Fort Collins – When Colorado State signed Rivals.com’s second-ranked class in the Mountain West in February 2002, no one could have projected the Rams’ (4-5, 1-4 MWC) current status in the bottom third of the league.
Only two members of that class remain as fifth-year starters – offensive tackles Clint Oldenburg and Josh Day. The recruiting headliner of the group, running back Tristan Walker, is an occasional blocking back.
Only one senior will be in the starting defensive lineup Saturday at Utah – linebacker Luke Adkins, who arrived a year later as a walk-on transfer. A knee injury last week took out the other senior starter, former junior college transfer Jon Radford.
Two other senior starters on offense likewise weren’t on the 2002 signing list. Wide receiver Dustin Osborn walked on from La Junta High School, and running back Nnamdi Ohaeri transferred from UCLA.
Attrition, whether for medical reasons, academic casualties, personal issues or just plain failure to develop as college players, is to be expected at any level. Walk-ons and transfers help pick up the slack.
And, as any coach will say on the first Wednesday in February, you can’t put too much stock in those self-proclaimed recruiting gurus. (Incidentally, 1-9 Colorado was No. 10 nationally on that 2002 Rivals.com list.)
CSU ranked second (No. 61 nationally) in the league to current MWC leader BYU (No. 37 nationally) that year.
Although it’s easy to pin the current four-game slide on CSU’s inability to run the ball with any consistency and accompanying youth on the interior offensive line, this is a team without enough seniors.
CSU coach Sonny Lubick, for the first time since he took the Rams’ reins after the 1992 season, noted that juniors are selected in the weekly vote for captains. Even sophomore linebacker Jeff Horinek has received some votes.
“Our seniors lead in a good way,” Lubick said. “They don’t say much. They just go out and play.”
With three senior offensive linemen (including backup offensive guard and former walk-on Jerome Williams), Lubick said, “offensive linemen, as a rule, never say much.”
Many programs elect captains before the season, but CSU makes selections weekly.
“The thing I like is the kids vote, and the kids see how everyone is playing and practicing,” Lubick said.
But the fact remains that seniors, especially in a league in which early NFL departures are a rarity, determine a team’s success. The past three MWC schools with unbeaten league records, BYU (2001), Utah (2004) and TCU (2005), had big senior classes.
While the offense struggles, CSU’s defense is vastly improved this season with a junior- dominated line and secondary.
“I think we have interesting dynamics,” junior defensive end Jesse Nading said. “I don’t know that one position or one class carries it. Luke (Adkins) is a great leader, and a lot of juniors are stepping up.”
Of the 17 other high school players signed in 2002, two completed their eligibility (wide receiver David Anderson and linebacker Courtney Jones) last season. The secondary was hit hardest by attrition with two fifth-year projected starters, safety Ben Stratton (neck) and cornerback Brandon Cathy (knee), ending their careers with injuries.
Academics and injuries took out five others. Homesickness, personal issues and transfers took out the rest of the class.
Footnotes
The Rams took advantage of the past two warm days with solid practices. … There is a good chance safety Mike Pagnotta will return after missing nearly a month with a knee injury.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
