[jwplayer TtpJIvlc-sNi3MVSU]
Colorado State Football: Fall Camp Questions
The Rams have started Fall Camp. Changes were made in the offseason and now we see how the team responds.
Contact/Follow @J0shFr3d & @MWCwire
What needs to be answered by this Rams team?
The Colorado State Rams opened their first fall camp, this past Thursday, with new head coach Jay Norvell in charge. The team got off to a good start in the coaches eyes, but there are still questions that remain about what this CSU team can accomplish this year.
Can the newcomers step up?
With any new coach coming in, roster turnover is expected. And Jay Norvell knows that. He had 74 players leave Nevada from the time he got hired in 2017 to the start of his second season in 2018. Now Norvell must do it all over again.
Coming into the 2022 season, CSU has 59 newcomers to the roster. A few of those newcomers followed Norvell from Nevada, some of the recruits originally committed to Nevada this season flipped their committment with the coaching change, and some other transfers were brought in to fill some of the remaining holes.
With the large number of newcomers, it now becomes a question of chemistry. A team needs chemistry to function at it’s fullest and that takes time to accomplish. If the Rams are to be a better team this year, the newcomers will play a large part.
Can the veterans adjust?
The other side of the coin with a new coach comes from those who remain from the previous regime, or in CSU’s case the two previous regime’s. The Rams roster contains some veterans who are now on their third head coach during their collegiate tenure.
How they respond to that change is going to play a big part of the Rams success this year. And based on how Clay Millen talks about the summer player led practices, it won’t be a huge issue to overcome for the Rams.
https://twitter.com/Kevin_Lytle/status/1555662709877882880
That third coaching change may also be a benefit for some. They know how to adjust to a new coaching style and that can allow some to get up to speed fast with how a coach wants their team run. Whether this is the case for the Rams remains to be seen.
Who takes that next step and becomes a leader?
Colorado State has not really had a team leader in a number of years. Someone who can command the respect of the whole team and doesn’t stray too far north and south when it comes to their composure. The new coaching change is a chance for one or multiple players to grab that role.
https://twitter.com/CSUFootball/status/1555904495971733505
Newcomers and veterans alike need to step up and challenge everyone. Whether that be a veteran like Dante Wright on offense or a newcomer ($) like Ayden Hector on defense. Someone needs to take the reigns and lead this team onto that next level.
Will Colorado State take that next step?
This is not really a question that can be answered from one fall camp. And needs to be answered throughout the year and into future years. The Rams have always been near the top in athletic spending and facilities, but haven’t been able to get over the hump especially in football.
Their seems to be an air of confidence around the program that hasn’t existed in a long time. The hire of Jay Norvell, of which some consider Athletic Director Joe Parker‘s true first hire, has brought a breath of fresh air to the program that desparately needs it.
It remains to be seen if the CSU program as a whole can live up to the anticipation, but the indications are all there that the program has found that guy who can lead this program over the hump.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1369 tag=16543686]