Fort Collins – Jesse Nading spent most of preseason camp in the Colorado State backfield.
It could be an indication the senior defensive end from ThunderRidge High School is primed for an explosive final season, which starts Saturday against Colorado. Or it could mean the Rams’ offensive line still has work to be done.
“I’d like to think a little bit of both,” said Nading, eager to stand up for the young offensive line that battled a veteran defensive front. “They are a young group. We have a lot of experience up front. I hope they learn going against us. They are a talented group.”
Midway through camp, CSU offensive line coach Darrell Funk told his group, “If you can block Jesse Nading and Blake Smith, you can block anyone.”
No one really blocked Nading or Smith, a tackle, much all month, a good sign for a defense that was surrounded by questions last year. Nading, with a team-high 28 career starts, is the headliner.
“Jesse is in a tough position,” CSU coach Sonny Lubick said. “He’s getting double-teamed on every play. He’s hit in the mouth on every play and he keeps on playing. He’s having a lot of fun in there. I would suspect he will have a big year.”
Nading (6-feet-5, 258 pounds) appeared ready for a bust-out season a year ago after earning honorable mention all-Mountain West honors as a sophomore, when he had 11 tackles for loss. Last season, however, he had just two tackles for loss, the result of severely sprained ankles and increased attention from opposing defenses.
But opposing teams will take a risk if they double up on Nading this season, leaving defensive tackles Smith and Erik Sandie to go head to head.
“With our defensive line, our goal is to be in the backfield as much as possible,” Nading said. “When we’re occupying blockers, it makes everything go better.”
Nading’s best game last season came against CU, when he had seven tackles and a sack in the Rams’ 14-10 victory. He wasn’t gloating with any CU friends in the offseason, not with CSU finishing 4-8.
“Now we know what it felt like to be in that locker room afterward, and it was fun,” Nading said of one of CSU’s few highlights a year ago. “At the same time, we know it’s going to be a battle if we want that feeling again.”
Ever since he came to CSU as the state’s defensive player of the year for the 2002 state champions, Nading has been nothing but humble. For all the usual chatter between the lines at a CU-CSU conflict, Nading keeps to himself.
“There’s always a fair amount of chirping on the field,” he said. “I’m not a big chirper. I mainly overhear Sandie and the opposing guards and center. He’s never at a loss for words.”
There’s something to be said for having the last word as a senior. He’s glad there’s no Weber State warm- up game this year, as the season starts with Denver’s main event.
“Especially for the older guys, we know what it means,” Nading said. “Hopefully the younger guys will be able to handle the crowd and everything that goes with the CU-CSU rivalry.”
Staff writer Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
