FORT COLLINS — Colorado State’s Steve Fairchild would like to quiet talk of bowl eligibility for his Rams (4-4), with No. 17 BYU coming in Saturday.
“The only thing we can think about is having a good week of practice,” Fairchild said Monday at his weekly news conference. “We need to improve in all three areas. Thinking that far ahead is kind of ludicrous for any of us coaches or players.”
Fairchild is in his first season at CSU. If anyone ever produced a timetable for rebuilding a once-proud program, it’s current Brigham Young coach Bronco Mendenhall.
After a 6-6 initial outing in 2005, Mendenhall produced back-to-back Mountain West undefeated champions. BYU is alive for a share of the crown this season.
“If had a wish list, I’d like to win conference this year,” said Fairchild. “I’m smart enough to know we have our work cut out in a lot of ways. I’m not going to worry about time tables.”
CSU won, 38-34, at San Diego State Saturday night. However, Fairchild included the offense on his “needs-to-improve” list along with deficiencies on defense and special teams.
“In all three areas we made some errors at the wrong time,” he said.
CSU gained 507 yards and did not turn the ball over.
Footnotes
CSU practiced Monday instead of Sunday because it did not arrive back home until 5 a.m. Sunday.
For the first time in weeks, Fairchild sounded optimistic that safety Klint Kubiak will return from a sprained ankle.
Natalie Meisler: (303) 954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
