FORT COLLINS — At Colorado State’s team meeting Monday night, defensive tackle Jakob Buys heard an announcement that surprised him — and triggered raucous cheers from his teammates.
After three previous seasons in the Rams program as a walk-on after leaving Arvada’s Ralston Valley High School, Buys — a 6-foot-4, 285-pounder who will be a redshirt junior in 2016– will be on scholarship when CSU classes begin next week.
“I was in complete shock, I was so happy,” Buys said after the Rams’ Wednesday practice at Hughes Stadium. “I was just like, ‘I get to go tell my parents they don’t have to pay for school anymore.’ ”
Buys has worked summer jobs — including on a highway bridge painting crew — to help with his college costs.
“I saved up my money pretty good and have some money put aside,” he said.
CSU coach Mike Bobo said this was no act of charity: Buys earned the scholarship. He’s competing for a starting job and definitely will be in the defensive line rotation.
“Since Day One, he’s been all in,” said Bobo, entering his second season at CSU. “He works extremely hard. And it’s not just that he’s a hard worker, because really all of our guys are. But he’s continued to improve, he’s moved himself up the depth chart, and he’s battling for a spot to be a starter right now. He’s not just a role player.”
With the Rams taking stock of manpower within the context of the 85-scholarship limit, CSU on Wednesday morning announced that two other walk-ons — running back Eric Williams from Castle Rock and receiver Robert Ruiz from El Cajon, Calif. — also were placed on scholarship.
“You’ve got to have a great walk-on program,” Bobo said. “Certain walk-ons are going to be role players, going to be able to help with the scout team and some of the walk-ons are guys that can come here and develop and become players that make contributions.”
Buys redshirted in 2013 and saw limited duty in 10 games in each of the past two seasons. The Jim McElwain staff recruited him as a preferred walk-on. “Nothing was promised me,” he said. “They said, ‘If you work hard, you’re going to earn your scholarship fast.’ You know, Mac left and things changed. I had to go prove to coach Bobo that I’m a hard worker and I can play at this level.”
Buys said that other students were skeptical when he said he wasn’t on scholarship. “They thought I was lying for some reason,” he said. “I’m like, ‘You guys can buy my books for me if you want.’ ”
As a non-scholarship player, did he ever think of quitting?
“I questioned it sometimes, but then I had to sit down and think back why I love this game so much,” Buys said. “There are times when everybody wants to question something. But you remember why you love this game. I don’t know what I would do without it right now, so I want to play as long as I can.”
Footnotes. Bobo said the three-man quarterback race — involving Nick Stevens, Faton Bauta and Collin Hill — remains the same. “I’m waiting for somebody to step up,” Bobo said. “We haven’t had enough consistent play to say, ‘Hey, this is the guy to lead this football team for the 2016 season.’ Now, saying that, there’s been a lot of good things from those three guys.” … He said he “probably” would know his starter by Monday, but won’t necessarily make an announcement. “I probably won’t let coach (CU coach Mike) MacIntyre and them know who we’re starting.”