Colorado State football will try to find its footing again Saturday in Albuquerque.
After another tough loss and another starter leaving the program midweek, the Rams head into an early kickoff against New Mexico hoping to translate the small flashes they’ve shown into something that holds up for four quarters.
The Rams are still adjusting in the wake of their coaching change, and now they’ll play the rest of the season without running back Jalen Dupree , who left the team this week ahead of the transfer portal window. Dupree led CSU in carries this year along with a team-high 508 yards, and his departure adds another layer to an offense that has already cycled through multiple quarterbacks and play callers.
Inside the program, interim head coach Tyson Summers keeps going back to one message during a chaotic stretch: reset.
“We talked a lot last week about resetting their minds and again (and) trying to do a good job with their bodies,” Summers said. “We spent a lot of time just talking about what their hearts were going to be like, and trying to make sure they understood how much we cared about them.”
CSU opened last week’s game with signs of progress.
The Rams forced early three-and-outs, got some short fields from special teams and put together a clean drive with a touchdown. But those moments didn’t hold.
UNLV outrushed CSU 320 to 103 and hit explosive plays at every level, including runs of 59 and 31 yards from separate players that broke things open. The Rebels averaged 7.8 yards per carry on a Rams defense still reeling from injuries.
Summers walked the team through what he called an “action and reaction tape” Sunday morning, showing how small mistakes stacked up. He pointed to a second quarter fourth-and-one near midfield where CSU didn’t convert.
“That’s the action; the reaction is we give up a touchdown, and now it’s a different game.” Summers said. “If we don’t have to burn a timeout earlier on defense because somebody came off the field on third and short, then we’re able to kick a field goal at the end of the half instead of having to rush it. Those are controllables.”
He said he showed them plays from every drive, starting with the opening kickoff, trying to connect how all three phases affect each other.
And while the first two games following former head coach Jay Norvell’s departure have been lopsided losses, Summers has allowed the team to visualize the mistakes and try to continue learning with just three games left.
The Rams have leaned more on younger in recent weeks, especially with the volume of injuries they’ve absorbed.
Redshirt freshman Darius Curry made his third-straight appearance at quarterback. Defensive back Jace Bellah grabbed his fourth interception of the year while headlining the defense. True freshmen across the rotation have been asked to play more snaps than expected.
“We’ve played a lot of freshmen, and we’ll continue to go with the guys that give us the best chance,” Summers said. “Some of the injuries we’ve had prevent us from moving into a lot of new guys, but those young players have helped us.”
Bellah, in particular, stood out.
“He’s a guy that got an opportunity and ran with it,” Summers said. “His interception the other night, he’s the middle of the field safety, plays his technique, sees the ball, closes a 20 yard gap and he’s right where he’s supposed to be.”
On offense, the Rams were already juggling pieces before Dupree’s departure.
Curry and fellow quarterback Jackson Brousseau combined for 189 passing yards against UNLV, with one touchdown to Rocky Beers. CSU averaged just three yards per carry, and without Dupree’s five yards per tote on the year, the rotation becomes even thinner.
Tight ends coach and newly promoted offensive playcaller Grant Chestnut has had his work cut out for him.
“I think Grant’s done a great job of incorporating tempo, motions, shifts and getting JB outside the pocket to help our offensive line,” Summers said. “We’ve just got to sustain it. There were probably eight or nine plays where we’re inches away from a big play that should go for 50 or 60 yards.”
Saturday’s early kickoff is something CSU hasn’t dealt with much this season. But New Mexico brings a style of play that Summers said is clear and effective.
“They don’t screw it up,” Summers said. “They don’t take a lot of sacks, they’re not behind the sticks, and defensively, they do a really good job stopping the run.”
On defense, UNM’s front four is a strength, and the Lobos’ No. 1 defensive end is someone Summers said the Rams must be aware of on every snap. Their punter is also one of the top performers in the league, making field position another point of emphasis.
Yet, Summers has kept the structure simple each morning leading up to the game.
Team meetings early. Music playing. Something to reset the room. Something to loosen tension and keep them moving forward.
“I know they’re frustrated with me, they’ve had to listen to Michael Jackson and Marvin Gaye way too many times,” Summers said. “But we’re going to walk in and have good vibes every day. We’re going to start with culture, and we’re going to give them the truth. Good, bad or ugly.”
Truth has been the theme through a stretch defined by change.
Summers keeps telling them there is still opportunity in the small things that can be corrected, and that the film shows more positive pieces than outsiders might expect.
“We’ve just got to keep putting one foot in front of the other,” Summers said. “We had a lot of positive things from the film, a lot of things we can correct and I think we’re headed in the right direction.”
CSU kicks off at 1 p.m. MST Saturday in Albuquerque.
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Reach Michael Hovey at sports@collegian.com or on social media @michaelfhovey.
