Fort Collins – It’s a national ritual every first Wednesday in February. Football coaches stand up, wave their list of newly signed scholarship players and proclaim everything from their “best class ever” to “check back in three years.”
Then the walk-ons show up anonymously.
Colorado State heads into Mountain West Conference play Saturday against UNLV with redshirt freshman walk-on Scott Benedict drawing his first career start at left guard. Former walk-on strong safety Mike Pagnotta is the Rams leading tackler. Former walk-on and New Mexico State transfer Jake Galusha is a co-starter with Pagnotta and takes over at safety when Pagnotta moves to nickel back.
Senior wide receiver Dustin Osborn, coming off an ankle injury, has been on scholarship for so long, many forget the former La Junta standout walked on. So did backup quarterback Billy Farris and backup offensive guard Jerome Williams.
The next in line to make a scholarship bid is defensive back Steve Juedes, a Fairview High School product who first went to Nebraska-Kearney and is impressing on special teams.
“Since the day he walked in this door, Scott has been treated by me and (Sonny Lubick) as a scholarship player,” offensive line coach Darrell Funk said. “That’s the secret to a coach’s success with walk-ons. They are all treated like scholarship players. At different programs there is a huge separation of walk-ons and scholarship players. That doesn’t happen here.
“I’m convinced that’s the reason all these guys get better. They get reps, they get encouragement.”
Benedict – a 6-4, 299-pound all-state lineman out of Rangeview – is one of three redshirt freshmen looking to start on the work-in-progress offensive line interior. He is penciled in at left guard in place of Marvin Arnold, who broke his leg last week. Three-game starter Adrian Martinez is in at right guard, and first-time starter Tim Walter is coming off a knee injury at center.
Veteran center Nick Allotta injured his knee in practice Wednesday, and Funk may yet make more adjustments. Benedict also has worked at right guard and center, drawing comparisons from offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt to former Rams all-conference center Mike Newell.
Funk said Benedict is the most improved lineman since the start of spring practice.
“He’s tough. He has that grit and desire to be a player,” Funk said. “He’s a blue-collar, tough kid. As far as getting in and playing hard, he’s passed up a lot of people.”
Benedict said he had Division II offers in Colorado, but CSU in-state recruiter Mick Delaney convinced him to walk on.
“He said ‘You’re a Division I player. You can play here.’ I would have loved a scholarship off the bat, but they said if I work hard and do what I’m capable of, it would only be a matter of time,” Benedict said.
“The first thing they told me is Coach Lubick loves tough guys. I know you can’t play Division I football if you don’t have a mean streak in you.”
In-state tuition isn’t too much of a burden while he waits for a scholarship.
“Me and my family don’t like saying the ‘s-word.’ If it happens, it happens. It’s definitely what I’m working for,” Benedict said.
Similarly, Pagnotta said he wasn’t interested in small-college offers in his home state of Oregon. He played for a small high school without a good record and blamed himself for not getting tapes to the CSU staff earlier.
“It could be partially my fault, partially not enough exposure,” Pagnotta said. “It all worked out now.”
Staff writer Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
GAME BREAKDOWN
Players to watch
UNLV (1-3): WR Casey Flair ranks second in MWC in receiving (72.5 ypg) and has provided a reliable target for QB Rocky Hinds, the USC transfer who beat out senior Shane Steichen for the starting job. CB Eric Wright is the conference leader in pass breakups, and his kickoff returns have been one of the few bright spots of the past two weeks. He has had knee problems this week but is determined to be there for the MWC opener.
CSU (3-1): WR/PR Damon Morton is coming off league special teams player of the week honors as well as a career-high five catches for 103 yards. Finally showed his big play capability at Fresno State. Senior LB Luke Adkins is playing the best of his career after a late 2004 knee injury vs. UNLV cost him most of last season. Turned in a career-high 12 tackles last week.
Key stat
CSU ranks fifth nationally in total defense, yielding 233.2 yards a game, while UNLV is 102nd at 396 yards.
Key for UNLV
The running game of Erick Jackson and David Peeples has been productive. At 5-6 and 5-9 respectively, they will force the Rams to retool after the power running game of Fresno State.
Key for CSU
Another week, another chance to improve the running game. Although not reflected in the statistics last week, Gartrell Johnson and Nnamdi Ohaeri have made some progress, especially as Ohaeri continues to heal from a 2005 foot injury.
NATALIE MEISLER
