FORT COLLINS — On Dec. 4, when Jim McElwain’s departure as Colorado State’s coach was announced, junior running back Dee Hart was decisive in saying he intended to remain in the Rams’ program for his senior season in 2015.
“I’m happy and thankful,” Hart said that day. “I have my family and friends here, a lot of guys who have accepted me in this program, and I have a lot of teachers and staff members who have accepted me. It’s a big deal to me that I stay and finish up my career here. I started something here. I need to finish it.”
After the Rams’ Monday practice, though, Hart backtracked. In fact, he gave the impression that Saturday’s Las Vegas Bowl probably will be his final appearance in a CSU uniform.
Asked if he had given the issue additional thought, Hart said: “Yeah, I gave it some thought. I’m just going to wait until after the bowl game to finalize my decision.”
Does he know what he’s going to do?
“Yeah, most definitely,” he said.
Hart spent three seasons in the Alabama program. McElwain, then the Crimson Tide’s offensive coordinator, was the point man in his recruitment from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando, Fla., as one of the top prospects in the country’s Class of 2011.
Hart redshirted as a freshman after knee surgery, then couldn’t crack the Alabama running back rotation as a freshman and sophomore, but was a special-teams standout.
After his transfer to rejoin McElwain in Fort Collins this past August, he was eligible to play immediately as a junior in football eligibility because he already had his undergraduate degree. He has been taking graduate school courses this semester.
For the 10-2 Rams this season, he has 187 carries for 1,254 yards and 16 touchdowns. In the bowl game against Utah, running back Treyous Jarrells, who was banged up and often unavailable down the stretch of the regular season, will be back at full strength, and CSU might return to its 1-2 punch alternating approach.
Interim head coach Dave Baldwin closed Monday’s practice with an animated talk to the players in the indoor practice facility.
“With finals going on, we shortened practice and it was crisp,” he said. “We’re going to fire them up all week.”
During the season, Baldwin called the plays from the press box. On Saturday, he’ll call the plays from the sideline, while also acting as the CEO. From above during the season, Baldwin communicated with tight ends coach Art Valero on the sideline. Valero will move to the press box for the bowl, so the communication process will remain the same — other than their traded locations.
As the interview process continued to name a successor to McElwain, Baldwin again wouldn’t comment on whether he had yet interviewed for the position.
Rather, he referred to his résumé, including impressive offensive production at many of his stops.
“I think my record speaks for itself,” Baldwin said.
Terry Frei: tfrei@denverpost.com or
