Sometimes, hope is nothing more than just that.
And this season, Colorado State football his given itself many new opportunities which translated into more of the same.
There were moments the Rams started to gain momentum, but they were too few between. Tyson Summers‘ first test as interim head coach came on the road in a big rivalry matchup in a packed War Memorial Stadium, and it ended in a 28-0 loss to Wyoming Saturday.
More opportunity awaits as CSU adjusts to multiple drastic changes, but only time will tell if the pieces can come together in the remaining weeks.
Darius Curry gets nod
After Jackson Brousseau threw his third pick of the night to a defender with a bulky hand cast, redshirt freshman Darius Curry trotted onto the field with the offense the next drive.
Curry garnered interest with his rushing ability and development in Spring camp, but he remained third on the depth chart until Saturday. The young prospect handled field general duties for the entirety of the fourth quarter and cleanly played out the rest of the contest.
He finished with 112 passing yards off 9-of-16 completions and no touchdowns through one quarter.
“I saw a lot of good things from Darius,” Summers said. “We know Darius is a good player, talented guy, I think again, giving him the opportunity, he earned it by the way he played a couple of weeks ago and being able to get in on drives and being able to produce. So, we’ll continue to be able to sit there and look at Darius as long as he continues to. (Brousseau) will continue to be the starter. We’ll keep working with (Brousseau) to continue to get better.”
It was still too little too late for the young quarterback, but he appeared to handle the sudden call well in Laramie. Escaping the pocket and directing traffic came naturally, but Curry also fumbled a snap in the redzone on CSU’s final drive, effectively ending the Rams’ chance at any points.
Forgettable first half
Hardly anything went CSU’s way to start the game.
By halftime, UW outproduced the Rams 228-62 in total yards and held a 21-0 lead which would only grow throughout the game. Brousseau also tossed two interceptions and completed four passes for 18 yards.
The Cowboys were simply playing faster, more cohesive and better.
“We went through the first half, we did not play very well,” Summers said. “We could have done a lot better second half, really, we challenged them at halftime. Second half, we came back out. Wasn’t perfect. We still had missed opportunities, but they played a lot better. … I’ve got to do a better job of leading them and being able to give us a better chance of being able to win football games, but we will get better, and we will get there. I promise you.”
Cowboy offense plays with efficiency
UW played with tempo and accuracy, as Kaden Anderson completed 16-of-24 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. And off seven rushers, the Cowboys racked up 212 yards throughout the contest. Possibly most importantly, UW played a clean game with zero turnovers and more time in possession.
The Cowboys performed admirably in the first half and didn’t have to do much to secure the win afterward.
CSU still finding footing
The past few weeks have been hectic for the Rams, and it’s understandable why the first game after losing their head coach, changing offensive coordinators and now switching quarterbacks for the second time in a season would come with struggles.
Offensive identity hasn’t always been clear this season, especially with significant injuries in Jaxxon Warren and veteran lineman Tanner Morley earlier in the year.
CSU did improve in the second half, shutting out the Cowboys in the fourth quarter and managing to string together offensive drives a little better. There were some positives that came with adjustments in the break, and Summers remains hopeful in resetting.
“I think in the second half we were in some better third-and-5 and third-and-6 and, so we had a better chance at third down,” Summers said. “We had another four or five injuries tonight, and two or three of those guys on defense. But, you know, guys continue to step up and gave ourselves a chance offensively. (We have got to) find a way on two or three drives to make one more play.”
CSU now gets a bye week to rest and acclimate before another tough matchup at home against UNLV.
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Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on social media @michaelfhovey.
