OXFORD, Ohio — Steve Fairchild isn’t downplaying the ugliness of an 0-3 record, but the Colorado State coach also is working to make sure his players realize the season isn’t over.
The Rams scored their first touchdown of the season in Saturday’s 31-10 loss at Miami (Ohio), but finding the end zone wasn’t the only positive sign Fairchild wrung from the game. CSU actually outgained Miami in total offense, 306-299, despite finishing with 1 yard rushing.
“We moved the ball and had a couple of shots,” Fairchild said. “We just didn’t execute. We’re a much better offense than we’ve shown.”
Fairchild also admitted to feeling a little snakebitten on one golden opportunity, a 36-yard pass on fourth-and-2 that would have given CSU the ball on Miami’s 17 midway through the third quarter if not for a rare offensive pass-interference penalty.
“There’s a lot of thoughts that go through your mind, but I’m confident in our staff and confident in our players,” he said. “I know we are doing the right thing. I keep saying that, and I sound like a broken record, but I do believe we’ll stay together.
“It’s not the end of the world that we went 0-3. Nevada went 0-3 last year and ended up in a bowl, and we went 3-0 last year.”
Big catches.
Junior wide receiver Matt Yemm not only caught the pass that gave CSU its touchdown, he also grabbed a 36-yarder earlier in the game that ranks as the longest of his career. Actually, he doubled his previous longest catch, an 18-yard grab at Brigham Young on Sept. 26, 2009.
Yemm was just happy to help get CSU on the board with something other than field goals.
“The biggest frustration the last couple of weeks has been not getting into the end zone,” said Yemm, who finished with four catches for 56 yards. “There is a mental hurdle we need to jump over right now. It is a big momentum thing.”
Footnotes.
Fullback Jake Levin became the eighth true freshman to play for CSU this season, the most by the Rams since coach Leon Fuller used 15 in 1987. . . . Wide receiver Lou Greenwood, safety Ezra Thompson and cornerback Shaq Bell made their first career starts. . . . The Rams logged five sacks, their most in a game since they had seven in a loss to San Diego State in 2007.
