FORT COLLINS — Redshirt sophomore Joe Caprioglio this week ran with Colorado State’s first-team offense at strong-side guard and is expected to get his first collegiate start Saturday against Idaho at Hughes Stadium.
Such changes are inevitable when a team has lost 12 games in a row — as the Rams have heading into their home opener against the Vandals — and the rushing figures are anemic (1.7 yards per carry and 42.7 yards a game). The shuffling also includes redshirt freshman Weston Richburg moving out of the guard spot to center.
Also, with signs bolstering the conclusion that CSU’s recruiting was lackluster in the final years of Sonny Lubick’s mostly terrific tenure as head coach, and after the 0-3 start this season, it would be natural for Steve Fairchild’s staff to commit to work younger players into the lineup, allow them to take their lumps, and look to the future.
So it wasn’t much of a shock to see Caprioglio, a highly touted recruit from Highlands Ranch High School and from Fairchild’s first recruiting class in 2008, step into the lineup. If there were surprises, they might have been that: a) it took this long; and b) he will be getting his first start at guard, not tackle.
Now grown to 6-feet-6 and 307 pounds, Caprioglio redshirted in 2008, didn’t play a down as a redshirt freshman in 2009, and then didn’t start while getting spot action in the Rams’ three losses this season. He can play both weak and strong side in the Rams’ offense — at guard or tackle.
“There are a lot of good players, so I won’t say I was disappointed like I was owed a spot,” Caprioglio said after a practice this week. “I just took it as incentive to work hard and try to earn a spot. That’s what I’m trying to do, trying to earn a spot on the line.”
One of the Rams’ strengths in a 3-9 season a year ago was an experienced offensive line.
“Last year, we had a veteran lineup up front and I had some sophomores I wanted to get playing time to,” offensive line coach Pat Meyer said. “So I looked at Joe last year and thought he was a year away. … He’s showing now he can play.”
During Caprioglio’s senior year at Highlands Ranch, he announced he intended to sign a letter of intent with Kansas State in the spring, and schools backed off recruiting him. But a week before the national signing date, he took a call from KSU coach Ron Prince, who said the Wildcats wanted him to “grayshirt” — or have Caprioglio wait to enroll in college in January, postponing the beginning of his eligibility clock.
“I wasn’t sure that’s what I wanted to do,” Caprioglio said.
He told his high school coach, Darrel Gorham, the news.
“Next thing I know, I’m getting all these calls I hadn’t gotten in six months, ringing my ear off,” Caprioglio said. “It hit me quick and I had a lot of stuff to deal with in one week.”
He said some of the calls came from schools exploring whether he might be available as a fallback and didn’t commit to offering a scholarship. But others came after him hard, and one of the calls came from CSU’s new coach — Fairchild.
“This is where I would have come without football,” Caprioglio said. “I’m a Colorado kid and this is kind of where I wanted to go. I loved Fairchild. He was the only head coach who picked up a phone and called me, and that kind of told me something. I thought, ‘This guy really wants me to come play for him.’ And Pat Meyer is a great coach.”
Caprioglio was one of the biggest names in Fairchild’s first recruiting class. But for two years, he watched.
“Oh, I made miles of progress, even not playing,” he said. “I came in real light. I came in at 240. I’m 305 now. I made huge progress in being able to carry the weight and keep my athleticism.”
Meyer projects Caprioglio as a weak-side tackle, a significant position because it means he doesn’t have possible pass-blocking help beyond his outside shoulder.
“Joe’s athletic enough to be a weak tackle in our offense,” Meyer said. “But anymore, you want guys who can take up space at guard positions, guys who can take a shot with their hands right away and try to deflect the defensive guy right off the bat. Joe’s big, has long arms and can take that shot at the defensive lineman because the guys inside are going to take their shots a lot quicker. The tackles are more athletic and it’s almost like playing defense in basketball.”
That’s all down the road. For now, the immediate goal is to help the Rams snap the odious losing streak at a dirty dozen.
“I’m excited to be getting a shot and I’m going to try to make the best of it,” Caprioglio said. “We’re just working. We all want to win. That’s the only thing that matters, working like a team and winning. The past is the past. Now we have nine opportunities to prove that we can play. That’s what we’re looking forward to.”
Terry Frei: 303-954-1895 or tfrei@denverpost.com
Three questions for CSU
1. Is this the week the wraps finally come off freshman running back Tony Drake and the Rams establish a running game? Colorado State can’t possibly do worse than the 1 net yard rushing of a week ago, can it? The key might be not falling behind so early, forcing the passing game.
2. Will the Hughes Stadium home opener break 20,000 in attendance? Official estimates run from 21,000-23,000, with perfect weather in the forecast for Saturday. The overnight love affair with the new Miami Hurricane-inspired orange-and-dark-green jerseys, a tribute to the late Keli McGregor and the Orange Out promotion could draw folks not otherwise inclined to see an 0-3 team with a 12-game losing streak.
3. Can the Rams reverse the turnover margin? CSU hasn’t forced a turnover since the opening week and has the second-worst turnover margin in the country at minus-2.33 a game. Continuing or worsening that margin is not the way to end the losing streak.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
