Fort Collins – A sub-.500 record and no shot at a bowl in his final season wasn’t exactly what Colorado State offensive tackle Clint Oldenburg had in mind when he signed up in February 2002.
He had spent his recruiting trip the previous December watching the Rams practice for the New Orleans Bowl. Recruiting hosts showed off Mountain West Conference championship rings and their collection of bowl garb. Everyone in the country regularly saw the team play Thursday nights on ESPN.
“Colorado State was the class of the Mountain West when I first got here,” Oldenburg said. “I had full intentions of carrying that out through my career. A lot of things happened during those five years, and we weren’t able to do it.”
He collected a championship ring as a redshirt freshman in 2002. Oldenburg, offensive tackle Josh Day and blocking back Tristan Walker are the only ones left with those rings.
The three are the only survivors of a large signing class mostly lost to attrition. CSU (4-6, 1-5) will start only five seniors in Saturday’s home finale against TCU – Oldenburg, Day, running back Nnamdi Ohaeri (a UCLA transfer), wide receiver Dustin Osborn (a walk-on who joined the team later in 2002) and linebacker Luke Adkins (a walk-on transfer from Tennessee).
The five tie New Mexico in the MWC for the fewest starting seniors at the end of the season.
Three others seniors will play – Walker in blocking back situations, backup guard and former walk-on Jerome Williams, and special teams contributor Chase Weber, who was scheduled to sign in 2002 but delayed enrollment.
Former starters in the secondary, Brandon Cathy (knee) and Ben Stratton (neck) will be introduced, as well as linebacker Jon Radford, who is questionable to return for the finale next week at San Diego State. Academic and injury attrition claimed most of the class before this year, and David Anderson and Courtney Jones completed their eligibility in four years.
“That’s the way this business goes anymore,” CSU coach Sonny Lubick said. “If you ever got a class with 70 percent there, three or four years later, you’re probably close to a championship team. I think if you go around all the programs, they’d be lucky to be hitting 50 percent. We’re not there.”
Osborn, who didn’t even receive a Division II sniff out of La Junta High School, won a spot on the roster and then a scholarship by attending an open tryout his freshman year. He said the end hasn’t sunk in and probably won’t until he watches spring ball from the sidelines.
Walker was the highest-rated signee in the class when CSU beat several Big 12 schools. His first two seasons were wiped out by injury. Then he struggled with his weight before salvaging his career with the position created for him last season.
“I take pride in myself finishing,” Walker said of sticking through the adversity. “I wish the others (who left) did, too.”
For Oldenburg, his biggest regret is not getting it done for Lubick. At best, CSU can shoot for finishing .500.
“As my career has gone on, I think we had the worst three or four years of Coach Lubick’s career. I feel terrible about that,” the three-year starter said. “It’s a reflection on him to the outside view. To us, we have to make the plays, and we haven’t done that. That’s the one thing I wish I could change.”
Oldenburg knows luck plays a part, and there will always be attrition. But as he looks around the league, he said: “A lot of teams are getting good recruits we used to get. Coaching in the Mountain West has gotten better since I’ve been here. Every program is coming in even up and then the season plays out.”
Record aside, he considers playing for Lubick the best time of his life.
“He wants to win as much as any one,” Oldenburg said. “But more than that he wants his players to leave here who are going to go on and do something with their lives.”
GAME BREAKDOWN
Players to watch
Colorado State (4-6, 1-5): DE Jesse Nading, almost completely healed from sprained ankle that hampered him half the season, will be eager to disrupt TCU’s backfield. RB Nnamdi Ohaeri had the shortest career of any senior starting but has steadily improved since taking over the job.
Texas Christian (8-2, 4-2): QB Jeff Ballard is coming off MWC player of the week honors and a career outing against San Diego State, when he passed for five TDs. He’s second only to Air Force’s Shaun Carney in MWC quarterback rushing yards. DE Tommy Blake leads the MWC in tackles for losses with 11 1/2 and is the catalyst for Horned Frogs defensive mayhem.
Key stat
3: CSU has three field goals against TCU in the past two meetings (2005, 2002 Liberty Bowl).
Key for CSU
If CSU lets TCU jump out early, as the Horned Frogs did in a 52-0 pasting of San Diego State, the anticipated small crowd at Hughes Stadium will be gone by halftime. CSU defense is the healthiest it has been in weeks. Rams need to open up with QB Caleb Hanie running as he did against Utah two weeks ago.
Key for TCU
As the sixth-leading scoring defense in the country (12.5 points), the Frogs only need to fluster a CSU offense that has struggled most of the season. There’s no single star in the running game-by- committee, but TCU has the 17th best rushing offense in the country.
Staff writer Natalie Meisler can be reached a 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
