FORT COLLINS — For nearly three hours of tightly scripted football Saturday, Colorado State rotated through a quarterback order of Pete Thomas, Klay Kubiak and Nico Ranieri.
In the past, three interceptions would bench a quarterback candidate. Rams coach Steve Fairchild didn’t sound as if Thomas’ three picks would hurt his chances of starting, but Fairchild wasn’t quite ready to name a starter.
The most entertaining part of the three live series was football, unscripted. Crockett Gillmore, converted to defensive end just this past week, stepped in front of a Thomas pass at the 22-yard line.
Before receiver Lou Greenwood could catch Gillmore, the defensive end pitched to defensive tackle Te’Jay Brown for the final 5 yards and a score.
“It was a spur of the moment thing,” Brown said of his lateral. “I was calling for it. I knew he was going to get tackled because Lou Greenwood is pretty fast.”
Gillmore said he never heard Brown yell for the lateral, only that he needed an angle to elude Greenwood.
“I figured what the heck, I’m going down, I might as well pitch it.”
It was recorded as a 78-yard return, but Gillmore said he thought it was at least 90 to 95 yards.
Thomas hit another defensive end, Broderick Sargent, in the numbers, and he returned it the distance.
Fairchild said the offense hadn’t fully developed some screen plays.
“I thought Pete had a pretty good day out there (6-of-13, 98 yards). I just thought he threw the ball well. He went where he was supposed to and made some plays that were there to be made.”
Much-traveled wide receiver T.J. Borcky, who also ran the two-minute drill as a quarterback, had the only offensive score on a 5-yard run.
“We’re keeping him alive, just as a fourth quarterback candidate,” Fairchild said.
Kubiak showed some major strides after his year of rehabbing two shoulder surgeries. He showed ample mobility, looked off receivers and made quick decisions. Ranieri, coming off a redshirt freshman year, can’t help himself too much while working behind a mostly freshman line and throwing to third-team receivers.
“All three have done a nice job,” quarterbacks coach Daren Wilkinson said.
“By no means are any of them doing poorly. It’s a battle, still. They’ve got a long ways to go, but you certainly can see the progress.”
Footnotes.
CSU athletic director Paul Kowalczyk made his first appearance Saturday since prostate surgery July 22. . . . Safeties Travis Ford and Ezra Thompson each picked off a pass. . . . Defensive end Eugene Daniels was tossed by the coaches after he threw a punch. . . . The clear standout at running back was Raymond Carter. . . . Promising freshman wide receiver Thomas Coffman sat out with a sprained MCL. No decision has been made on whether he will play this season. “It’s better than the worst-case scenario, we know that,” Fairchild said of initial ACL tear fears.
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
