FORT COLLINS — With a roar from the postscrimmage huddle after the announcement that three walk-ons had earned scholarships — M.J. McPeek, Mark Woodbury and Jared Roberts — a better-than-expected Colorado State preseason camp came to a close.
“We’re getting it,” coach Jim McElwain said. “The foundation is being built. We need to go play somebody and find out what exactly we are, and that will tell. This is a building process for the long haul; there’s no short-term solutions. But the way we’re going about things, the way our guys are responding to the things we’re asking them to do, I’m proud of them.”
Thursday’s scrimmage lasted 76 plays — one full quarter of game-type action and then situational periods. McElwain said he’s pretty well set on a two-deep roster but added there are exceptions. While he feels good about the gains his team made during camp, he’s not ready to proclaim his Rams fully prepared to play a game.
“We haven’t even started any work on our next opponent, which we start now,” McElwain said. “This was the last day of camp, so we’ll now start in on some scout-team things, start tomorrow and yet we’ll still work good on goods because there is no replacement to playing speed on speed. I feel that that’s necessary.”
McElwain said Roberts will be the place-kicker, ending that competition for now, “but might not be our kickoff guy.” Keenan Adams “is actually probably going to handle as much punting as well. He’s the one that’s actually given us that versatility that when we travel we may be able to carry him as that swing guy. He’s done a really good job as well, and he’s back from his knee injury.”
The only injury of note from Thursday’s scrimmage was suffered by freshman offensive lineman Fred Zerblis, who limped off with an injured left knee. “You hate to see that because he was having a great camp,” McElwain said. “He was really making strides and is going to be a great leader with this freshman class. That guy is going to be somebody to be reckoned with.”
And so now it’s on to preparing to face Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Showdown on Sept. 1.
“I tell you what,” McElwain said. “These guys right here, I’m proud to say I’m their coach.”
Christopher Dempsey: 303-954-1279, cdempsey@denverpost.com or
