The 5280 Football Preview

Our rip-roarin’, QB-battlin’, coach-firin’, trash-talkin’ look at the upcoming season on Colorado’s most-storied gridirons

CSU Rams

Back on Track?

Storyline Head coach Steve Fairchild knew when he took the job at Colorado State University that pulling the football team out of the Mountain West basement would take a Herculean effort—and more than a handful of years. After two diametrical seasons (they went 7–6 with a bowl win in ’08 and finished 3–9 in ’09) as the Rams’ coach, Fairchild is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming battles of 2010. “I like the feel we have around the program now,” he says. “And that atmosphere is spreading through the entire university—everyone has a good feeling.” Of course, the team is going to need more than a happy vibe on campus to win games. Fairchild is hopeful that with 10 returning defensive starters, experience at linebacker, and a deep roster of running backs, he can bring winning ways back to his alma mater. “We weren’t as successful as we wanted to be last year,” Fairchild says. “Our defense got banged up. We needed to coach better. This year we’re going to be young but talented. I’m excited about it.”

The upside The ’09 recruiting class was above average, but the ’10 class is the highest-rated group for CSU in more than a decade.

The downside Although Fairchild waxes poetic about the talent level of his offensive line and his two potential quarterbacks, he admits they are all young and inexperienced. In fact, Pete Thomas, the front-runner for the QB position, is a true freshman.

Player to watch CSU has an enviably deep backfield with running backs Leonard Mason, John Mosure, and Raymond Carter. But redshirt freshman Chris Nwoke instigated some violent collisions in spring ball; he might be a break-out player in the Mountain West.

Key matchup CSU will don its pumpkin and alfalfa throwbacks for Ag Day against Idaho, a team it should’ve beaten last year. —LBK

2010 Schedule (all times local)

• Sept. 4: CSU vs. CU neutral site (Denver) noon
• Sept. 11: CSU vs. Nevada away 8:30 p.m.
• Sept. 18: CSU vs. Miami (Ohio) away 1:30 p.m.
• Sept. 25: CSU vs. Idaho home 2 p.m.
• Oct. 2: CSU vs. TCU home noon
• Oct. 9: CSU vs. Air Force away noon
• Oct. 16: CSU vs. UNLV home noon
• Oct. 23: CSU vs. Utah away 4 p.m.
• Oct. 30: CSU vs. New Mexico home 4 p.m.
• Nov. 6: CSU vs. San Diego St. away 8 p.m.
• Nov. 13: CSU vs. BYU home noon
• Nov. 20: CSU vs. Wyoming away noon