214 passing yards and five touchdowns.
That was the final line for Colorado State quarterback Hauss Hejny in the season opener.
In his first game as a Ram, Hejny helped CSU reclaim the Bronze Boot from Wyoming following a 28-0 loss last season. His impressive performance in his first full collegiate game helped the Rams offense put up 35 points against a formidable Cowboys defense.
“We talked about it nine months ago, going and handling business versus Wyoming,” Hejny said. “We put our heads down and worked for the past nine months … I’m so proud of this team.”
Hejny completed a pass to 10 different receivers, and caught a pass of his own. On the opening drive of the game, head coach Jim Mora dialed up a trick play where wide receiver Terrence Smith completed a 28-yard pass to Hejny for a crucial gain, setting up CSU for the opening score of the game.
In spite of his simply spectacular catch, Hejny didn’t think too much of it.
“It was a lucky play,” Hejny said. “Football gods are on our side right there.”
The Rams’ offense made sure to spread the wealth, and that was crucial to their victory.
”We have a lot of playmakers, and we want to get them involved,” Mora said. “We have confidence in all of them.”
Even though CSU had 11 different players with receptions, Hejny connected with wide receiver RJ Vick for three separate touchdowns, including a 57-yard snag to put the Rams up 21-13 early in the second half.
In the offseason, CSU players have worked hard to develop chemistry and gel as a team ahead of the season, and that work shined through in the victory.
“The past nine months, Coach Mora made us be at the facility quite a bit,” Hejny said. “Summer workouts, winter workouts, extra throwing sessions, it would just come from all the required extra work that we did this offseason.”
The defense for the green and gold also came up huge in the victory, forcing four turnovers and picking off UW quarterback Tyler Hughes three times. In numerous crucial spots, the defensive unit helped shut down any semblance of momentum for the Cowboys, and allowed CSU to pull away by an increasingly large margin.
Former UConn linebacker Oumar Diomande had a team leading 11 tackles to go along with an interception, and helped keep momentum in the Rams’ favor.
“We’re coming,” Diomande said, regarding the message CSU is sending to the rest of the Pac-12. “We’re building something special, and we won’t go down that easy.”
In a game of firsts for CSU, they put a lot of fans’ worries at ease following their dominating performance.
A victory in a rivalry game not only means a lot to fans and helps breathe hope into a new season, but it means a lot to the players as well.
“We just wanted to win, so it was super special to be a part of such a special tradition,” Hejny said.
After the Rams’ victory, students rushed the field, enveloping the players as they hoisted the Bronze Boot.
“Looking across the field and seeing 17,500 students … seeing them storm the field, you know, and celebrate with their classmates, that’s what college football is all about,” Mora said. “Those great moments, and then the community in the locker room afterwards. That’s why I love college football, you don’t get that anywhere else.”
In a matchup that was crucial in setting the tone for Mora’s first season in Fort Collins for many reasons, it just meant more to beat a longtime rival in the season opener.
Players and fans alike celebrated the toppling of a fierce rival, including players who came to CSU less than a year ago.
“When I came to Colorado I heard we hate Wyoming, so I decided to hate Wyoming too,” Diomande said.
Hejny downplayed his impressive personal performance in his postgame press conference, making sure to give credit to his teammates, while also making it clear that the win was a result of great work from players and coaches alike.
“It was fun to get five touchdowns, I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, so it was cool,” Hejny said. “Our offense just executed all around, our receivers blocked their tails off and our offensive line was gritty the whole game, just having that next play mentality.”
While this win was an important one for the Rams, the locker room’s focus is on the next matchup, Sept. 12 against Southern Utah.
“We’re gonna enjoy it for the 24 hours, and then we’re gonna move on to the next one,” Hejny said. “We’ll hit the ground running on Sunday afternoon or Monday again.”
Reach Jack Randels at sports@collegian.com or on social media @RMCollegian.
