Freshman running back Cedric Ross is emerging as a playmaker for Colorado State only three games into the season.
The first-year Ram from Estacado High School in Lubbock, Texas, scored the first touchdown in both of CSU’s first two victories of the season and almost made it three in a row Saturday night against BYU.
He scored those touchdowns on receptions, making him a versatile weapon for head coach Jim Mora, who has been taking advantage of Ross’ skills.
“He’s done a really nice job, and I think that’s a credit to his maturity and certainly his physical ability,” Mora said. “You put your players in positions to do what they do best. We’ve got specific packages each week for him. And that package grows as he becomes more experienced as a player.”
In the Rams’ season opener against Wyoming, Ross scored right out of the gates on a 6-yard pass from quarterback Hauss Hejny. The next week, against Southern Utah, Ross put the Rams on the board on a 68-yard pass from Hejny.
On the Rams’ second offensive play against BYU on Saturday, he caught a pass from Hejny and ran 50 yards before being forced out of bounds at the Cougars’ 15-yard line.
Even though he is listed on the roster as a running back, Ross is the team’s leading receiver after three games, with seven catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns. He has only carried the ball twice, for nine yards.
“It’s a fine line between giving him enough and not too much,” Mora said. “So, we’re walking that line, and you get a feel for your players as you go through the season, what they can handle. I think Cedric’s a guy that, as we continue through the season, you’ll see him be able to handle a lot more. But right now, his packaging is pretty specific.”
Ross was a three-star recruit out of high school by 247Sports. During his prep career at Estacado, he rushed for 1,184 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with 57 receptions for 1,155 yards and 10 TDs.
He’s shown that same versatility and playmaking ability so far for CSU this season.
Defensive attention
Mora is aware his team’s defense needs some attention.
Following a strong performance in which CSU limited Wyoming to 273 yards, and only 88 in the second half, the Rams surrendered more than 400 yards against both Southern Utah and BYU.
The FCS Thunderbirds amassed 442 yards against the Rams, and then the Cougars piled up 559 — including 332 on the ground.
Mora puts the responsibility of the defense, particularly stopping the run, on his coaching staff and how they approach teaching the players what to do and what not to do.
“We’re not stopping the run well, but that’s a very broad statement,” Mora said. “We rank 134th in the country in stopping the run. As a staff, let’s go in and be very critical of ourselves and make sure that we’re doing the right things and not being stubborn with some of the stuff that’s worked for us in the past. We’ve done that.
“And then it’s making sure that we are presenting to the players in a way that it is very specific so that they have a tremendous grasp of it. Because when players are certain, they’ll play fast. When they play fast, they have the ability to make plays.”
After allowing only 13 points to the Cowboys in Week 1, the Rams let Southern Utah score 28. The Cougars, which moved up to No. 9 in the most recent Associated Press Top 25 poll, put up 41 points.
Big plays have been a problem for CSU, both on the ground and through the air in the first three games of the season.
Mora went back to saying the Rams need to focus on the specifics and make adjustments when they are needed, and that falls on his staff.
“If something’s not going right, you know, people always talk about halftime adjustments,” Mora said. “If you’re making your adjustments at halftime, you’re making your adjustments way too late. Adjustments need to be continual. So, we just have to continue to improve as a staff. And then we will improve as a defense. That’s my belief right there.”
Safety Tre’Shawn Moore said the Rams plan to continue to improve and focus on what they have learned they need to work on.
The team has put the result of last week behind them and are looking forward to putting this week’s work to the test in their next game Saturday.
“It’s redemption week,” he said. “We’ve just got to get back on track.”
Up next
CSU will make its first road trip of the season this weekend, heading to San Antonio, Texas, to face UTSA on Saturday.
The game is the second half of a home-and-home series. The Roadrunners defeated the Rams 17-16 last season at Canvas Stadium.
UTSA is 2-1 on the season. The Roadrunners won their season opener against FCS UT Rio Grande Valley, 45-16, and then beat Pac-12 member Texas State 31-26 before losing to No. 1 Texas last week, 30-6.
Quarterback Owen McCown has passed for 559 yards and four touchdowns this season, while Will Henderson III is the leading rusher with 233 yards and a touchdown. DJ Allen is the top receiver with 155 yards and a touchdown.
Linebacker Brandon Tucker Jr. leads the defense with 29 tackles and a sack.
This is only the third meeting between the two teams. Before last season’s victory by the Roadrunners, CSU had won the previous two contests, in 2015 (33-31) and 2016 (23-14).
