FORT COLLINS — Leonard Mason looked more determined than forlorn in August. His Colorado State teammates scrimmaged every Saturday while he jogged the steps at Hughes Stadium.
He rehabbed a hamstring injury under the watchful eyes of the training and conditioning staffs. CSU’s coaches, meanwhile, concentrated on what appeared to be a deep group of backs. Going into the opener against Colorado, CSU’s leading rusher from 2009 seemed to have no visible part on the depth chart.
But he finally re-emerged with a 139-yard rushing performance at Air Force last week in an otherwise one-sided, 49-27 loss.
“It felt great,” Mason said. “I’ve been waiting since training camp to get back in the mix. I was on the sideline just waiting for my number to get called.”
Mason didn’t know he was starting until the morning of the game. It didn’t take long to knock off the rust. He only had 11 carries going into last weekend.
“I just wanted to come back and finish where I left off,” Mason said.
CSU coach Steve Fairchild said the staff had talked about Mason’s disappointment with his senior-year progress.
“He stayed in it . . . and he got himself back in shape, knowing at some point this season he would have a shot,” Fairchild said. “He made the most of it.”
Running backs coach Anthoney Hill said: “As competitive as the position is, it would have been easy for him to (quit) and he didn’t. It was a challenge for him. We had a conversation. The guy has been very mature about it. . . . You have to admire him for that.”
Mason rushed for a team-high 766 yards (4.9 per carry average) last year as a junior college transfer from College of the Desert (Calif.). He split time with John Mosure. Both found themselves down the depth chart going into the fall with the spring-ball emergence of Raymond Carter and Chris Nwoke.
If the Rams are to reverse the 1-5 record and get out of a one-dimensional passing offense, CSU will need a repeat performance from its backs Saturday against UNLV.
CSU went into last week’s game at Air Force last in the country in rushing average at 56.2 yards per game and a mere 2.1 yards per carry. The Rams came out with a 285-yard day (4 more net yards than the previous five games combined).
Granted, 102 of CSU’s rushing yards came in the final quarter against AFA reserves. But Mason’s day was mostly complete after three quarters and 125 yards.
Mason finally got his opportunity because Carter was out with a knee injury. Carter had one breakout game against Idaho before getting injured the following week. He remains sidelined, and Mason will draw his second start Saturday.
Still, Mason was pulled after a first-half fumble. He came back in the second half and proved himself all over again.
“I wasn’t worried,” he said. “I’d just have to get over it.”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
Three questions for CSU
1. Will this be the week Colorado State’s offense and defense get on the same page? CSU has had efforts from one side or the other — or sometimes neither — in a 1-5 start.
2. How much will fatigue factor for UNLV after ample traveling in a week? The Rebels played at West Virginia last week, returned home (three times zones each way) and are on the road in another time zone for the second straight week. Plus, the Rebels again could be missing their best player, wide receiver Phillip Payne, suspended for sending an uncomplimentary Twitter message to the new staff.
3. After abysmally slow starts on offense the last two weeks — the TCU and AFA defenses had something to do with it — can the Rams gather some early momentum, especially with the home advantage? There is lots of talk about a fresh start for the second half of the season. It’s time to put together a complete game against an opponent that also is struggling.
Natalie Meisler, The Denver Post
