FORT COLLINS — Call it Steve Fairchild’s second annual message through the media to opening-day rival and Colorado counterpart Dan Hawkins:
“If I’m Dan Hawkins, I’d be feeling pretty good (after watching CSU’s offensive blunders),” Fairchild said. “If he were here today, he’d have to feel pretty good.”
A year ago, the CSU coach said, “If we practiced like that, we’d get beat.”
The Rams obviously played a little better than they practiced and won 23-17 for CSU’s first win in Boulder since 1986.
But that was 2009. During Saturday’s three-hour workout with limited live scrimmaging, Fairchild was livid after he counted 16 penalties, including 12 procedure calls.
“We’re not accountable offensively,” the CSU coach said. “It’s the coaches and players combined saying, ‘I’m accountable,’ and we’re not doing that.”
As always, there’s a flip side to preseason scrimmage results, and CSU’s defensive front has exceeded all expectations in its pass rush.
QBs struggle.
Freshman Pete Thomas, who won the quarterback job earlier this week, was off on his timing with receivers and often overthrew them. Pass protection repeatedly collapsed.
Thomas and Nico Ranieri lost a combined 25 yards rushing on five sacks. The third quarterback, Klay Kubiak, missed the live scrimmaging with a slight groin injury early in practice.
Thomas was most on target to Tyson Liggett — three catches for 35 yards. There were 50- and 40-yard touchdown throws to Lou Greenwood and Matt Yemm.
But Fairchild was having a hard time pinning all the blame on the rebuilding offensive line.
“Sometimes it’s the quarterback, receivers not blocking as quickly, receivers running the wrong routes, something along those lines,” he said. “When you play that poorly, you can’t attach it to any one group or any one thing.”
Fairchild also found fault with poor throws, poor protection and some dropped passes.
Running hard.
The running game remained a highlight with Raymond Carter continuing to look the best. John Mosure took advantage of Chris Nwoke’s benching (for a fumble) and carried seven times for 46 yards.
“John Mosure is starting to step up,” Fairchild said of the senior who entered fall drills fourth on the depth chart.
More on personnel for opener.
Fairchild didn’t have a reaction to Hawkins naming Tyler Hansen the starting quarterback for the Buffs. CU released its tentative two-deep roster. CSU typically doesn’t do so until the Monday of game week, and even then there are game-day decisions.
Besides obvious questions on the offensive line, especially at center where Weston Richburg and Tyler McDermott shared the work, Fairchild said decisions remain on rotation for the defensive line and depth in the secondary.
Kicking battle.
Walk-on Chad VanderMolen continued to press incumbent kicker Ben DeLine. VanderMolen was perfect on four field-goal attempts with a long of 51 yards. DeLine was good on 3-of-5 with a long of 48.
Good turnout.
Athletic department officials estimated that 500 Rams Club members turned out on the blazing hot day for the scrimmage that was otherwise closed to the public.
Several players cramped up, but wide receivers coach Dan Hammerschmidt didn’t think the mid-90s (hotter on the field) temperatures were bad. Of course, he was comparing it to his season at Rice in Houston two years ago.
