TUCSON, Ariz. – The lowrider ready to carry Colorado State football off into the sunset turned into a saguaro when the clock struck 12:35 in the third quarter.
That’s when the Miami Redhawks pushed the score to 16-3, and the herd of Ram fans who traveled to Tucson, Arizona, came to the realization that CSU was in for a disastrous end to its season.
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Although CSU tried to make things interesting in the third quarter, the Rams just could not get out of their own way in a 43-17 loss to Miami (OH).
“We didn’t score enough points to make it a game,” coach Jay Norvell said. “We gave up a couple of plays in the second half, and we gave up a big play in the kicking game as well. I have to look at the film, but the bottom line is we didn’t respond offensively and score enough points to make it a game. I thought our defense hung in there and did a good job.”
The Rams’ defense began the game magnificently, giving up just nine points despite facing two drives that started deep in their own territory.
“I made jokes with some of the younger safeties that they have a twinkle in their eye. There’s a lot of guys in our locker room — young dudes who want to (be) great, … and they want to do everything they can to be great. I know this program is going to be in a great position because they’ve got a good example of what it should look like.” -Henry Blackburn, defensive back
Both drives were the result of turnovers — just two of the four CSU had on the day.
“I know there’s a lot of analyzing of this game, (but) it’s pretty simple,” Norvell said. “We turned the ball over, and we had too many penalties — and you can’t win when you do that. I think if you look at the yardage and all of that, we probably came out on top in a lot of those stats. But the important stat that matters is the turnovers.”
The first turnover came when Avery Morrow fumbled the ball in CSU territory, giving the Redhawks the ball on CSU’s 37-yard line. Despite that, the defense held the Redhawks to just a field goal.
The second one resulted when the ball slipped out of Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi‘s hand and right into the outstretched arms of Miami (OH) linebacker Adam Trick. That set up the Redhawks on the Rams’ 11-yard line. Yet, the defense stood strong again, allowing just three points.
The Rams somehow went into the break down just 6 points, with the game not too far out of reach.
“We did a lot of the same things we did all year — we just turned the ball over tonight,” Norvell said. “We called a screen pass early and put it in a guy like Avery’s hands, and he fumbles it. And the interceptions that Brayden had, we’ve got to do a better job on those. There’s a lot of things that we could’ve done better, and we have to take accountability for that.”
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Following halftime, things went downhill for CSU. After giving up a touchdown on the first possession of the second half, CSU followed that up with a Vince Brown IV fumble that led to another Redhawks’ touchdown.
On the ensuing drive, CSU failed on a fourth-and-short on Miami (OH)’s three-yard line. The very next play, Kevin Davis took a 97-yard carry to the end zone for another Redhawks’ touchdown.
One thing Norvell said the team needs is playmakers. He called the team young, and if there’s one positive to take from this game, all of the Rams’ playmakers are first-years by eligibility.
Justin Marshall ran eight times for 84 yards; Stephon Daily caught four passes for 74 yards and a touchdown to lead the way for CSU; and right behind him was Jordan Ross, who had 58 yards of four catches.
“We have to show more consistency — we’ve got to develop playmakers,” Norvell said. “We’ve got to develop playmakers in the passing game as well as the running game. We’ve traditionally had that. We were younger this year, in my opinion. We were really young at receiver; we were inexperienced at tight end; and we’ve got to play more consistently at those positions. And Brayden has got to be more consistent as well.”
And just like that, in the blink of an eye, CSU was down 29-3, and the season was all but over. Despite the eventual blowout, Henry Blackburn and the rest of the guys moving on from the program still found something to be proud about.
“I’m so proud of this team,” Blackburn said. “We challenged this team in January to get everything that they possibly can every single day. Do everything you can, and we’ll live with the result. And so obviously tonight didn’t go how we wanted it to go, but we’re still grateful to (have) this opportunity.”
Morrow, who became the first 1,000-yard rusher under Norvell at CSU, shared a similar sentiment.
“I don’t feel like I have anything sad to say,” Morrow said. “I could have been somewhere different. I’m just grateful for all the relationships I’ve made. I’m grateful for all the hard times I’ve been through because it made me the man that I am today.”
While CSU’s hopes of riding out of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl in a Cinderella fashion went sour, the high hopes that this isn’t the last bowl game the Rams will play in the next seven years remains telling of at least some progress under Norvell and company.
“I made jokes with some of the younger safeties that they have a twinkle in their eye,” Blackburn said. “There’s a lot of guys in our locker room — young dudes who want to (be) great, … and they want to do everything they can to be great. I know this program is going to be in a great position because they’ve got a good example of what it should look like.”
Reach Damon Cook at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @dwcook2001.
