s Border War. This year they are 7-4. So what’s the difference?
Gotta break out the Pokey helmet
Wyoming’s freshman QB Brett Smith is a big part of the Cowboys resurgence. Smith is an all-purpose threat, ranking second in the Mountain West in total offense at 259.9 per game. Of his 2,859 total yards, 555 of them are rushing. Last year at this time, Smith was a high school senior in Salem, Oregon, so we have another 3 years of dealing with this guy.
Some other factors the Rams could take note of is the fact that Wyoming protects the ball and doesn’t turn it over. In fact they are 3rd nationally behind only LSU and Oklahoma State in turnover margin and haven’t coughed up the ball more than twice in any game this year. If you want to couple that fact with CSU’s porous defense and it could make for another long day.
There is a silver lining here folks. Chris Nwoke is tearing it up after Fairchild stopped playing Ray Carter and started the best RB. (On a side note, what happened to Derek Good?) Nwoke has over 800 yards in the last 5 games and the Cowboys D is 114th against the run. Do the math.
The Rams need to generate a pass rush and stop the run, but we all know that. We’ve been writing basically the same thing before each game and the Rams continue to play flat and uninspired. We all know a change should be made and see if Paul Kowalczyk has the stones to pull the trigger, admit his mistake and fire Fairchild.
On a lighter note, this Saturday is also Senior Day and Ramifications would like to wish the best of luck to departing seniors like, Ivory Herd, Jake Gdowski, Paul Madsen and Nuku Latu amongst others.
Ramifications would like to celebrate the great year CSU running back Chris Nwoke is having. One bright spot of this year has been the overwhelming success at running over fools and breaking away from sloths to score and rack up some major yards. Chris has got more of a straight forward, one cut and crush it down field kind of style that is always a recipe for elite running backs, and NFL prospects. We hardly ever see him take a loss of yards and he wants the win just as much as the next guy. Clearly a leader for this young football team. We also believe Chris has the potential swagger this Ram club is lacking. Bring back the swag! Let me throw some stats at you.
If you are a Ram fan and are not completely enraged at the lack of effort in yesterday's game, then you are seriously delusional. That defensive effort was awful. I don't know what it takes to get these boys to play four quarters but what ever Larry Kerr, and especially Steve Fairchild are saying, it's definitely not pumping anyone up. Our secondary is completely dysfunctional, our tackling skills are pop warner at best, and our overall body language lacks any energy. It's getting so hard to cheer for a team that doesn't have the right leadership to put the program back on the map. Or any kind of map for that matter.
Some promising spots we saw yesterday was Nwoke continuing his success in the back field running for 269 yards and two touchdowns. Garrett Grayson is still looking strong at quarterback. He had a couple mistakes but we will give him the benefit of the doubt for being a freshman. And that pretty much sums it up.
Now for some gaping holes. 1. I really think this program likes to receive participation ribbons! 2. Where's the improvement? 3. No fan support and losing fan base quickly. That stadium was empty. 4. No leadership. Or the leadership they have provide no encouraging direction. 5. The image of this football program is in badly need of repair.
The quick and easy fix to these issues could be replacing leadership. Will it set back the program another four years and can the school afford to do that? Some other problems CSU would face is losing even more fan support and donations will continue to go down.
Trust us, we find it completely annoying that we continue to bash the program but we have to tell it how it is. We don't want to sugar coat the real issues. We find it funny that people ignore what is really going on in these football games and only put a positive spin on what they observe. Most of the time I think a lot of these media outlets that cover Ram football don't even watch the game so they defend a box score. Please.
We read your comments and we agree with a lot of what people are saying. The program DOES need a total make over. Easier said then done.
Air Force became bowl eligible last week after delivering a
show stopping performance of the Broadway classic Rent. And by beating UNLV
45-17 before hand.
Ah, the Air Force Falcons. Normally we would start out a post
that would imply Air Force as wishbone ball hogs that will run all over the
lonely Colorado State Rams football club but with the events that have taken
place over the past two weeks, it has given us a sense of renewed hope. Not
because we don’t believe that the Falcons won’t run the ball and put up close
to two bills on our defense, (that will probably happen), but; seeing the athleticism
of one Garrett Grayson and the optimistic passing game he brings to this
struggling Rams offense; Nordly Capi in the running for the Ted Hendricks Award
which awards players for not just performance but their leadership and winning
attitude; Chris Nwoke bullying fools like an all-American running back; the
offensive line delivering stellar performances in the past few outings; our
defensive backs blanketing wide receivers; and it being the 50th time
these two bitter foes clash; we believe there’s a chance this weekend. Regardless
of the last few weeks, (cough… months) of winless outcomes, the Rams have
looked better and with the promising youth of this football team, we have a
shot against the Falcons.
Now. Having said that, we can not forget the tremendous drop
off of performance we had last year after the San Diego State
heartbreaker. We’ll see if the team can stay focused and gain some momentum going
into the off season and into next year. Trust me, if we take a humongous dump
against Wyoming,
again, at home, this Ram football leadership is gonna hear it. Not just from us
but I’m pretty sure that whole department is walking on egg shells of what may
come from prominent donors and alumni. It’s easy. Just don’t look like a bunch
of chumps on the football field. Perform like you earned a scholarship and you
want to be out there playing.
A couple of things we need to see this week:
1. Cj James and Nordly Capi con contain the edges. They
usually do a pretty good job but year in and year out, the Falcons attack the
ends.
2. Big games needed: Shaquil Barrett, James Skelton, Mike
Orakpo, please.
3. We need a huge air attack from Grayson and his arsenal of
weapons. We need to take advantage of our size. Air Force is always small so
why don’t we attack them with a little more Crockett Gillmore.
4. Keep with the dominant running attack we’ve had for the
past couple weeks. Nwoke, we’re looking at you.
That’s it. The weather shouldn’t be a factor so it SHOULD be
a Ram win.
If you can’t make it to the game and you’re sitting at
home, be sure to click in to our LIVE Game Chat page. We’re teaming up with the
Rocky Mountain Collegian to bring you live coverage and chats from both CSU
football home games AND CSU men’s basketball home games! YES, BASKETBALL! Join
in a half-hour before game time.
This blog’s favorite backup QB besides Garrett Grayson is
getting some playing time again. With Jay Cutler out due to thumb surgery,
CSU’s own Caleb Hanie with take the reins of the Chicago Bears and their
playoff hopes. The last time we saw Caleb play it was in last year’s NFC
championship when Cutler got a boo-boo on his knee. Hanie played well (except
for that B.J. Raji pick) but it wasn’t enough to overcome the eventual Super
Bowl Champ Packers.
It’s always important to play well, but Hanie has even more
of an incentive this time around. His contract is up at the end of the year, so
he’ll be treating these next few games as a job interview for all QB hungry NFL
teams. Also, Hanie’s coach Mike Martz is not his biggest fan, even lobbying the
Bears to sign and play NFL fossil Todd Collins last year before Hanie regained
the 2nd string spot.
While I’m on this subject, as soon as Cutler got hurt, the talk
shifted to whether or not the Bears should sign a veteran QB. We saw the Colts
do this with Kerry Collins and we all saw how that worked out. Sure Curtis
Painter sucks but I don’t understand the logic of training a backup QB for the
spotlight and taking it away before he can take the stage. (What do you think
M.J. McPeek?)
I think Hanie possesses a lot of the same skills as Cutler,
so they should be able to run a very similar game plan. He has a good arm and
is accurate as well as mobile. His biggest problem will be simply acclimating
to the speed of the game again which is difficult when you play once a year.
Martz’s offense requires quick decision making and we’ve seen that it took
Cutler awhile to pick it up. Luckily, the Bears offense features a rejuvinated
Matt Forte, steady receivers and a solid D.
So for the next couple of weeks (not including the Broncos
game) let’s root for Da Bears and our boy Caleb Hanie.
What wasn't expected was a Ram win. What was expected was improvement on both sides of the ball. I can honestly say having watched this Colorado State Ram performance; even though it wasn't a win and made us officially not bowl eligible this year. we actually looked decent. I know, shocker! From the very beginning Garrett Grayson looked poised and confidant in the pocket. Something we haven't seen from our quarterback all season. Observing his accuracy, arm strength and scrambling ability, he looks like a number one qb. And comparing him to the rest of the pool is like comparing Mike Seaver to Arnold Drummond. He makes great decisions especially when to pull the ball down and run with it. His vision of the field was impressive aswell. He checked down on a limited bases and fired it to receivers down field with authority. He took charge of that offense. There absolutely shouldn't be a quarterback controversy because Garrett Grayson clearly demonstrated that he should, and will be from now on, Colorado State's starting quarterback. He had flashes of Van Pelt but with a better arm!
There were a lot of factors that contributed to a Ram loss. #1. Penalties. That was completely outrageous! I can't believe the number of penalties that were committed, especially on conversion plays such as first downs and kickoffs. Stupid! Completely killed Ram momentum. #2. The lack of a run defense. Where was that defense from the San Diego State game? #3. Time of offensive possesion. Our defense looked run down and tired because they were on the field all day. We needed to convert more offensive possessions into points. #4. Clock management. What was that at the end of the first half? I feel like Grayson wanted to call a time out with 26 seconds left but Fairchild had him come to the sideline and waste 18 seconds. Awful.
Oh yeah, I did see a third and 16 draw play that went no where so, thanks for keeping the streak alive Fairchild.
Other than those factors, the Rams did not play that bad. Capi got his 9th sack of the season. Nwoke had a hell of a game running tough all day. Even our young receiving corps had some great catches. Our defense played hard stopping that potent TCU offense. Having said that, the score doesn't reflect how the game really was. It was definitely closer than 34-10 and I think the Rams matured a little this game.
Sitting now at 3-7 I can't tell you how disgusted and disappointed I am at this season. I wasn't alone at the beginning of the season when people were dreaming of lifting that piece of hand made pottery in December. I just can't believe we can't even make it to the lonely New Mexico Bowl, especially with all the cupcakes that were delivered to us. Shear disappointment.
A couple of questions for you:
Are you confortable with Garrett Grayson taking the reigns?
Where do you think the team would be record wise if we had different coach?
Should we start freshman and sophomores for the remainder of the season to increase their experience?
Be sure to nominate you player for the Gold & Pick Helmet awards for this week!
In case you didn't know, Donnell Alexander is a redshirt freshman running back for CSU. Many people are starting to learn about Donnell because his dad was Kansas City Chiefs great, Derrick Thomas. The MTN West did a nice piece about his upbringing and his journey to CSU. Ramifications wanted to find out a bit more about Donnell, potential future CSU star, so we phoned in for a rapid fire session of 20 questions with Donnell.
If you could play another position besides RB, what would it be?
D.A. "Probably Safety because I like to hit and you know I could still get the ball in my hands and be able to make a play"
If you had to choose professional basketballer, baseballer, hockey enforcer or one time Olympian, which would you choose?
D.A. "Basketball, definitely"
Broncos or Chiefs?
D.A. "Chiefs"
Who would you rather block, M. Sisson or S. Barrett?
D.A. "I'd probably take Sisson"
Define yourself, are you a slasher or a pounder at RB?
D.A. "I mean... I like to slash and get to the open field"
If you could go back into highschool, which year would relive?
D.A. "My senior year, definitely"
In a fight, which CSU player would you least want to fight? Sisson or Nwoke?
D.A. "I definitely wouldn't care who I fought but... I don't know how to answer that... I don't care, I'll fight anyone of em"
Do you eat Buffalo?
D.A. "Nah, I've never eaten buffalo"
Who's the best linebacker of this group? Lawerence Taylor, Derrick Thomas, or Mike Singletary.
D.A. "I'm going to have to go with my pops" Ramifications "I figured you would"
Which scheme do you prefer, zone blocking or designed runs?
D.A. "... ummm , Zone"
If CSU ran the wildcat or a running back option, can you throw the ball? How far?
D.A. "I can throw the ball, I tried to tell em that I can but they haven't let me show them yet" "I can probably at least get it a good 60"
So can you hit the deep out to the far side of the field?
D.A. "I don't know about all that" (laughing)
Best food on Campus or anywhere in town is where?
D.A. "I like the Red Lobster I went to"
What's your major?
D.A. "Health and Exercise Science"
If you could get an A in any class without showing up, what would it be?
D.A. "I wish that could happen right now, but probably history class"
Would you rather go to a bowl game or run for 1500 yards?
D.A. "A bowl game"
Halfback sweep or Halfback dive?
D.A. "I'll take the dive"
Date a girl once or date her for a season?
D.A. "Probably once"
Who would rather have mad at you Coach Fairchild or your Mom?
D.A. "I don't know... my Mom's is pretty difficult to get along with if she's mad .... I'd go with my Mom, ... I don't want to upset the head coach"
Do you or have you ever slept with a football? D.A. "I used to have a stuffed pillow football, when I was younger... so I guess the answer is yes"
Donnell Alexander's doesn't just have one tattoo, or five for that matter. He has so many that if you were to count them all, you would know more about Donnell than maybe you should feel comfortable with. He has the type of presence that would cause you to hand over your wallet before you would hand him a drink, if you happened to see him on a Thursday night down at the Wash Bar. This video on Donnell Alexander shows how first impressions are very misleading, and how things aren't always as they seem. Donnell Alexander is the son of Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Thomas, whose legendary career was cut short by a car accident on a snowy February morning in 2000. Being the son of a hall of famer, one would also think that Donnell had very few obstacles to overcome to get where he is today, but again you would be wrong. Donnell didn't see any of Derrick Thomas's cash flow, and had to live meagerly under his mother's roof. This is also where you see Donnell's true character. While most men would vent with piss and vinegar their distaste for their negligent father, Donnell holds no grudges and has no hate in his heart for his famous dad. Donnell's father figure did pass away, but it wasn't Derrick Thomas. Donnell didn't have any kind of relationship with Derrick Thomas. Donnell's grandfather, Jack Williams was the death that really impacted Donnell. Donnell is a Freshman running back for the Rams, and is someone to be excited about. He started to receive attention from bigger programs, but felt that CSU was there from the beginning and didn't give up on him, so he didn't want to give up on Colorado State and committed. This is a great story, and you can't but help root for a kid like this. I wish more players had Donnell's work ethic and loyalty. We might actually have a few more W's under our belt. If there ever was such a thing as college football romance this is it. CSU is the frumpy high school sweetheart that you have the history with, and get comfortable. Donnell is the big man on campus who realizes that after many flings with all the hotties at Gamma Phi Beta, CSU is where his heart belongs. They celebrate at the Wash Bar. Coincidently it's Thursday night. My Ft. Collins romance post is done. Check out the real and accurate story here:
In a desperate attempt at salvaging a season ravaged by injuries, game miscues and just shear disappointment, Steve Fairchild signs quarterback/defensive back Paul James Kersey, a Juco transfer from ITT Tech, to save a Grayson redshirt. Kersey, who is currently majoring in economics, lead the Beavers with 2,134 yards, 16 touchdowns, 2 picks and an 11-1 record last year only to fall in the Western Regional playoffs. He also lead the Tech's defensive backs in tackles. Unfortunately he lead the entire league in causing season ending injuries to opponents, a stat Kerr says he doesn't mind at. "The kid plays hard." In a print out, Kersey explained how excited he was to be here and that he had an *** insufficient data error*** followed by a couple beeps and something sounding like an old dial up modem.
Having asked Fairchild about this monumental pick up, he explained, "Obviously he's a robot. Obviously he needs oil. He's got a lot of potential and he's going to be special. You don't find two way players like this too often. When Paul sent me over that fax that I had to take to an engineer to decode all the zeroes and ones to see if he actually signed the letter of intent, that was a great feeling. He's going to match well with the Titanium Nightmare."
When asked about his arm strength Fairchild answered "Obviously he's made out of some kind of metal. Could be mica, but probably pyrite. He's got a special arm and the accuracy to go with it. I'm not going to tell you how he's so accurate, I don't want to give away his secrets but the antenna on top has something to do with it."
When asked if Paul will be active for the TCU game, "Obviously! We need all the help we can get. The one thing that worries me is the weather. If it's raining, we're screwed." Fairchild later explained Kersey runs on solar power.
Paul Kersey crushing the opposition
We asked Kersey if he was worried about a power failure during the game he printed out a message "I lasted four years on Mars jack-ass and if you ask me another stupid question, I'll tear your arms off and use them as boxing gloves to beat your ass with. Now point me to some rocks."
With an attitude like that, I'm excited to have him a part of this Rams team.
In what may have been the windiest game in the CSU football history the Rams came up just short against the SDSU Aztecs. Montezuma rose again and the Aztecs dominated the game on the ground rushing for 173 yards against the CSU defense. The most glaring of all the stats besides the score, time of possession. 40:36 for the Aztecs and only 19:24 for the Rams. What's particularly bizarre about the stat line is that CSU outrushed SDSU because Chris Nwoke busted off several big plays. My interpretation of the loss... We just didn't have the ball long enough to get points. Two costly turnovers killed drives and gave momentum back to the Aztecs. Both Aztec RB's Ronnie Hillman and Walter Kazee got hurt and the Aztecs were forced to throw in the third string RB Adam Muema. I don't where they get these RB's but maybe they should think about recruiting a wide receiver from the same place because their WR core sucks. They can't catch anything. It puts Ryan Lindley's career numbers into perspective when you think about how bad the players are around him. Lindley became the SDSU and the Mountain West career leader for yards in yesterday's hurricane. Despite the loss this is the best I have seen CSU play in several weeks and gives me hope of picking up wins against future opponents Air Force and Wyoming. I'm not crazy enough to buy into TCU being an upset.
Sophomore Chris Nwoke has finally established himself as the number one running back. Raymond Carter didn't get a carry on Saturday while Nwoke showed, as we all knew he would, that he can handle 20+ carries a game. If Chris Nwoke was running at me, two things would happen. One, I'd curl up into the fetal position and two I'd scream hysterically until I saw him go by, put his head down and crush somebody else. Nwoke is a punishing runner who finishes the run by delivering the hit to the defender. Not since Cecil Sapp have I seen a Ram back willing to sacrifice his body like he does. His style of running is what makes cornerbacks become 'cover corners'. He hit several Aztecs yesterday with such ferociousness that I actually think several Aztec DB's were starting to fear making the tackle. He must have broken twenty tackles yesterday onto his career high mark of 232 yards. And dare I say he's the complete package with breakaway speed and thunderous power. Well I'm saying it. I don't expect Carter to get many more carries this season after the performance by Nwoke.
I don't think it's fair to criticize the quarterback play of any of the QBs who stepped onto the field yesterday. The wind was raging with gusts hitting the 80 mph range and receivers on both sides dropped passes, although SDSU has a history of drops and couldn't seem to catch anything. Pete Thomas left the game with what was a reported sprained knee and was ultimately replace by redshirt Freshman Garret Grayson. It was a tough situation for any QB to be thrown into and Grayson seemed to handle D1 football fairly well. The interception wasn't his fault although his costly fumble was a quick lesson on ball security. There was a 3 and 7 play early in the game which I think deserves some attention. Pete Thomas threw a great ball down the left sideline to Thomas Coffman. Coffman had put a double move on the DB and made the catch which was ruled out of bounds. The play wasn't challenged. Having the luxury of having the game on DVR, I watched the play in slow motion and there is no doubt that Coffman makes the catch and gets one foot down in bounds before quickly getting the other down out of bounds. That, my friends was a catch. Maybe this play is a metaphor for the season, the 'should have been'.
I also found the decision by Fairchild to put in Garrett Grayson a bit puzzling. Fairchild was so committed to Pete Thomas all year, even through some horrific periods of play, and his stance on the matter of sticking in Grayson was always to preserve his redshirt year. I'm not saying I don't agree with his decision to stick Grayson in the game but the thought process of the coach is strange. It makes me wonder two things. How serioius is Pete Thomas's injury (and Ramifications hopes it isn't) and has Fairchild abandoned the Pete Thomas plan and was this his way out? He could have gone with Junior QB MJ McPeek which would have been the expected choice. My assumption, Fairchild knows his job is on the line and he has nothing to lose so he may as well throw caution to the wind, or in this case Grayson and see what happens.
This is the first game in four weeks where there is really something to build on. I don't know why it took so long for Nwoke to become the #1, but it happened. Grayson is in the conversation now so it can't be avoided anymore. Shaq Barrett has established himself as a force in the Mountain West. It's going to awesome with Shaq Barrett, Mychal Sisson, Nordly Capi and CJ James all on the field next week. That is if Capi can stay out of trouble. He didn't start the game for disciplinary reasons.
I'm hoping that next week TCU has a bit of a let down after their monster win vs Boise and maybe with a new look Rams team we can put up a competitive fight. After all, maybe I'm a little crazy.
Thank you Star Wars kid for protecting our stadium from any foreign a-wipes. May the force be with you.
When Aztecs Killing Him blog page came to us and asked us to answer some questions for their blog, we thought this could be a blog battle for the ages. After checking out their site, reading their material realizing it's a Xerox of Ramifications but with Aztecs instead of Rams, and exchanging an email or two with their admin, we sent them some questions of our own to answer. We teamed together for this once in a lifetime quest for blogger dominants.
After reading how they answered our questions below, be sure to click over to the Aztecs Killing Him page to see how we answered their questions. They also have some great reads about some sucky Aztec play.
RAM: First, predict a final outcome of this pivotal
Mountain West battle.
AKH: Aztecs win 33-20. You guys lead 20-17 heading into the half. The defense
doesn't usually pick things up until halftime, when Rocky points to a
blackboard with the words "STOP PLAYING LIKE DICKS" written on it.
RAM: Honestly, when you see CSU on the schedule, what does SDSU think? AKH: Before this season I looked at this game as a tossup and the Wyoming game as an easy win. Shows what I
know. Generally, Aztecs fans haven't experienced enough winning yet to get
totally arrogant about it. Give us another year or two of being semi-good, and
we'll be all "Rams, pshhh. Do they even play football?"
RAM: Would you take a Colorado
winter in exchange for a BCS game? AKH: Yes. Though you'll probably rescind the offer once you find out that I now live
in the Upper Midwest.
RAM: Who’s going to stop C.J. James and Nordly Capi from making Ryan Lindley cry? AKH: Well, our line has been decent and Ryan gets the ball out quick. Usually too
quick, actually. Plus he will already be crying about all the dropped passes.
RAM: Crockett Gilmore is a 6’6” beast of a tight end. Do you have anyone on your
defense that won’t just try to tickle fight him but actually cover this 245
pound sophomore? AKH: Our defense sees big, physical tight ends every day in practice, so I don't
think they'll be be too intimidated. Rocky's defense has two main attributes:
Hard hitting and horrendous breakdowns where they get gashed for big plays.
Expect Gillmore to experience both on Saturday.
RAM: Where do have the Aztecs ending up this year? Bowl game or Chuck -E-Cheese
pizza party with trophy/ribbon handout? AKH: Poinsettia Bowl against Nevada.
So, to answer your question, yes. We may still have an outside chance at
the Las Vegas Bowl, so long as we go 8-4, Boise
makes the BCS and TCU decides it really wants to go to Shreveport for some reason. That's still the
dream.
RAM: What are your impressions of CSU QB Pete Thomas? Blue chipper ready to break
out or giant stone statue with a noodle/baby arm? AKH: He really looked impressive in your near-miss at Qualcomm last year, so I still
say he has potential. Then again, I also watched him hang a whopping 14 points
against Locksley's Lobos, so that certainly gives me pause.
RAM: Do you think the Aztecs have the man power/defensive scheme to stop our
inevitable and sometimes effective screen passes, especially on third and long? AKH: Call a few before halftime, and you'll get at least one long touchdown out of
it. Our defense can't get off the field to save its life in the first two
quarters of games. God knows why.
RAM: Who would win in a fight?Rams O-lineman Weston Richburg or Aztec D-lineman
Jerome Long?
AKH: I heard the name Weston Richburg, and I pictured a squash
player at an elite East Coast prep school. Then I saw this:
I'll take Weston. For some reason, I always pick the guy who can't seem to open
his eyes all the way.
RAM: What has been the biggest surprise this year for the Aztecs? AKH: The fact that nobody has stepped up at receiver. We knew we'd be thin in that
department, but all the drops and poorly-run routes have been startling. Colin
Lockett has great big play potential, but his drops have been the most
egregious. Dylan Denso only seems to show up half the time. They're starting to
mix in Osmond Nicholas more and more, so watch for him.
RAM: Why was it so important for Moctezuma I to conquer towns which were previously
conquered by former ruler Itzcoatl back between 1440-1469? Was is a quest for
dominants over the Aztec people or the demand for more resources? AKH: I'm no scholar on Mesoamerica, but it probably
had something to do with BCS conference realignment and the pervasive influence
of ESPN.
RAM: With Boise, TCU, Air Force, Utah and BYU all gone from the Mountain West, would
it be better for SDSU to quit football, stay in the sad looking MW-CUSA, or
join the WAC?
AKH: Is the Big East out of the question? If our AQ invite ends
up getting lost in the mail (60/40 it ends up that way), I'd be happy with the
MWC adding SJSU (to make us happy) and USU (to make you happy) and calling it a
day until the next round of backstabbing begins. Hell no to the WAC. No way do
I want the Aztecs to ever be in a league where they travel to the freaking
Kibbie Dome.
RAM: You're an SDSU scholarship athlete and you just got your
$2000.00 stipend. Beach Party or Food for the semester?
AKH: I'd take it to Tijuana
and pay for both.
RAM: Would you rather have your arm caught in a rusty old furnace, or, under a
bolder in the middle of a desert? Either way you have to cut your arm off. (ref. Pete Thomas' Podcast)
AKH: Hmm, probably the furnace. Presumably, once I cut it
off, I'd be able to go upstairs and call for medical attention. Plus, the
desert has coyotes and gila monsters and such. Either way, it sounds less
painful than the Chuck Long era.
Thanks to Aztecs Killing Him and their team. I think we've made this one to remember.
This weekend San Diego State will try to expand and conquer our stadium by building a crappy temple on our field. I would have to say it could possibly happen. At one point, I seriously considered the San Diego State Aztecs a sister
program to our up and coming Colorado State Rams football program. Now,
it looks like the Rams are the kid teams like to hold down and give
Chinese water tortures to. Having said that, I've got a feeling our boys learned their lesson from the last time we had a bye. On paper, this game is pretty interesting. The Aztecs rank 39th in nation for points against but have an awful rush defense. This leaves it wide open for Nwoke to have a career day. On the flip side, our rush defense isn't anything write home about. Stopping Ronnie Hillman will be a tough task for our young Ram defense and will be a true test this late in the season.
Ryan Lindley
Offensively both team's average around 210 yards a game but having seen every CSU game this season, I would give the upper hand to the Aztecs. It's not just because the glaring difference in stats between the two teams, it's because the Aztecs are an older, more experienced football team. Plus Ryan Lindley still looks like a crazy goon. Good greef do they take new pictures every year? Obviously not because I think we ripped it last year too. Moving on. Colin Lockett is another weapon San Diego State has that could burn our secondary. He's got an average of 18 yards per catch and 4 dudges on the year. (For all you new readers dudges are touchdowns. I don't know why... it just is.) Oh yeah, he can also return kicks.
Defensively Miles Burris and Jerome Long lead the team in sacks 5 a piece. Will our o-line give Pete the time he needs to dump that bubble screen? Another scary character is Larry Parker. 5 picks and 3 forced fumbles? That's not good for business.
Quick prediction
Pete Kontodiakos will continue his quest to win the Ray Guy Award by sticking some punts inside the 5. Don't mess it up. We need that participation ribbon.
Meanwhile in Mexico. These bee-boppin Aztec ancestors find better things to do with their boots. What the...????
It's easy. There is absolutely no pressure now. I just want a win. I'm predicting a high scoring affair between these two teams. It would be great to see Pete Thomas redeem himself from last year's home coming loss in San Diego but it will be tough. I know we've been screaming to air it out but we will have to start connecting on those bombs if we want to get anywhere in this match up. And, please, cool your jets on the screens. Let's get it together boys.
I know this guy is expensive, a genius and a total
a-hole, but he brings with him a spread offense that made names out
of Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree, and Kliff Kingsbury. You may not have
known he also coached Tim Coach of Kentucky,
a No 1 NFL pick. Plus, for a CSU team desperate for some discipline,
this guy will lock you in a closet for not practicing. Leach was 84-43 at
Texas Tech with 10 consecutive winning seasons. I'd just like one winning
season. Why he'd take the job: He's got something to prove and could make a Boise out of CSU Why he wouldn't take the job: He grew up a BYU fan, and has coached
mainly in BCS AQ Conferences.
Jim Tressel, former Head Coach at Ohio State
This guy single handedly made the sweater vest look cool.
Sure, he’s fairly crooked, but has a record that includes a National
Championship and BCS Bowl wins. Right now he’s a video assistant with the
Colts, but it won’t be long before someone gives him a chance.
Why he'd take the job: He's a long term guy and has
stuck in coaching positions for lengthy amounts of time even when other
opportunities arose. CSU might be a good finish line for him. Why he wouldn't take the job: He probably end up coaching in the NFL
where he doesn't have to follow NCAA guidelines.
Gary Kubiak, Head coach of Houston Texans
Kubiak spent a long time in Denver as Elway’s backup and as a coach with
the Broncos. He’s now head coach of CSU South, where he loves him some Rams.
Names like Jesse Nading, David Anderson, Mike Brisiel, Cecil Sapp and Joel
Dreessen have all played for Kubes and two sons, Klay and Klint, played for
CSU. Let’s hope the Texans nosedive and Kubiak is shown the door.
Why he'd take the job: He likes Colorado, likes CSU and would be a local
hero
Why he wouldn't take the job: He won't get fired, the
Texans will make the playoffs because they're in a division with Indy, Jacksonville and Tennessee.
We get that the season's not over. We get our boys are on a much needed break this week. We get we're still bowl eligible (for two more weeks). But, it wouldn't hurt to look into possible leadership for Colorado State football. Here are just a couple of possible candidates.
Major Applewhite – Co-Offensive Coordinator – University of Texas
The
former Texas QB ('98 – '01) has put together an impressive resume beneath the
tutelage of some of the greatest minds in college football. Applewhite has
worked with Nick Saban, Todd Graham and now Mack Brown in stops at Alabama, Rice and now Texas.
At just
33-years old; Applewhite is just what CSU needs to right the ship. Having
played college QB; Applewhite understands both the tangible and intangibles
that players need to be successful on the field. His strong ties to Texas will certainly
benefit him on the recruiting trail; and he is still young enough to relate to
players in the living room. His up-tempo offensive style is more pro-style than
spread offense and while running the ball is most important, Applewhite is not
afraid to air it out.
At each
of his stops during his 9-year coaching career; the offenses he has directed
have shown marked improvement. While at Alabama,
he improved their offensive output by nearly 40 yards per game (335.9 to 373.8)
and increased its scoring from 22.9 points per game to 27.1. Prior to Alabama, Applewhite
spent a season as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Rice where, as
the youngest coordinator in NCAA Division I, he directed an offense that scored
the most points (350) and gained the third-most yards (4,486) in Owls' history.
Under his guidance, Rice produced a 1,000-yard rusher, a 1,000-yard receiver
and a 1,000-yard passer for the first time in school history en route to the
program's first appearance in a bowl game since 1961. The 2006 Rice offense
produced a 109-point improvement in scoring over the previous season.
Applewhite
is a proven offensive mind and will bring the youth and enthusiasm to a program
that has become stale, old and stodgy during the last decade.
Paul Petrino – Offensive Coordinator – University of Illinois
Bobby's
little brother is all grown up and is now directing one of the most explosive
offenses in college football. Since joining Illinois on the heels of a 3-9
season (sound familiar anyone?) in 2009; Petrino has directed an offensive
turnaround that saw Illinois ranked 16th in the country through Week 6 of this
season before the start of a three-game losing streak (vs. Ohio State, Purdue
& Penn State).
Petrino
is a pass first, pass second and pass third type of offensive guy; but will
still run the ball down your throat once he has the defense back on its heels. He
guided an Illini offense that broke school records for total points (423) and
points per game (32.5) in 2010 and featured running back Mikel Leshoure, who
broke the single-season school rushing record with 1,697 yards. Illinois averaged 42.1
points and 448.9 total yards over the last seven games of the season
While
coaching at Louisville, His teams averaged 41.1
points per game from 2003-06; and his 2009 team at Arkansas averaged 37 points per game. Petrino
is a young up and coming coach, just 44 years old with a 19-year coaching
career; his style would mesh well in the MWC against offensive juggernaut Boise State,
would give defensive coordinators heartburn and breathe some live back into a
indifferent fan base.
I guess it comes down to the question of who looks better in green and gold.
Ramifications is an independent publication and is not affiliated with, or endorsed by the Colorado State Athletic Department or Colorado State University.
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