FORT COLLINS — He may not be “Hollywood,” but Michael Gallup is poised to become Colorado State’s next star wide receiver.
The Rams knew heading into the season that it would be no easy task replacing Rashard Higgins, the All-American whose nickname fit his flashy game.
But in Gallup, a transfer from Butler Community College in Kansas, the Rams have found a dependable target who has helped a once-struggling CSU offense discover its footing over the last month.
Gallup caught a career-high nine passes for 126 yards during CSU’s 37-0 rout of Fresno State on Saturday, continuing to display the chemistry he has formed with junior quarterback Nick Stevens.
“With me and Mike kind of building our chemistry, it’s helped a lot,” Stevens said. “He’s able to sit there and know that I’m going to come to him and tell him exactly what we’re looking for. And the same for him if he wants a certain ball a certain way. It’s definitely helped out.”
After a slow start, Gallup has caught at least seven passes in three of CSU’s last four games. Rams coach Mike Bobo said it took Gallup, like a number of CSU’s first-year players, some time to get on the same page with what the team was doing on offense.
Gallup appears to be up to speed now. He’s comfortable with his routes, able to let his considerable talent take over. His 18-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter was a prime example. Gallup caught the ball in the flat, broke a tackle, hurdled a defender as he tore down the sideline and then dove into the end zone.
“I can’t really tell you,” Gallup said when asked to describe how he made the play. “I was just born with that. It was willpower right there.”
Kinsey shines. The Rams shared the wealth when it came to running the ball against Fresno State. Ten different CSU players had a carry as part of a 257-yard performance on the ground.
The most impressive was freshman Marvin Kinsey, who tallied 83 yards on just 10 carries and had a 5-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
“He’s getting out there and starting to wiggle a little bit,” Izzy Matthews, who rushed for two 1-yard touchdowns, said of Kinsey.
The 83 yards were the most this season against an FBS opponent for Kinsey, who rushed for more than 1,400 yards as a senior last season at Riverwood High School outside of Atlanta.
Vaden’s first interception big. Jordon Vaden switched to cornerback during this his senior season after three years as a wide receiver.
On Saturday he made his most memorable defensive play yet. Vaden’s first career interception in the fourth quarter ended a Fresno State drive that had moved to the CSU 31-yard line, helping to preserve CSU’s first shutout since 1997.