FORT COLLINS — Scout-team linebacker Ricky Brewer, arguably Colorado State’s best player, trudged to the locker room with his teammates last week. Yes, he agreed, this season couldn’t end soon enough.
The sooner it ended, the sooner Brewer could return from serving a year-long suspension for breaking a team rule, which was never disclosed.
“We definitely missed him,” said sophomore Mychal Sisson, who was forced to anchor the Rams’ injury-riddled linebacker corps. “I’m anxious to have him back next year.”
Sisson started every game at weakside linebacker. CSU, which lost nine consecutive games after a 3-0 start, went through five starters at the other two linebacker spots and six between left cornerback and strong safety.
This was a defense more likely to hand over the keys to the city than live up to a “Defend the Fort” marketing theme. The season’s final game Friday was the first time the defense played well enough to win a Mountain West Conference game. The Rams held an opponent to fewer than three touchdowns for the first time since the opener. But it wasn’t good enough to prevent a 17-16, season-ending loss to rival Wyoming at Hughes Stadium.
At the close of business Sept. 19, CSU had to win only three of its last nine games to become eligible for a bowl. Conceding the MWC triumvirate of BYU, Utah and Texas Christian, CSU needed only three of six. But the Rams didn’t come close.
“I think it just sits over our head like a huge dark cloud, and it’s going to motivate me,” Steve Fairchild, now 10-15 overall as CSU’s coach, said of the nine-game losing streak.
There already has been one staff casualty, Rams offensive coordinator and receivers coach Greg Peterson being reassigned three weeks ago. Fairchild couldn’t say last week when he would make a replacement hire or internal shifts. No one would be shocked to see others follow Peterson’s exit.
Fairchild has kept a steady theme of building for the future while not accepting excuses for the 2009 downfall. It’s not clear where the Rams will make up the gap in the MWC next year, unless the league’s three first-year coaches suffer similar second-year jinxes. It’s hard to imagine one-win New Mexico being any worse, and the Rams couldn’t beat the Lobos.
CSU athletic director Paul Kowalczyk, who replaced three head coaches in his first two years on the job, is being patient with Fairchild. At halftime Friday, Kowalczyk said the second year is often tough for a coach’s program.
“We are focused on the future,” the AD said. “We have confidence in Steve.”
Looking back, the turning point this season could have been the Rams’ failure to close the deal at Idaho after leading 20-7. As injuries mounted, especially on defense, the “easy” games after BYU, Utah and TCU never materialized.
Safety Klint Kubiak, who held the secondary together, was lost by midseason. Cornerback Nick Oppenneer produced the defensive highlight (a 97-yard interception return for a touchdown at New Mexico) and the lowlight (getting stiff-armed by Wyoming quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels on a 49-yard scoring run).
But there’s always hope. Just before the start of Friday’s season finale, CSU president Tony Frank said, “Did I tell you I’m a Cubs fan?”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
CSU’s 2010 schedule
Sept. 4: Colorado, at Invesco Field
Sept. 11: at Nevada
Sept. 18: at Miami (Ohio)
Sept. 25: Idaho
Conference schedule: released by April 1
Home: Nevada-Las Vegas, Texas Christian, BYU, New Mexico
Road: Utah, San Diego State, Air Force, Wyoming
