FORT COLLINS — Sometimes a nickname can be hard to justify, but Rashard Higgins had no trouble living up to “Hollywood” in the first 26 minutes of Saturday’s game against UC Davis.
He equaled his career high of two touchdown catches by halftime with a 15-yard reception from quarterback Garrett Grayson with 7:47 left in the first quarter and a 52-yard strike from Grayson with 4:16 left in the first half.
“When I was in peewee football, they started calling me Hollywood because I was able to make big-time plays,” Higgins said. “Ever since then, I’ve had the name Hollywood. I’ve got to make big-time plays all the time.”
The two touchdown catches helped the Rams jump out to a 28-7 halftime lead.
For the Rams, it was an easy victory. But it also was a way to put last week’s 37-24 loss at Boise State behind them.
The two touchdown catches were just part of the day’s work by Higgins, a 6-foot-2, 188-pound sophomore from Mesquite, Texas.
He finished with a game-high seven receptions for 147 yards.
But the thought that Higgins might be CSU’s go-to receiver wasn’t verified.
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“Everywhere I’ve been, we’ve tried to spread the ball around,” coach Jim McElwain said. “Garrett has a certain comfort level with some receivers on certain routes. We like to spread the ball around to keep the defense homing in on one player.”
Grayson said on certain defensive alignments, Higgins is his primary target.
“We have so many players across the board that if I can get the ball in their hands, they’ll make the plays,” Grayson said. “I know that anytime I get the ball to Rashard, it will turn out to be a good thing.”
Higgins deflects the question of being CSU’s go-to receiver.
“Yes, I am, but I believe the starting group as a whole is a go-to group,” Higgins said.
Did he take the rest of the game off after equaling his career high?
“I didn’t try to take the rest of the game off,” Higgins said. “We had some other players who wanted to get involved.”
Freshman Elroy Masters Jr. got involved in a big way. He caught five passes for 112 yards, including a long play of 69 yards.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296, imoss@denverpost.com or
