ALBUQUERQUE — There are at least a dozen football games for the average fifth-year senior. There’s only one graduation.
As far as Colorado State’s nine graduating seniors are concerned, it’s no contest between one last time in shoulder pads and helmets or the only time in a college cap and gown.
“I’ll get that piece of paper, and that’s all that matters,” defensive end Tommie Hill said. “Graduation is really more for the parents. I know my family wanted to watch me graduate knowing how hard I worked.”
The Rams will play Fresno State on Saturday in the Albuquerque Bowl at roughly the same time as winter commencement exercises at Moby Arena.
For running back Kyle Bell, missing graduation is a personal tradition.
“I missed my high school graduation for baseball playoffs,” he said. If he ever earns a postgraduate degree, he said then he’ll go to graduation.
Running back Gartrell Johnson, who plans to return to his native Florida after he appears in the East-West Shrine Game, said: “It doesn’t bother me. For us to be playing in a bowl, I wouldn’t trade that for anything. The main thing is I’m graduating.”
Some needed more prodding than others from the academic staff. Still, nine seniors are graduating in 4 1/2 years, giving CSU a solid foundation when NCAA posts graduation rates. Several other seniors will finish their degrees in May.
There is a downside to missing graduation. A few Rams said they won’t get back in time for the graduation parties Saturday night, when they hope to celebrate a bowl win.
Footnotes.
The Rams practiced on campus Wednesday and arrived in town to a mariachi greeting. CSU will practice at New Mexico’s indoor facility today. Then a handful of players will visit a local children’s hospital. . . . Mychal Sisson added another freshman All-America list to his resume. Phil Steele had the CSU linebacker, who led the Rams with 99 tackles, on his first team.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
