FORT COLLINS — Colorado State’s football players nearly sprinted from one drill assignment Tuesday to the next because that was the tempo demanded on the first day of practice by the coaching staff.
Senior tight end Kory Sperry kept up the pace because he could.
With the six-month mark approaching on his ACL surgery, the knee has already tested at 95 percent. He wears the red jersey signifying no contact, and he’s milking it to its full advantage.
“I figure: ‘I can do anything, but you can’t touch me. I can push you but you can’t push me back.’ . . . I have fun with some of the guys because they know if they hit me and I have the red jersey, they can get in trouble,” Sperry said.
He admits to a little nudge, especially against safety Mike Pagnotta.
All in all, Steve Fairchild was satisfied with his first day as a head coach at practice, even if it was just the start of spring.
“It was a decent first day; like any first day there were some things looking pretty ugly at times,” Fairchild said. “We’re not going to get anything the first day that we’re going after.”
Senior linebacker Jeff Horinek said of the 90-plus-minute workout: “Everyone felt like we were out there for 50 minutes. We were having fun.”
The Rams had no trouble adjusting to a new regimen.
“Everyone was excited today,” Sperry said. “That’s Coach Fairchild’s style. We’re going out there to work and keep the tempo up. The more tempo, the more progress.”
Fairchild made his first impression on Sperry by calling the tight end while the coach was still finishing the NFL season in Buffalo. Before Sperry was cut down during the Cal game, he thought he would spend this spring counting down the days to the NFL draft.
Sperry has no regrets, especially because now he’ll have time to leave CSU with his degree.
Footnotes.
Senior quarterback Billy Farris, on top of the depth chart until someone proves otherwise, said: “I can’t say I feel pressured. Competition only makes you better.” . . . QBs wear black jerseys signifying no mauling.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
