FORT COLLINS — Colorado State quarterback ’ performance in the first scrimmage of fall camp was a success with 10-of-15 passing for 224 yards and two touchdowns, but his final snap is the one he remembers most.
A red zone scramble. An errant throw. An interception.
“All he’s got to do is run and get the first down, he might walk in the end zone, and (he makes) a bonehead decision,” CSU coach said. “Itap probably going to upset him and feel like it ruined his day. That one play right there could cost you a game.”
The following week, Stevens confirmed, “It definitely put a damper on my whole weekend.”
Perfectionism comes with the job description at quarterback, and in preparation for the Aug. 26 home opener, execution in the red zone is of the highest priority for the Rams’ fifth-year senior under center — marking the culmination of progress inside the 20-yard line since he first became a starter.
In 2015, CSU ranked No. 64 nationally in red zone touchdown efficiency with 33 scores on 54 attempts.
Last fall, the Rams improved to 42 touchdowns on 53 possessions in the red zone, a mark that trailed only Navy for tops in the country. Itap success that prompts high standards, as made clear by Bobo: “We want to be one of the best teams in the country, offensively.”
Much of that task comes down to decision making by Stevens, making quick reads in a tight space, in a challenge enough to make a young quarterback second guess himself. It extends to his 10 teammates on the field, too, in avoiding mistakes that come under the microscope when points are within reach.
“It always sucks when you get down to the 10-yard line and then you get a holding penalty or something like that,” Stevens said. “I think we eliminated those mental errors and eliminated turnovers down there.”
But as the Rams sit just 12 days out from the christening of the on-campus stadium, a shift in practice tides has Stevens rededicating his red-zone focus. CSU’s defense was anemic defending the red zone a year ago, allowing 36 touchdowns on 47 attempts (No. 124 nationally), though recent performances indicate improvement.
“Quite frankly, the defense is winning in the red zone,” Bobo said. “They’re holding us to field goals. We turned the ball over in the (first) scrimmage and thatap not the standard that we need to live up to. So we’ve got to do a better job.”
Said Stevens: “They’ve been making plays on balls that they might not have made last spring.”
But still, the nagging mistakes are sure to keep CSU’s quarterback focused, even as his coach pushes for an “even temperament” through the good and the bad. The Rams will face Power Five defenses in three of their first four games in 2017 (vs. Oregon State, vs. Colorado and at Alabama).
“Whether you drive the team down the field and make some exceptional plays and throw a touchdown, or your throw an interception in the red zone, you kind of have to stay even keeled and let it go,” Bobo said.