FORT COLLINS — When you’re young, fast and talented, patience and perspective are not easy to grasp.
Colorado State junior wide receiver Rashaun Greer knows that firsthand. During his freshman and sophomore seasons, Greer didn’t catch a single pass. He was forced to bide his time, working and waiting, far from the spotlight.
This season, it has all paid off.
Heading into Saturday’s regular-season finale at Wyoming, Greer has 58 receptions for 995 yards and two touchdowns. He’s 5 yards short of becoming just the fifth player in CSU history to top 1,000 yards receiving in a season.
“I knew my chance would come,” Greer said. “And I knew when I got my chance I had to be ready, to make the most of it.”
Last season, Greer was buried on the depth chart by seniors. But he didn’t coast. Rather, he worked overtime with second-team quarterback Billy Farris.
“We worked on pass patterns and timing all the time during practice,” Greer said. “We got to know each other really well. That’s why we’ve worked together so well this season.”
Farris, a senior, was in a similar position. In his first three seasons as a backup, he threw a total of 39 passes. But he and Greer sensed this season would be their chance to make some history.
“We really bonded together last year as second-team guys,” Farris said. “We had a lot of classes together and we hung out. When we got on the field, we hooked up and kind of got on the same page.”
Greer (6-feet-1, 200 pounds) was a football and track star at Mojave High School in North Las Vegas, setting school records in the 100 meters and 300-meter high hurdles. That athleticism translates well to the football field.
“I think what I do best is run after I make the catch,” said Greer, who’s averaging 17.2 yards a catch. “I think I see the field pretty well.”
His career-best 211 yards against UNLV made him just the fifth player in CSU history to crack 200 yards receiving. He is aware that 1,000-yard marker is looming.
“It would be a nice milestone, for sure,” Greer said. “I mean, I didn’t think about any of that when the season started, but it shows that I’ve helped the team and contributed.”
Greer is part of a CSU offense that has matured into a balanced unit this season: Gartrell Johnson has rushed for 1,092 yards and nine touchdowns, wide receiver Dion Morton has 42 catches for 670 yards and seven touchdowns and Farris (2,442 yards) needs just 111 passing yards Saturday to move into CSU’s top 10 for a season.
Last spring, head coach Steve Fairchild tabbed Greer as a player to watch. This fall, perhaps more than any other Rams offensive player, Greer has blossomed.
“Coach Fairchild said it best when he said Rashaun could be as good as he wants to be,” offensive coordinator Greg Peterson said. “He’s still a work in progress, but when he plays hard, he’s pretty darn good. So it’s good to see him playing well and gaining confidence.
“But we have yet to see the best of Rashaun.”
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
