FORT COLLINS — There’s something about (University of) Mary and Colorado State.
The Division II newcomer in North Dakota is the alma mater of CSU men’s basketball coach Tim Miles and a stopping point for walk-on cornerback Nick Oppenneer, a for- mer Columbine quarterback.
All Oppenneer, a 5-foot-10, 175-pound junior, did this spring was nearly nail down a starting job. He made it a long day Saturday for CSU’s struggling receivers and grabbed one of four interceptions by the defense, which “won” the final spring scrimmage.
“I had no idea that University of Mary had a football team until they offered me a scholarship. I didn’t have a lot of offers,” he said. After a semester, he had the confidence to return to his home state and walk on with the Rams.
The staff is also looking at him as a special-teams holder.
“It’s tough with three different snappers and four kickers,” he said.
“I don’t want to say anything definite right now, but he certainly played his way into being successful,” CSU coach Steve Fairchild said.
The grossly exaggerated announced Hughes Stadium crowd of 6,100 didn’t see anything resembling a game. While colleges across the country showed off offensive numbers in game-like settings, this was strictly a controlled scrimmage. The ball was placed 10 yards on either side of midfield, and four quarterbacks struggled for the second straight week. For the first time in the spring, the defense came up with picks.
Defensive end Ty Whittier, a local walk-on, got things started with an interception of a Billy Farris pass. With a scoring system awarding defensive points for turnovers and stops, the defense dominated the day 49-35. Reserve running back Alex Square had the lone TD.
Offensive coordinator Greg Peterson said good competition remains between Farris, who has worked with the first unit all spring, and junior Grant Stucker, but “Billy is clearly No. 1 out of the spring.” Also, redshirt freshman Klay Kubiak, who showed some arm strength, has moved ahead of another freshman, T.J. Borcky.
Fairchild was clearly disappointed with the lack of consistency by the quarterbacks, but said the “the receivers haven’t helped in the development of the quarterbacks.”
Fairchild’s overall assessment: “We have a long way to go.”
Footnotes.
Several former CSU players showed up, including Houston Texans tight end Joel Dreessen, wide receiver David Anderson and a California high school coaching contingent of Paul Turner, Moses Moreno and Darrell Ballard. The latter group attended a CSU coaching clinic Friday. “That made me very happy to see them,” Fairchild said. . . . Former Mullen running back Phillip Morelli has left the team. Fairchild said Morelli told him his heart wasn’t in it anymore.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
