It’s not easy on players of any sport when a team completely changes its style. Nebraska football’s move to the West Coast offense looks like it hasn’t reached Scottsbluff, for example.
Colorado State basketball coach Dale Layer knows it will take time for the Rams to become proficient in its new up-tempo system. During the past four years, CSU ran the WUMNGDTC offense – Wait Until Matt Nelson Gets Down the Court.
This season, without the 7-foot-1 Nelson, Layer wants his team to run. By nature, most basketball players prefer a faster pace. But adjusting to a change requires more than a flip of a switch. Players must learn when and where to go.
Coaches are still trying to figure out player combinations.
“We’re going to be rough at times,” Layer said.
In its season opener Friday night, CSU shot just 27.8 percent from the field in the first half of a 70-57 victory at Northern Colorado. The Rams finally looked more comfortable in the second half, connecting on 59.3 percent.
A tougher test awaits the Rams tonight when Colorado (1-0) comes to Fort Collins for an 8 p.m. game, on Fox Sports Net. CU rode 20 points from forward Chris Copeland to a 73-54 victory over North Carolina-Wilmington on Friday in Boulder.
“We have to play a lot better (against CU),” Layer said. “But we’ve got some things we can build on.”
Not only is CSU’s system new, so are many of the players. Against the Bears, the Rams started two freshmen (guards Stephan Gilling and Ryan Brown) and two junior-college transfers (point guard Cory Lewis and forward Michael Harrison). They joined 7-foot sophomore forward Jason Smith, who recorded a career-best 26 points, along with nine rebounds and seven blocked shots.
“We’re a different team from last year,” Layer said. “The players have adjusted, but everything is certainly new. Not one player on our team has done any of this before.”
To complicate matters, Layer changed the defense to a zone press. Steals in the open court can fuel a fast break.
“I like a lot of things that we’re putting together,” Layer said. “But we’re not a finished product yet. We’re trying to figure out what we do well, how we can do it better, what are the roles, all the things that were fairly established last year. Now it’s a different mixture.
“Trying to put it all together is probably going to be our struggle early on.”
Colorado, hoping to extend a five-game winning streak in the series, appears most concerned with CSU’s size. Smith and Harrison can jump. And the Buffaloes must also prepare for 7-foot sophomore Stuart Creason, whose availability tonight is unclear after he sat out the opener with an injury.
“They’ve had a history of having big guys, long-armed guys,” Copeland said. “So I think rebounding is going to be a key. We have to establish an inside presence. You have to block out, because 7-footers like that are already up there. You have to use fundamentals and keep them away from the glass.”
Despite the matchup problems underneath, Colorado claimed an 89-83 victory over the Rams last year in Boulder by getting to the free-throw line. Both teams finished with 36 rebounds.
“We didn’t do so well against Colorado last year, but we have a new team,” CSU’s Smith said.
And a new system.
Staff writer Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
