FORT COLLINS — After Treyous Jarrells recently left the team and Dalyn Dawkins was unable to play Saturday at Texas-San Antonio because of injury, the Colorado State Rams were down to No. 3 on the preseason depth chart at running back.
And senior Jasen Oden Jr., who began his CSU career as a defensive back, stepped in and responded, rushing for 143 yards on 30 carries in the Rams’ 33-31 victory over the Roadrunners.
Monday, though, CSU coach Mike Bobo said he expected Dawkins to be able to play Saturday when the Rams open their Mountain West schedule at 1-2 Utah State.
“Dawkins looks good,” Bobo said. “I think he rode 10 miles on that bike the other night because he was on the bike the whole game, trying to stay lose just in case he had to go in. I saw him (Sunday) in the training room and he felt good. So we’re expecting Dawkins to go this Saturday.
“We just have to watch Dawkins in practice because he goes 100 miles an hour. Limit his reps a little bit so we don’t have a setback. Right now, I feel good about him going.”
Dawkins, a sophomore from Louisville, Ky., who transferred to CSU after playing one season at Purdue, has rushed for 247 yards on 44 carries.
Bobo added that guard Zack Golditch, injured during the game Saturday, “will be limited (Monday). He’s probably questionable for this week.”
Leading into their only bye week of the season, the 2-2 Rams are at Utah State, then at home against Boise State and Air Force. The Falcons and New Mexico share the Mountain Division lead at 1-0, while Boise State, CSU and Utah State have yet to play a league game.
How does Bobo feel about that stretch to open conference play?
“Ask me in three weeks,” Bobo said. “That’s going to be part of the conversation I have with the players today is that we can’t look past this week. What’s out there the next three weeks before we have an off week is a daunting schedule. Those three teams all won 10 games last year. We have to control what we can control, and that’s how we get ready each week.”
Terry Frei: , tfrei@denverpost.com or @tfrei
