FORT COLLINS — Much about the quarterback play in the first four days of camp raised red flags for Colorado State coach Steve Fairchild.
His Thursday assessment: “We’re not very good at quarterback.”
His Saturday assessment: “I think our quarterbacks are letting our offensive development down.”
None of three top candidates had done much right until Monday, when the pendulum swung a little more to the acceptable side. The Rams are looking for a replacement for Billy Farris, who started a year ago. Senior Grant Stucker, sophomore Klay Kubiak and junior college transfer Jon Eastman are competing for the starting job.
“They were better,” Fairchild said Monday. “We’re far from game-ready.”
Asked what he’s looking for, Fairchild didn’t hesitate.
“Consistency,” he said. “I didn’t have that in the spring, and I haven’t gotten it yet here. I want somebody to be able to go through the whole practice without beating us, without just some sort of major error. We don’t have to have great throws or any big-time plays. Just consistently doing what they’re supposed to do. We’re not there yet.”
But it was a start.
“I think everybody’s just starting to calm down, the game is starting to slow down a little bit mentally, so you’re starting to see everything more clearly,” Stucker said. “It just comes with getting more reps, getting that speed of the game going day in and day out.”
Said Fairchild: “It’s hard because of the volume that we’re doing, and we’re adding stuff every day. As we keep playing, I hope they play through a lot of this. Like last year with Billy, five, 10 days from now you can just see it. Somebody comes on and we feel comfortable with him being the starter.”
Stucker and Kubiak got some playing time last season, so both are familiar with Fairchild’s expectations. Eastman said he’s catching up but feeling more comfortable.
“I’m just glad that when I walk up to the line I know what I’m doing,” he said. “I don’t have to think about it or wonder or second-guess myself. I’m not there yet. I need to be there. I’d say I’m definitely closer than I was, so that’s a good thing. I feel confident. I’m feeling a lot better about things.”
Kubiak is attempting to come back from surgery on his throwing shoulder in November that caused him to miss all of spring ball.
“It’s doing pretty good,” Kubiak said. “I haven’t practiced in a long time, so it’s fatigued pretty easily. But it feels OK.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
