FORT COLLINS — Colorado State sophomore wide receiver Thomas Coffman underwent emergency surgery early Wednesday morning after alerting team trainers of acute pain in his lower abdomen, following team meetings Tuesday night.
CSU coach Jim McElwain said he expects Coffman, who was vying for a starting job, to be out two to three weeks, meaning he probably won’t be available for the season opener Sept. 1 against Colorado. McElwain praised the swiftness with which his staff dealt with Coffman.
“We have a great training staff,” McElwain said. “They immediately took the precautions, got him over to look at him, and they ended up doing surgery early, early this morning. I’ve talked to him; he’s in good spirits.”
Coffman is the Rams’ deadliest deep threat, leading the team with a 26.2-yard reception average last season. He also returned kickoffs, so there is a bit of a hole for McElwain and the coaching staff to fill while he’s gone.
“You have to plan without him,” McElwain said. “I look at it not as a deterrent, but it allows somebody to step up, grab the flag, take his reps on offense as well as in the return game.
“It gives somebody the opportunity to step up and be a player.”
Defense steals the day. It might be an exaggeration to say the CSU defense has been whipped regularly by the offense during preseason camp, but it might not be far off.
With that in mind, the defense Wednesday had one of its best practices of preseason camp, McElwain said.
“I thought the defense stepped to the podium,” McElwain said. “The offense right now is swimming a little bit, which is a little bit to be expected because of all of the different formational install that goes in, getting guys in the right spots.”
Learning the fight song. In a fun-filled 15 minutes or so after morning practice, several members of the CSU band came over to play the fight song and teach those who don’t know the words.
Including the head coach.
“And guys, I needed to learn the song,” McElwain quipped. “It’s all of us new guys. The whole coaching staff, the trainers, everybody.”
McElwain spoke to the band between meetings Tuesday night and invited them to Wednesday’s football practice to help players and coaches learn the song.
“One of the great things about college football is the pageantry,” McElwain said. “The bands and all of the things that go along with it.”
McElwain said he hopes he hears the song every week — it only gets played after games his CSU Rams win. Christopher Dempsey, The Denver Post
