FORT COLLINS — During his introductory news conference in 2007, Colorado State football coach Steve Fairchild was asked about his recruiting philosophy.
“One of the keys to recruiting is, it’s hard work and it’s getting out there and having a good plan with where you go and how you spend your time,” he said. “One of the key things with recruiting is evaluation. When you can get guys who can evaluate players and make the right decisions in that regard, that tends to lead to good recruiting classes.”
Recruiting had fallen off significantly in the last four years of the Sonny Lubick era, and the team suffered, going 12-23 from 2004-07. Part of Fairchild’s rebuilding task has been to get CSU back in the mix for better athletes.
Injuries and inexperience have made it problematic for CSU to get the players in place who can consistently get it done on the field this season. The result has been four consecutive losses, dampening this season on the heels of back-to-back three-win seasons. That has led to frustration from the participants in the program to its fans, and has made CSU’s stretch run pivotal in determining whether Fairchild remains the coach beyond this season.
Fairchild thinks his staff has made steady progress on the recruiting front since he took over.
“We’ve got a talented roster,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are at an age where they are going to continue to get better. That sophomore class might have five, six guys that maybe could go to the (NFL).”
Fairchild isn’t alone in believing the talent level at CSU is upgraded.
“I think they do a great job, their organization is good,” recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. “It’s just a matter of results. But the setup, the organization and the effort are all there.”
On the current roster, 68 of the 85 scholarship players are athletes Fairchild recruited. The other 17 are either holdovers from the Lubick era or walk-ons who have earned a scholarship.
Fairchild has two players he recruited in this year’s senior class — kicker Ben DeLine and linebacker Michael Kawulok, who has not played a down this season because of a torn ACL. The rest are juniors or younger.
In that group are sophomore Nordly Capi and junior C.J. James, both among the nation’s sack leaders; a Mackey Award candidate in sophomore tight end Crockett Gillmore; the team’s leading rusher in sophomore running back Chris Nwoke; the Mountain West’s leading punter in junior Pete Kontodiakos; the nation’s 17th- leading punt returner in junior Momo Thomas; a Rimington Award candidate center in sophomore Weston Richburg; the team’s leading tackler in sophomore linebacker Mike Orakpo; and the only quarterback to start in back-to-back seasons for CSU in recent years, sophomore Pete Thomas.
Nine players from Fairchild’s first class in 2008 — which he had a little more than a month to put together — are on the roster. And that number rises with each class: 15 from 2009, 19 from 2010 and 21 from 2011.
CSU coaches hit the recruiting trail immediately following the loss at UNLV a week ago. So far, CSU has just one verbal commitment, linebacker Deonte Wortham out of the Dallas area.
“Usually, you can throw out your first year, especially at a school like Colorado State,” Lemming said. “But after that, I think they’ve done well, last year and the year before. And they are doing well this year, at least with contacts early. With a changeover like Colorado State, it takes five years. And I think they are on target.”
Chris Dempsey: 303-954-1279 or cdempsey@denverpost.com
How it’s shaking out
As Colorado State adds players each season, more are having an impact on the team. A look at each of CSU’s recruiting classes under Steve Fairchild, and who is making an impact.
2008
Players signed: 24
On current roster: 9
Starters on roster: K Ben DeLine, CB Momo Thomas, G Jordan Gragert, S Drew Reilly
Comment: Fairchild’s first class, though he had next to no time to put it together after getting the job.
2009
Players signed: 22
On current roster: 15
Starters on roster: WR Lou Greenwood, DE C.J. James, P Pete Kontodiakos, RB Chris Nwoke, C Weston Richburg
Comment: Fairchild’s first full recruiting cycle class was strong on the offensive line.
2010
Players signed: 28
On current roster: 19
Starters on roster: QB Pete Thomas, CB Shaq Bell, DE Nordly Capi, WR Thomas Coffman, DL John Froland, TE Crockett Gillmore, OT Mason Hathaway, LB Mike Orakpo, OT Ty Sambrailo
Comment: Arguably Fairchild’s most talented class of the four.
2011
Players signed: 27
On current roster: 21
Starters on roster: S Drew Reilly
Comment: Many players from this class have been pushed into bigger roles because of injuries.
