FORT COLLINS — The first day of live hitting in spring practice is way too early to anoint any backfield starters.
But if first impressions are worth anything, look for Colorado State to return to running back-by-committee instead of a power featured back in the Gartrell Johnson mold.
Fourth-year junior John Mosure is the most experienced and the most versatile, both as an inside runner and outside receiving threat. Junior college transfer Leonard Mason will punish defenses, but has all spring and summer to prove he can do it on a regular basis.
“We all have something to offer,” said Mosure, who believes he needs to take the leadership role at the position. “I really don’t think there will be one set guy.”
And then there’s a rare speed dimension for CSU in Alex Square, a fifth-year, 5-foot-9 senior who has stuck around while bulking up nearly 40 pounds to 182.
“He’s obviously not too big, but he’s one of the quickest guys I’ve ever seen in my life, and coming from Miami, I’ve seen a lot of quick guys,” Mosure said. “He’s really the quickest (running) side to side I’ve ever seen.”
CSU coach Steve Fairchild said it looks like a committee effort because it’s so early.
“It was committee going into the first game last year. . . . You earn your job and then you’ve got to keep it.”
Of Mason, who is closest to Johnson in size at 6-0, 215 pounds, Fairchild said: “His head is swimming because we’ve got probably five times the amount of offense in four days as he ever had in junior college. He looks like he’s a physical guy.”
Said Mosure: “You can’t replace a Gartrell, no matter who you put there.”
Mason, a midyear junior college transfer from California, won’t say whether he could be the next Gartrell Johnson.
“I could be me, Leonard Mason,” he said.
Square is savoring this chance.
“The only thing I ever asked for was an opportunity,” the former Poudre High School star said. “Getting the same amount of reps as the guy in front of me is a key and I’m getting that now. It’s something I’ve waited for and it’s finally here, and I want to take advantage of it.”
On one play, Mosure lined up at fullback, motioned wide, and Square remained at tailback. It’s small by most backfield standards, but Square said “a small backfield will break your ankles. It will definitely run away from you.”
Although Fairchild thought the Rams were ahead of where they were a year ago, he expressed frustration at the quarterbacks. Only Grant Stucker and Jon Eastman have practiced. Redshirt freshman Alex Kelly was given time off by Fairchild to take care of personal business.
“I wish I had more quarterbacks because I kept having to put the other guy back in,” Fairchild said.
Footnotes.
Returning starting cornerback Gerard Thomas might miss the remainder of the spring practices with a turned ankle. . . . If Kelly stays out past the weekend, Fairchild said it might be a good idea to move converted receiver T.J. Borcky back to quarterback. . . . First-week players singled out by Fairchild were senior safety Klint Kubiak and junior tight end Eric Peitz.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
