FORT COLLINS — The question was simple enough. The answer, however, carried more weight than Colorado State defensive coordinator Tyson Summers anticipated.
Kevin Pierre-Louis and Trent Matthews have played a lot of football together in Colorado State uniforms, patrolling the secondary at safety more often than not. Matthews started 50 games in his career, while Pierre-Louis enters the Arizona Bowl against Nevada on Dec. 29 with 36 starts out of 47 games played. Of Pierre-Louis’ starts, only one was made without Matthews next to him.
Now it will be two, as Matthews is scheduled to have ACL surgery Saturday to fix the knee injury that cost him his final collegiate game.
“It was funny. When we were practicing last Friday, I said, ‘K.P., have you ever played in a game without Trent right beside you?’ ” Summers said. “He was like, ‘Coach, I don’t know how many snaps I’ve taken without Trent right beside me.’ It’s an interesting thing. What a special bond those two kids have, and what a neat thing that they’ve got.”
Now all the Rams have to do is replace it in the game in Tucson against the Wolf Pack. Pierre-Louis knows it will be different, and it won’t be easy. Matthews has 10 career interceptions and brings a load of experience and leadership to the field.
It already has been odd with Matthews standing on the sideline for bowl practices helping to coach up his possible replacements, which probably will be a mixture of Jake Schlager, Nick Januska and Justin Sweet.
“It’s going to be sad, but I’ve got to overcome and adapt to the new guys,” Pierre-Louis said. “As a group of safeties, we’re so close together, it’s like Trent will be out there still with me even though he’s on the sideline coaching me. The next guy has been waiting for his opportunity, and I think he’ll be ready to step up.”
The key element will be communication. Matthews and Pierre-Louis played so long together, they could use a nod of the head to let the other know what was coming. For one week, that won’t be good enough anymore, a realization that is clear to Pierre-Louis.
“I think we’ve actually got to speak, say the words and overcommunicate, which will help me better, too,” he said. “I’m going to know what I need to do again by repeating the words again. Sometimes me and Trent, we get the head nod and we know where each other are going, and a few times it got messed up.”
Who will start will be up to the players involved, which is what Summers likes. He feels the competition among the three will bring out the best in them and leave the secondary better prepared for the task at hand.
