FORT COLLINS, Colo.—Colorado State’s 4-1 start eased the pain for running back Kyle Bell, who tore up his right knee a few days before last season’s opener.
It was the Rams’ 0-7 slide to end the season that really bugged him.
“It was tough, the way things went, coming that close to the season when I went down. The 4-1 start made it easier. When we went into our losing streak, I wouldn’t say it added to the misery, but it added to the frustration of the injury,” Bell said.
“It was a trying time and a long road back.”
In Bell’s absence, the Rams’ bevy of backups rushed for the fewest amount of yards in coach Sonny Lubick’s dozen years at Colorado State—112 yards a game and 3.1 yards a carry.
Bell and Lubick are hoping for a return to his 2005 form, when he ran for 1,288 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“Strength-wise, I’m right where I was before the injury,” the big (6-2, 232) senior running back said. “I think I might be even faster than I was just because I focused on it a lot once I was able to get back running. Rehab makes you work that much harder and once you get to the point where you are physically where you were, that work continues. You benefit from it in the end.”
Lubick’s best teams have always been built around a workhorse running back.
“This system needs a back who is able to carry to load, carry the ball 25 or 30 times a game,” Bell said. “You aren’t going to win a whole lot of games in the NCAA without a good rushing game. It is important that we get back to that.”
And he feels he’s just the guy to get them there.
“It is never a matter of numbers and stats. It doesn’t matter how many yards I rush for in the first game, it will be when we get the win that I will know” that he’s back to his former dominating self, Bell said. “I want to feel like I am part of the team. I might run for 100 yards and we lose and I won’t feel very good.”
The return of CSU’s leader goes beyond his contributions on game day.
“I like everything about him, the way he approaches the game and the way he handles himself with the team. He is a good inspiration to all of us,” Lubick said.
And Lubick thinks Bell could have a special season following his 10 months of grueling rehab.
“With a good offensive line we could get him 1,500 yards,” Lubick said. “But he’s going to have to have some help. We are going to have to be able to throw the ball so they can’t gang up on him and play eight-man fronts against us. Kyle cannot do it by himself.”
Lubick likes the way his offense is shaping up with plenty of experience in the backfield and at wide receiver, and he’ll put his secondary up against anybody’s in the conference.
“I think our running back situation is improved, our receiving corps is improved and we have an experienced quarterback,” Lubick said. “Everybody says our offensive line was a concern last year, but I think we will be pleasantly surprised. I think this is going to be a position of strength before the season is over.”
An equally experienced defense led by pass-rusher Jesse Nading stacks up well with other schools in the Mountain West, too.
“Does all this equate into 10 victories?” Lubick said. “I hope it does.”
The Rams have seasoning where it usually counts the most—at quarterback.
CSU is 44-18 during Lubick’s tenure when he has a senior incumbent signal-caller like he does this year in Caleb Hanie, who started all 12 games last season and threw for 2,427 yards and 11 touchdowns but also tossed 12 interceptions.
Working without Bell proved harder and harder as the season went on for Hanie last year.
“It was tough. After the first five games we were pretty solid in the passing game and people weren’t focusing on our running game,” Hanie said. “After that when they figured we couldn’t run the ball, we lost that balance and they played the pass heavier and that made it tougher.”
Bell’s return should make everybody’s job easier.
“It will be a lot different because Kyle is a great running back and a good leader without saying anything,” Hanie said. “He leads by example. He is a 1,000-yard rusher and with him back people will be a little more concerned about our running game. It will make our offensive line better.”
