FORT COLLINS — There’s the movie “300.” Now, there’s the Colorado State 300. Actually, it’s more like 700 or 800.
We’re talking plays, and CSU coach Steve Fairchild and his staff can’t get enough of them. They’ve challenged players with a playbook fit for the NFL.
“Our volume is very much like an NFL offense. It’s mind-boggling what we have in,” Fairchild said. “I don’t even know if we have a complete playbook, it’s that big. Look at a game plan sometime and then count it up. We number for the wrist band to see how many we have. I’d be surprised if it’s not 300 or 400 for a game.”
Knowing Fairchild, this is not much of a surprise. He most recently coached in the NFL as offensive coordinator of the Buffalo Bills and St. Louis Rams. So far, CSU players are keeping up with all of it.
“We’re on schedule,” Fairchild said. “I tell our kids, ‘The train’s not stopping.’ You better be on your ‘A’ game when you show up here mentally, because we’re going. It’s never going to be perfect, but I like where we’re at.”
Waiting, watching.
CSU linebacker recruit Mike Orakpo, brother of former Texas first-team All-American Brian Orakpo, is still sidelined with eligibility issues. He has been attending practices, but if he’s not cleared by the start of classes Aug. 24, he won’t be allowed on the practice field per NCAA rules.
“He’s got to work through some things,” Fairchild said. “Hopefully that gets done this summer. But if not, he’ll work through them and hopefully join us at a later date.”
Footnotes.
Running back Derek Good wasn’t at practice because of a personal matter. “I excused him,” Fairchild said. . . . The team, in full pads Wednesday for the second consecutive day, worked in the red zone for the first time, and the offense worked against more complicated defensive fronts. . . . CSU is closing all scrimmages to the public but will leave some of the practices open. . . . Receiver Ryan Gardner (hamstring) did not participate.
Chris Dempsey, The Denver Post
