Vol 126, no 37, october, 7, 2016 (Homecoming Special Edition)

Inside the Lines Friday, Oct. 7, 2016

CSU vs. Utah State

Homecoming Edition

Page 7

Find all your homec oming news inside start ing on Pages 11-30.

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

What’s Inside...

4 Quarterbacks face off at Hughes 7 ‘90s an era of pride for CSU 9 2014 USU game a classic 11 Lost homecoming traditions Inside The Lines

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16 Best homecoming activities 22 Road closures to know 34 Check in on #NextLevelRams 35 Detrich Clark Poster

Erik Petrovich | Editor-in-Chief editor@collegian.com Julia Rentsch | Managing Editor editor@collegian.com Chad Deutschman | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Keegan Pope | Special Section Design Editor sports@collegian.com Colton Strickler | Assistant Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Eric Wolf | Sports Reporter sports@collegian.com Justin Michael | Sports Reporter sports@collegian.com

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

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Collegian Weekly Staff Picks Chad Deutschman Sports Editor

Colton Strickler Asst. Sports Editor

Eric Wolf Football Reporter

Justin Michael Sports Columnist

Record: 31-12 Record: 25-18 Record: 34-9 Record: 27-16

CSU vs. Utah State

CSU

Utah State

Utah State

Utah State

LSU vs. Florida

LSU Oklahoma

Florida Oklahoma

LSU Oklahoma

Florida Oklahoma

Houston N. Carolina

Houston N. Carolina

Houston N. Carolina

Houston N. Carolina

Texas A&M Air Force

Tennessee Air Force

Tennessee Air Force

Tennessee Air Force

Oklahoma vs. Texas Houston vs. Navy Va. Tech vs. N. Carolina Tennessee vs. Texas A&M Air Force vs. Wyoming Colorado vs. USC

USC Colorado Alabama Alabama Alabama vs. Arkansas Florida State vs. Miami (FL) Florida State Miami (FL) Idaho vs. Louisiana-Monroe La.-Monroe Idaho UMass UMass vs. Old Dominion Old Dominion Buffalo Buffalo Kent State vs. Buffalo CSU-Pueblo vs. Adams State CSU-Pueblo CSU-Pueblo

Colorado Alabama Miami (FL) La.-Monroe

Colorado Alabama Miami (FL) La.-Monroe Old Dominion UMass Kent State Buffalo CSU-Pueblo CSU-Pueblo

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

INFOGRAPHIC BY KEEGAN POPE COLLEGIAN

Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

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Opponent Spotlight: Utah State Aggies

By Eric Wolf Utah State Aggies: 2-3 (0-2 MW) 9/1: Weber State: W 45-6 9/10: @ Southern California: L 45-7 9/16: Arkansas State: W 34-20 9/24: Air Force: L 24-20 10/1: @ #24 Boise State: L 21-10 In what will be CSU’s second conference match-up of the 2016 season, the 2-3 Utah State Aggies come to town. On paper, the Aggies might not look as strong as they have in recent memory, but coach Mike Bobo reiterated a point that the Aggies are still playing their typical brand of football in the Mountain West.

Offensive Stats: Scoring: 23.2 ppg Rushing: 157.6 ypg Passing: 219.8 ypg Total: 377.4 ypg Colorado State fans should be familiar with Utah State starting quarterback Kent Myers. The dual-threat quarterback made the first start of his season last year against CSU in week six in a game where he put up 191 yards rushing on 16

carries. Since then, Myers has continually progressed, and this is another week in which the Rams’ defense faces the challenge of trying to contain a quarterback that can break down a defense with his legs or his arm.

“I think you see a guy who is more comfortable playing the quarterback position,” coach Mike Bobo said of Myers during his game week press conference. “Anytime you play a guy who is confident throwing the ball downfield and has the ability to run the ball...he is a threat. He his going to make some plays.”

This year, Myers has thrown for 1,0847 yards and four touchdowns, while rushing for 156 yards. But the junior has been working more with his arm this season, as through five games, Myers is thirteen attempts away from matching his numbers from last season in eight contests.

Right now, the Aggies are without leading tailback Devante Mays, who ran for over 200 yards in the team’s first game before injuring his knee against Southern California.

Mays came back against Air

Force two weeks ago, only to aggravate the injury and he has not played since. Junior back Tonny Lindsey has been the lead runner in Mays’ absence, rushing for 308 yards and three scores on 71 carries.

On the outside, sophomore Ron’Quavion Tavers has been Myers’ favorite target this season catching 21 balls for 233 yards and one score, while Rayshad Lewis, son of former NFL linebacker Ray Lewis, has made his own impact as a freshman, recording 19 receptions for 267 yards and one touchdown.

On the offensive line, seniors Jake Simonich, Austin Albrecht and Austin Stephens, who were all named honorable mention All-Mountain West players a year ago, return to anchor Utah State’s front.

Defense: Scoring: 23.8 ppg Rush: 144.6 ypg Pass: 202.1 ypg Total: 346.8 ypg Going into the Minnesota game, Bobo said that the Gophers were the best defensive team the Rams would see all year. But with Utah State com-

ing in this week, it’s new team, same theme.

“Defensively, they are probably going to be the best defense we have played up to this point,” Bobo said. “They have guys that are athletic, they play free to me on defense. They feed off of each other. It’s scary watching the film right now of them defensively of how we are going to move the ball and what we are going to do (offensively).”

The Aggies lost defensive playmakers to the NFL in linebackers Kyler Fackrell and Nick Vigil, but even in their absence, the Aggies are still playing their typical good brand defense.

Utah State currently ranks 30th in the nation in total defense, and in their 21-10 loss to Boise State last week, the Aggies became the first team to hold the high-powered Bronco offense to fewer than 30 points and 400 yards in a game. While in their loss to Air Force, Utah State held the Falcons to 213 yards on the ground when Air Force came in averaging over 430 yards rushing per game.

Again, the group is led in the linebacking corp by seniors Brock Carmen and Anthony

Williams. Despite only starting the last two contests, Williams leads the team in tackles with 37, while Carmen ranks second on the team in tackles with 30, to go along with two sacks.

But after being ejected for a third quarter targeting penalty against Boise State last week, Williams will have to sit out the first half on Saturday.

As a unit, the Aggies have recorded 33 tackles-for-loss this season, good for 33rd in the country, while eight different players have at least one sack.

Utah State has a playmaker in the defensive backfield in junior cornerback Jalen Davis, who has 22 tackles and four pass break-ups in five games, but for the third straight game, the team will most likely be without safety Dallin Leavitt in the secondary.

Leavitt, a junior transfer from BYU, was emerging as a defensive leader for Utah State, recording 29 tackles and two interceptions, before he was injured in the Air Force game.

Eric Wolf can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

When the Rams are on offense...

37 3 7 81

20 89

12

57

49

13 4

19 70 95 76 51 77 54 61 32

15 1 Utah State

Colorado State 15 - Collin Hill, QB, 6-5, 210, Freshman

60 - Nick Callendar, LT, 6-6, 315, Senior

19 - Ian Togial, DE, 6-2, 285, Junior

49 - Derek Larson, OLB, 6-3, 240, Senior

1 - Dalyn Dawkins, RB, 5-9, 175, Junior

51 - Colby Meeks, LG, 6-3, 305, Sophomore

70 - Travis Seefeldt, DT, 6-1, 305, Senior

7 - Daniel Gray, CB, 5-10, 190, Senior

81 - Olabisi Johnson, WR, 6-0, 190, Sophomore

77 - Jake Bennett, C, 6-3, 290, Junior

95 - Ricky Ali’ifua, DE, 6-2, 280, Senior

37 - Devin Centers, FS, 5-9, 20, Senior

4 - Michael Gallup, WR, 6-1, 195, Junior

54 - Fred Zerblis, RG, 6-3, 305, Senior

20 - Brock Carmen, OLB, 6-3, 235, Senior

2 - Marquan Ellison, BS, 5-10, 200, Senior

89 - Robert Ruiz, WR, 5-10, 170, Senior

61 - Zack Golditch, RT, 6-6, 295, Junior

57 - Leki Uasike, ILB, 5-9, 230, Senior

13 - Jalen Davis, CB, 5-10, 185, Junior

12 - Alex Huerta, ILB, 6-3, 240, Senior

32 - Nolan Peralta, TE, 6-3, 245, Senior

When the Rams are on defense...

18 8 33 55 43 15 5 91 92 94 88 9 65 74 59 76 73 83

11 82

2 4 Colorado State

Utah State

94 - Darnell Thompson, LDE, 6-4, 270, Junior

33 - Kevin Davis, WLB, 6-2, 240, Senior

2 - Kent Myers, QB, 6-0, 200, Junior

65 - Austin Albrecht, LT, 6-5, 300, Senior

92 - Josh Lovingood, NT, 6-4, 290, Junior

11 - Jordon Vaden, LCB, 6-3, 195, Senior

4 - Tonny Lindsey, Jr., RB, 5-9, 195, Junior

74 - Jude Hockel, LG, 6-4, 290, Senior

91 - Jakob Buys, DT, 6-4, 265, Junior

8 - Jake Schlager, SS, 5-11, 195, Junior

88 - Braelon Roberts, WR, 6-3, 205, Junior

59 - Austin Stephens, C, 6-3, 315, Senior

43 - Evan Colorito, RDE, 6-4. 245, Junior

18 - Braylin Scott, FS, 6-3, 185, Sophomore

82 - Andrew Rodriguez, WR, 5-9,185, Senior

76 - Jame Simonich, RG, 6-5, 305, Senior

15 - Kiel Robinson, SLB, 6-2, 225, Junior

5 - Tyree Simmons, RCB, 5-11, 190, Senior

9 - Rayshad Lewis, WR, 5-10, 165, Freshman

73 - Preston Brooksby, RT, 6-5, 295, Junior

55 - Josh Watson, MLB, 6-2, 235, Sophomore

www.Wendys.com 1405 W Elizabeth St (970) 484-7131 719 S Lemay Ave (970) 493-3041 3710 S College Ave (970) 223-4399

83 - Wyatt Houston, TE, 6-4, 255, Senior

PROUD SUPPORTER OF COLORADO STATE ATHLETICS FOR 35 YEARS!

GO RAMS!

Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

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1990s remain the golden era for Colorado State

Legendary Colorado State football coach Sonny Lubick encourages his team during a game in the 2000 season. Lubick is the winningest coach in CSU history. PHOTO COURTESY OF CSU ATHLETICS

By Eric Wolf

Three years ago, the Colorado State Rams earned national recognition under coach Jim McELwain with a team that featured two of the best players in program history in quarterback Garrett Grayson and wide receiver Rashard Higgins.

The 10-3 2014 year was a magical season for the Rams and one that will go down in history.

But by the end of the 1990s, the most successful decade in Colorado State history, 10-3 was the expectation.

Beginnings

It took a long way to get there.

In the 1980s, four different coaches held the reins for a team that went a combined 36-76 in the decade, including a winless 1981 season under coach Sarkis Arslanian. It would be fair to say that when coach Earle Bruce took over the program in 1989, the Rams were perennial toilet bowl candidates.

When the Rams look back on the ‘90s they see the glory days of Sonny Lubick’s Western Athletic Conference contenders, but what might be overlooked, is that in Bruce’s second season at the helm the Rams finished 9-4 and won the team’s first bowl game

in 40 years, with a 32-31 victory over Oregon in the Freedom Bowl.

But after Bruce’s team fell from grace, the Rams turned to then Miami Hurricanes defensive coordinator Sonny Lubick.

Lubick was there for the winless 1982 season as an assistant coach, he knew the losing tradition surrounding Colorado State.

“It wasn’t like it was the most important, it wasn’t really important, let’s put it that way,” Lubick says.

“There wasn’t a lot of winning to that point,” former CSU quarterback and current director of player development Anthoney Hill said. “My redshirt year (1990), we went to a bowl game, and then after that, we kind of fell off.”

The Rams went 5-6 in Lubick’s first season, but after the team won its last three games to close out the year, big things were on the horizon.

“In ‘93 we kind of knew we were going to be pretty good,” Hill said. “(Defensive back) Ray Jackson basically guaranteed we were going to win the conference the next year and we all stood up and said we gotta back him up because we believed it too.”

The Rams said it, believed it, and then went out and did it.

The 1994 season stands as arguably the greatest season in the history of Colorado State football.

The team finished the year 10-2 and ranked No. 16 in the final associated press poll. They had climbed as high as No. 10 before losing to Michigan in the Holiday Bowl.

Along the way, the Rams beat No. 22 BYU on the road. Beat the No. 6 ranked Arizona Wildcats in Tuscon. And beat Wyoming 3524 in what would go down as one of the greatest games in Hughes Stadium history.

It was a year for the CSU record books, and in only the second season of Lubick’s era, the Rams had begun the turnaround of a perennial losing program.

Coach Lubick can’t remember all of the games as coach, and he says that he remembers the ones he lost more than the ones he won, but that 1994 season was special.

“The Wyoming game would be a big one that we moved ourselves forward in,” Lubick said.

“That’s when I think we kind of started to understand.”

“It’s one thing to know you can do it and feel like you can do, and it is a totally different thing to actually do it,” Hill said of the 1994 season. “In the past, we would find a way to lose those

games. That year we just put it all together and had a spirit about us that couldn’t be rattled. We just believed. It was a belief that we were going to get it done no matter what.”

For Hill, and the Colorado State program, coach Lubick came in and instilled a belief in his team. They were underdogs, but they just kept winning. The 1994 season spurned an era.

“About the time it started to roll in ‘95 it just felt good, everything was positive,” Hill said. “We made the change from Bruce to Sonny and kind of our whole outlook changed. Sonny showed belief in us all. It was positive.”

The tradition was changing at Colorado State University, but Lubick never put an emphasis on that, especially while he was in the middle of it. He had a job to do, and that was to win games.

A new culture and tradition just came with it.

“At that point in time you didn’t really ever think about it,” Lubick said. “We started getting some recognition, playing in our first three bowl games, (like) in Memphis for the Holiday Bowl.

Winning a championship and stuff is nice, but you didn’t really think about winning tradition or anything when you are in the thick of it.”

Rockin’ Hughes

But the team was indeed in the midst of a renaissance.

With that, CSU fans started to pour out to see what Sonny Lubick was doing with this football team.

On average, 26,861 people filled Hughes Stadium each week over the course of the decade, 28,295 if just the seven seasons under Lubick are counted. In the first five seasons of the 2010’s, 22,268 is the average attendance number for each season.

Seven of the ten largest crowds in Hughes stadium history come from the 1990s. Two of them were during the magical ‘94 season. The 35-24 victory of the University of Wyoming and a 45-31 loss to No. 18 Utah.

The Utah game still stands as the highest attended game in Hughes stadium history, as over 39,000 people packed the stadium to watch the 6-0 Rams take on the 6-0 Utes in a pivotal Western Athletic Conference game.

“It was wild,” Hill said about the Hughes stadium atmosphere in that time. “You go from being in a stadium where you can hear individual conversations going on in some games from when we are not every good, to just mayhem. It was loud. It was unbelievable. I remember thinking see LUBICK on page 8 >>

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

>> LUBICK from page 7 it was 39,000-plus, that it was palpable. You could feel the energy in the place. I wish we had all of our home games that way.”

“Or in the Wyoming game,” Hill continued, “Before we could end the game the students rushed the field a couple times. We were ready to party just like them, but we just wanted to get it over with. The feeling was, it’s really hard to put into words, highly energized. It was electric.”

Attendance slowed down a little bit after the 1994 season, but five of those highest attended games still came after the team’s first 10-2 sea-

Rams under Lubick 108-74 overall record 80-40 in conference play 9 bowl appearances 6 conference championships 3 All-Americans son.

And the 1994 season still stands on average, as the highest attended season in CSU history, but outside of the early to mid-2000’s, Hughes would never be as full as it was during the decade-long ride under Lubick.

“I really loved the atmosphere because I guess it was probably similar to what we had last week,” Lubick said, comparing the atmosphere at Hughes during the 1990s to the sold out, standing room only crowd that the Rams brought out for the Border War game last week.

“It seems like the stands were almost full all the time and the expectations were high and probably not so high because we never had a lot of winning tradition before that,” Lubick said. “In ‘96,’97, ‘95 every time you looked up in the stands it was almost a sellout and that made it good.

The students and the fans were tremendously supportive when things got rolling along there pretty good for awhile.”

For Good Reason

What the Rams were able to do on the field throughout the 1990s kept the people coming back for more.

For the decade, the team went 74-46 overall, 57-27 under Lubick. In the 10 seasons under Bruce and Lubick, the Rams went a combined 36-17 at Hughes Stadium. From 1993 when Lubick took over, the team went 31-10 at home.

Under Lubick, the Rams won four conference titles in the ‘90s, and appeared in four bowl games back before simply being .500 guaranteed a team a postseason berth.

Three years after the 1994 season, Lubick and the Rams outdid themselves by finishing the 1997 season 11-2, winning the Western Athletic Conference championship, and beating Missouri 35-24 in the Holiday Bowl.

By that time, wining was the expectation.

“Once you taste it and you kind of set the culture, or reset it and say this is what we are, then the expectations rise,” said Hill who came back to CSU in 1998 to finish out his degree while serving as an assistant wide receivers coach.

“Not only the first year (1994) did we expect to do it, but we actually proved it and did it,” Hill said. “And then the second year, they did it again in ‘95. By that point, the culture was established. This is who we are, we expect to get it done. Sonny was pretty darn successful because of our mindset.”

For the Colorado State football program, it really was the glory days. Not only were the Rams winning games and conference titles, but Fort Collins also featured some of the best players in college football.

Like Jim Thorpe award winner and two-time All-American (’94-’95) defensive back Greg Myers, 2nd team All-American (1995) defensive lineman Sean Moran, or sack masters Clark Haggans and Joey Porter of the later part of the decade.

Lubick and his team had the mindset, and the players to go out and be perennial contenders. And for a good part of the decade, that is exactly what they did.

“Now if you look back, and I have had a chance to think about this for awhile, that was something pretty special,” Lubick said. “At the time you didn’t think of it. It’s exciting for all of our players and coaches. We really enjoyed it there. To see the fan support and the school just kind of really support us and gather around us.

Those were just good times.”

Eric Wolf can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

ABOVE: Lubick runs out onto the field with the Rams. BELOW: During the 1990s alone, CSU head coach Sonny Lubick led Colorado State to 57 wins and four bowl games.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF COLORADO STATE ATHLETICS

Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

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2014 Utah State game still a classic

By Eric Wolf The kicker knew it was good the second he hit it. The 32,500 plus in the stands knew it too.

And as the sellout crowd poured onto the field to celebrate with game-winner Jared Roberts and the rest of the CSU team, for one night, one thing was for sure: Hughes Stadium was alive.

Buzz

It was Oct. 18, 2014, in Fort Collins. The Rams were rolling, and the Utah State Aggies were coming to town for homecoming.

“There was a great buzz, it was (coach Jim McElwain’s) third season so things were really starting to click,” Roberts said.

The Utah State game marked the third big rung on the ladder for the 2014 team. The first one was the Rocky Mountain Showdown with the University of Colorado Buffaloes. A 31-17 victory in that game set the tone for the season, but the Rams were disappointed one week later in Boise, Idaho when they lost to the Broncos 37-24.

When quarterback Garrett Grayson hit wide receiver Charles Lovett for a 12-yard touchdown with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter to beat Boston College 24-21 in Boston one week later, the Rams climbed the next big rung.

After that, the team railed off three straight wins, but against fairly soft competition.

“We could kind of start feeling the buzz in Fort Collins,” Roberts said. “But the fans, they still wanted to see if we were for real.”

The Utah State game was the most highly anticipated game at Hughes Stadium in a decade. It had been 10 years since the last sellout at the Stadium with the 2004 Border War. Hanging out in the Embassy Suites hotel before the game, the players got word on just how many of those fans were turning out to see this team.

“It started trickling through that we thought it was going to be a sellout,” Roberts said. “Everyone was really excited, we were 5-1 and already having a good season but that was a big game for us going into it. We were really excited and had another good opportunity to get where we wanted to be for that season.”

The Aggies came in 4-2 and undefeated in conference play.

It was a Mountain West clash between two teams vying for position in the Mountain division.

The Rams may have already lost to Boise State, but the Bron-

cos lost to Air Force a couple weeks after the CSU win. CSU was fully in the championship race, and they knew it.

They also knew how good of a team Utah State had. After all, the Aggies shut out the Rams en route to a 13-0 win in Logan the year before.

“I think for conference play, we put Utah State right up at the top just because it is a very competitive school,” wide receiver Elroy Masters, a redshirt freshman in 2014, said. “We get amped for this game, and two years ago it was a battle literally to the end.”

The game would turn out to be everything that it was advertised and more.

Back-and-Forth

On CSU’s very first play from scrimmage, Grayson hit sophomore wide receiver Rashard Higgins over the middle who bounced outside and almost tight-roped into the end zone before he was finally pushed out at the Utah State 6-yard line after a gain of 69-yards. Three plays later, running back Dee Hart scored from a yard out to give the Rams the early lead.

It was supposed to be a defensive slugfest between two of the better defenses in the conference, but from the start, it did not look like it was heading that way.

“We knew Utah State had a great defense and we were kind of expecting a defensive battle,” Roberts said. “But then it was like, gosh you know, maybe this won’t be a defensive battle. But that’s just football, a game can switch just like that.”

And it did switch just like that. After the CSU opening drive, an Aggie touchdown and second quarter field goals from each team were the only points scored until the fourth quarter.

It was the seesaw defensive battle as advertised. On the day, Grayson was sacked eight times, and going into the fourth quarter, the Rams had only put up 172 yards of offense.

The teams also combined for 12 punts heading into the fourth quarter, and Utah State was playing with its backup quarterback, Craig Harrison after starter Darell Garretson was injured in the second quarter.

With 14:20 remaining in the game, Utah State kicker Nick Diaz hit a 32-yard field goal to put the Aggies up 13-10.

On the ensuing Rams drive, Roberts missed a 47-yard field goal that would have knotted the game.

“I just remember obviously being devastated about that and

Colorado State kicker Jared Roberts kicks the game-winning field goal during the Rams’ victory over Utah State in 2014. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

just praying that I would get another opportunity,” Roberts said.

But Roberts did get another chance. On the next CSU possession, Roberts capped off a 12play drive, when he hit a 46-yard game-tying field goal with 1:50 left in the game.

I just remember feeling grateful, that one, I had shot to redeem the miss, and just two, that I had to hit it and how much we put on the line for the season,” Roberts said. “I just remember Joe (Hansley) who was the holder at the time saying hey you got this you can hit it, and then yeah obviously hitting that one to tie it and then the crazy events afterward.”

The crazy events afterward will live on forever in CSU lore.

Taking a Shot

The Aggies got the ball back on their own 26-yard line with 1:40 left in the game, and after a 15-yard Aggie run on first down, the Rams forced three straight incompletions. The ensuing Aggie punt pinned the Rams at their own 12-yard line with 50 seconds left.

That’s where Grayson led the Rams out for their last drive.

On the first play from the 12, running back Dee Hart took a handoff for three yards. It looked like the Rams were content running out the clock and going to overtime. But on second down, Hart broke through the line and got the ball all the way out to the

32-yard line. Once the Rams hit the 30-yard line, the whole game plan changed, and now, they were in a position to take a shot.

“We were running out the clock and were planning on going into overtime, so he had the long run, changed everything up, we called a timeout, came up with a good play,” Grayson said after that game.

The Rams had a designed play call for that situation once they got the ball to the 30-yard line. But they were only going into “mayday” mode once they hit that yard line. CSU was not going to risk anything inside their own 30.

Had they not had the big run from Hart, the game likely would have gone to an extra period.

But on that last drive, there was never any doubt from the CSU players.

“We are going to try and go for the win, there is not really much conservative in our team,” Masters said. “We believe in our players that we are gonna go out there for the win.”

Roberts said that its so hard to tell about whether the team was going out there to truly win the game or avoid a mistake deep in their own zone, but in the end, it came down to trust.

“I think it showed a lot of confidence in where we came from,” Roberts said. “Maybe Mac’s first year he plays for overtime, but I think it was really a testament looking back on it to how much we earned his trust and respect.

For him to know that the defense got the stand, and it was trusting Garret and the offense to go out there and go for it.”

And the Rams did go for it.

After the Hart run, Grayson took the snap from his own 32-yard line and threw up a bomb to Higgins, who made a sliding catch between three Aggie defenders.

The 46-yard gain put the Rams down on the Utah State 22-yard line with 11 seconds left in the game.

It was a pivotal connection between two of the best players in CSU Rams history. Once Grayson put the ball in the air, there was never any doubt on who was coming down with it.

“I’m not going to lie, when I stepped back and I was like Rashard kind of got inside a little bit and I was just excited when the ball was in the air,” Masters said. “I just had belief in our receiver that he was going to go and make the play.”

From the moment the drive started, Roberts had the belief that he was going to be called on to win the game. The offense would give him a chance. He could feel it.

“How we came back and won that game at Boston College, It was just kind of one of those magical seasons where you felt anything could happen at any time,” Roberts said. “Looking back on it, I was just thinking be ready, be ready, and luckily it came.” see CLASSIC on page 32 >>

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

Words from the Enemy: Utah State LoganJones Statesman SportsContent Manager

Collegian sports editor Chad Deustchman and Utah Statesman sports content manager Logan Jones share words about the Colorado State homecoming game against Utah State.

Chad Deutschman: Having lost both Mountain West games thus far, how much emphasis has Utah State put on this game against CSU? Logan Jones: This is essentially a must-win game if the Aggies and their fans want to consider this season successful. The goal for this program in a rebuilding year is a bowl game, and a loss at CSU makes bowl eligibility extremely difficult. Coach Wells isn’t realistically on any kind of hot seat yet, but another loss early in the season would certainly raise some eyebrows. This game is USU’s chance to correct its current trajectory.

CD: Five games into the season, CSU is still trying to find an identity. One bright spot has been freshman quarterback Collin Hill. How do you think the Utah State secondary will hold up against a talented young quarterback?

LJ: Utah State’s secondary sports the unique (and frustrating) ability to force turnovers and impose its will like the veteran unit they ought to be in one quarter, and totally forget how to football in the next. Dallin Leavitt’s absence hurts, but the defense should still cause the freshman QB some problems Saturday. The front seven has done its part in helping out the back end, generating pressure and forcing several ill-advised throws — the problem is by the start of the fourth quarter, the whole defense is exhausted from being on the field far too much.

CD: Who are some of the players on Utah State that CSU fans should look for? Who are the impact players on both sides of the ball?

LJ: Week one I would’ve told you to watch for hard-hitting safety Dallin Leavitt and

harder-hitting running back Devante Mays, but with both of them out with ankle and knee injuries, the list of impact players is a bit more unpredictable. Presumed starting quarterback Kent Myers has to play better than his poor outing at Boise State.

Defensive back Jontrell Rocquemore is developing into a nice addition the the secondary in Leavitt’s absence, and Brock Carmen has stepped into the vacant “somehow this dude gets 11 tackles per game” role left by the departed Vigil brothers.

CD: Kent Myers is a dual-threat QB. CSU struggled to contain Wyoming’s Josh Allen. How effective do you think Myers will be against a CSU defense that has a lot to prove?

LJ: Myers has made some boneheaded decisions this season, but he’s still a sound short-distance passer and does usually have a big 30-yard gain in him every game. Myers has to know this game is a put up or shut up game for him — if he can’t get the offense rolling, it may be time to explore other options. I expect he will be effective enough on the ground to open up the passing game a bit, and for the Aggies to finally take a step forward in mending their red zone woes.

CD: Your prediction?

Will Utah State continue their recent success over CSU, or will the Rams catch the Aggies by surprise?

LJ: Coach Wells will get his guys up for this game.

That locker room believed it was going to beat Air Force at home — and probably should have — and then managed to not get blown out in Boise.

Utah State’s offense should finally make an appearance in order to help out what has actually been a solid defensive front all year. The Rams pose a solid threat to the mistake-prone Aggie offense, but I think this is the game Kent Myers snaps out of his slump. Utah State 24, Colorado State 17.

Logan Jones can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

NEWS

ROAD CLOSURES PAGE 22

A&C

ODELL’S + CSU PAGE 28

Colorado State University’s lost traditions Editor’s note: This article ran June 10, 2015 and was written by Jake Schwebach. This article has been updated by current Collegian editors to include the Trombone No. 5 Routine and Fum’s song.

By Jake Schwebach June 10, 2015 We identify ourselves as Colorado State University students through the traditions we follow.

But traditions are not everlasting, and CSU traditions are not immune to the rule. Here are some of CSU’s lost, forgotten and almost-were traditions identified by Gordon “Hap” Hazard at the Archives and Special Collections desk of the Morgan Library.

Tubbing Class ranking defined one’s University experiences in the early 1900s. If a freshman strolling the Oval failed to recite the fight song or the football team’s next opponent to a confronting senior, they were dragged and “tubbed” head first into the leaky, mosquito-infected pond on campus. The pond was eventually removed, but horse troughs were still common and “tubbing” continued. We can be grateful this tradition sank in the 1930s when Dean Floyd Cross, who likely participated as a student, found its immaturity to be less than charming.

Knights of blue and gold Before CSU had school colors, they had a football team.

That team was on its way to play an academy in Longmont, but they did not have uniforms.

They stopped at a drugstore and purchased identifiers: green and orange ribbons, thus conceiving our University’s colors. In the early 1900s, green was a hard dye to manufacture. It was also toxic and not ideal for a sport that exposes open wounds. There was a push in 1910 to change the color to blue, but it never stuck. As early as 1929, gold began to replace orange, perceived as out-of-fashion, on the home uniforms. That is how CSU almost became the knights of blue and gold.

Who is Sam the ram?

CSU football had a second mascot for a few seasons. From

Colorado State University’s little-known second mascot, Sam the Ram, butts the head of a tackling dummy held by owner, Gerald Rice, at Hughes Stadium in 1977. PHOTO COURTESY: HISTORIC PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION AT COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES. COLLEGIAN

1977 to 1979, CSU employee Gerald Rice’s Coriscan sheep, Sam, would rile the home crowd by butting his head against a blocking dummy, which undoubtedly made Cam very jealous.

Bottles around Hughes CSU hosts Cans Around the Oval every year. But, you probably never heard of Bottles around Hughes. It’s a lost tradition (of sorts) that pays homage to CSU’s historically disastrous football teams. So much alcohol was consumed prior to home games that bottles of hard liquor and beer were placed end-zoneto-end-zone around the walls of Hughes Stadium. When the season Hughes opened in 1968, CSU didn’t win a single game. Hughes Stadium began selling beer in 1976 to curb the rampant alcohol consumption. Let’s hope the new on-campus stadium brings about the kind of tradition we do not need to drink to forget.

Go Oilers In the 1920s, areas around Northern Colorado experienced a small oil boom. There was a push to change the name “Ag-

gies” to “Oilers,” a name that today would be ironic considering CSU’s commitment to sustainability.

Meathead the ram The ram became the official mascot of CSU in 1945, but it was not always Cam. The first ram was a fellow named Buck, gifted in 1946 by the “Senators,” a men’s pep club on campus. In 1948, the Collegianannounced the winner of a ballot vote to officially name the mascot … “Meathead.” Graciously, it is a name the Collegian did not adopt despite its democratically elected rite. In 1954, a naming contest was held by the Collegian, birthing our beloved Cam (for Colorado Agriculture and Mining). From 1945 all the way through the late 1960s, CSU was the “Aggie Rams,” a tradition resurrected today during orange-out games.

Teddy the bear The University went through four mascots spanning three species prior to World War II, including a human boy. In 1909, Peanuts the Bulldog was our mascot until shipped with CSU’s

National Guard unit, Battery A, to the East Coast. Peanuts was shipped home when Battery A joined the fighting in World War I in France, but was fatally poisoned weeks later. In 1919, a live sweater-wearing black bear cub named Teddy was adopted for a season, but didn’t reappear in 1920. For roughly a decade, Billy Hughes, son of coach Harry Hughes, posed as the University mascot in team photographs. In 1936, Olympic gold-medalist and CSU alum Glenn Morris donated a bulldog similar to Peanuts named Gallant Defender. Any hopes of the bulldog being the official mascot went out with the football hiatus during World War II. Where’s Old Main?

Before the French 75 mm cannon “Comatose” was firing celebratory blanks at Hughes Stadium (causing many a dropped hot dog), football victories were celebrated by ringing the bell on top of Old Main – a building on campus that burned to the ground in 1970. The freshmen rang the bell a bit too enthu-

siastically and it cracked in 1919.

It was stolen some years later.

1920 ushered in the tradition of “Comatose” opening and closing home football games. Today, the closest thing to the Old Main bell is the jingling of keys during kickoffs.

Will you sign my yearbook?

One of CSU’s oldest running traditions was its yearbook, the Silver Spruce. Named after a tree native to Colorado, the Silver Spruce was staffed by the junior classes and ran from 1895 until it got the axe in 2003. — The Collegian is a CSU tradition still running, along with the painting of the A, firing of the cannon and the Bronze Boot trophy awarded at the annual Border Wars football game. Yet the oldest according Hazard is waiting for a train to pass through campus.

Fum’s Song Fum’s song was a cheer sung before the fourth quarter of games at Hughes Stadium. Former CSU president Larry Penley discontinued the song in 2006 after receiving complaints. see TRADITIONS on page 16 >>

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COLLEGIAN.COM Friday, October 7, 2016

FORT COLLINS FOCUS

ON THE OVAL

One walnut tree to be removed, historical American Elm trees to remain on the Oval

By Rachel Telljohn @racheltelljohn

Making a declaration on the stump is on CSU’s list of things to do before graduating. PHOTO BY FORREST CZARNECKI COLLEGIAN

Erik Petrovich Executive Editor

ollegian

Follow @CSUCollegian on Twitter

.com

Q: What drew you to student media?

A: I remember thinking to myself at the end of my freshman year that I needed to get serious and get published, if I was ever going to be a “real journalist”.

Turns out, I’ve only gotten sillier, although I do have a few articles to my name now.

Q: What are your favorite hobbies?

A: I really find a lot of enjoyment in my work at the Collegian and in writing, above all else. Recently when I’ve not been working, I’ve been trying to re-learn how to play rhythm guitar.

Q: What is something unusual about you?

A: I own 14 different flannel shirts, and none of them share the same colours.

One of them is 40+ years old.

Like CSUCollegian on Facebook

Follow CSU Collegian on Instagram

Q: Spirit animal?

A: A rabbit. Lots of people think they’re cute, but those people havent read Watership Down.

Q: Best joke you know?

A: I don’t approve of political jokes. I’ve seen too many of them get elected.

Lory Student Center Box 13 Fort Collins, CO 80523

EDITORIAL STAFF | 970-491-7513

This publication is not an official publication of Colorado State University, but is published by an independent corporation using the name ‘The Rocky Mountain Collegian’ pursuant to a license granted by CSU. The Rocky Mountain Collegian is a 6,500-circulation student-run newspaper intended as a public forum. It publishes four days a week during the regular fall and spring semesters. During the last eight weeks of summer Collegian distribution drops to 3,500 and is published weekly. During the first four weeks of summer the Collegian does not publish.

Corrections may be submitted to the editor in chief and will be printed as necessary on page two. The Collegian is a complimentary publication for the Fort Collins community. The first copy is free. Additional copies are 25 cents each. Letters to the editor should be sent to letters@collegian.com.

Erik Petrovich | Editor-in-Chief editor@collegian.com Julia Rentsch | Managing Editor editor@collegian.com Chapman Croskell | Social Media Editor socialmedia@collegian.com Erin Douglas | News Editor news@collegian.com Seth Bodine | News Editor news@collegian.com Taylor Tougaw | Opinion Editor letters@collegian.com

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Chad Deutschman | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com Randi Mattox | A&C Editor entertainment@collegian.com Sarah Ross | Blogs Editor blogs@collegian.com Michelle Fredrickson | Enterprise Editor blogs@collegian.com Jonathan Garbett | Design Editor design@collegian.com Natalie Dyer | Photo Editor photo@collegian.com

Despite rumors of Dutch Elm disease, the American Elm trees on CSU’s beloved Oval will not be removed.

“There are no plans for any large scale removals,” assistant director of facilities management Fred Haberecht wrote in an email to the Collegian.

Haberecht said the only tree on the oval to be removed in the near future is a walnut tree, which is suffering from 1,000 cankers, a fungal disease spread by a beetle.

American Elms are distinguishable from walnut trees and others because the elms are planted in and on the Oval, true to its shape.

He said the only removals that take place are on a case-by-case basis, and any trees removed are replaced. Reasons for tree removal are either related to safety, storm damage or diseases.

Of over 100 trees on the Oval, most are 135-year old American Elm trees. American Elm trees are subject to Dutch Elm disease, a fungus which infects the trees, results in browning or yellowing of their leaves and a dark discoloration on their branches.

CSU’s elms are among the oldest and healthiest stands of American elms in the country, Haberecht said.

The smaller trees visible on the Oval today were planted around three years ago, according to Haberecht.

Two American Elms were removed from the Oval in the summer of 2012, because of Dutch Elm disease, according to an article in the Collegian. Removal of the trees is mandatory once they have the disease, because of the risk of the disease spreading.

CSU launched the Oval Preservation Fund, which is still ongoing, after snow damaged branches on trees on the Oval in 2011. The fund helps to care for and trim the trees.

Currently, no American Elm trees are suffering from Dutch Elm or other diseases, said Haberecht.

Rachel Telljohn can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Douglas Hawkins | Infographics design@collegian.com

ADVISING STAFF

Jim Rodenbush | Student Media Adviser Kim Blumhardt | Advertising Manager Cale Rogers | CTV Adviser Hannah Copeland | KCSU Adviser

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Distribution | 970-491-1774 Classifieds | 970-491-1683 Display Advertising | 970-491-7467 or 970-491-6834

NEWS Friday, October 7, 2016

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Band directors cut Trombone No. 5 routine due to cost, safety

By Tatiana ParafiniukTalesnick @tatianasophiapt

Editor’s note: This article ran previously on Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016.

Due to overwhelming cost of instrument damages, growing concerns for safety and suspicion of hazing, Trombone No. 5, formerly known as Trombone Suicides, will no longer be performed by the Colorado State University Marching Band.

Trombone No. 5 is a routine performed by the trombone section of the CSU Marching Band in which trombone players line up shoulder-to-shoulder and alternate swinging their instrument and ducking. If band members fail to time themselves correctly, they can be smacked by a band member’s instrument in the back of the head or in the face. It is popular among audiences who watch them, but more so among those who perform them.

“I actually came to CSU to do no. 5, I saw the routine first being performed when I was a sophomore in high school,” said Kaelin McDonald, a former CSU marching band trombone player and part of the graduating class of 2016. “I saw that (routine) and I was like ‘no no no, I’m going to CSU, forget everything else, forget academics, forget everything, that’s what I want to do.’ So I did.”

On August 15, the Marching Band was informed they would no longer be performing the routine that had been a staple of the band since the Trombone section created it in 1995.

The official statement and student suspicion The official statement on the issue cited safety concerns.

“The marching band faculty and the director of the school of music, theater and dance, had reviewed some concerns about the safety of students in the band routine known as Trombone No. 5,” said Gary Ozzello, the Colorado State University vice president for external relations.

“We’re always cognizant of any and all safety concerns and continually review anything related to our program to address any issues, so as a result we have made the decision to suspend performances of this routine.”

According to emails obtained by the Collegian through Colorado’s Open Records Act, Dan Goble, director of the School of Music,

Theatre and Dance (SoMTD), Rebecca Phillips, director of bands, and Richard Frey, associate director of bands, agreed to use the word “suspend” but that the word “does not leave the door open for a return to No. 5.”

But, the students, alumni and especially band members, were not satisfied with the answer of safety concerns.

“I feel like they’re using injuries for a bigger scapegoat that they don’t want to talk about,” McDonald said.

McDonald graduated last May, and while at CSU she marched for the band for three years. She was part of the trombone section, making her a “Bruce.” CSU trombone players guard why they call themselves “Bruces” – but how they feel about their lost routine is no secret.

After she first saw the routine performed when she was a sophomore in high school visiting Colorado from New Mexico for a band competition, McDonald decided CSU was her school of choice.

Attending a school out-ofstate to perform a routine may sound extreme, but this is not an unusual amount of enthusiasm for the routine. In fact, many students decide, or at least are heavily influenced, to attend CSU for the opportunity to march with the band whose routine stole their heart since high school.

Christian Rodriguez is another Bruce alumnus who graduated in May 2016. Like McDonald, Rodriguez saw the routine performed while at a marching band competition in high school.

When it came time to pick a college, he was accepted to several schools, including Colorado School of Mines. According to Rodriguez, the decision was not difficult.

“CSU had a marching band one, and two, they did the trombone suicides,” Rodriguez said.

Also like his fellow alum, Rodriguez does not buy that the routine was cut for safety concerns.

“More than likely a trombone hit a trombone and not a person,” Rodriguez said.

One current band member suspects both the safety concern and responsibility of the decision on band faculty to be false. The band member spoke anonymously because according to marching band code of conduct, students could lose their scholarships or be asked not to return to the band if they speak to media.

Trombone players perform with the Presidential Pep Band during Friday Night Lights in downtown Fort Collins.

PHOTO BY TONY VILLALOBOS MAY COLLEGIAN

Like their alumni counterparts, this band member does not believe Trombone No. 5 was terminated solely out of safety concerns as the official statement implies.

“All I know is that we used to have a budget, and then I’m guessing No. 5 ate it all up, because 2014 was actually a really bad year,” said the band member.

“We averaged about one broken horn a game, and that’s not good, in fact maybe more than one broken horn.”

Faculty Justification An email justifying the cut sent on Aug. 15 from Dan Goble, to CSU President Tony Frank, lists safety and cost as reasons for eliminating the routine.

“While there have been no serious injuries to date, there have been incidents where students have been struck in the face with trombone slides, causing damage to the instruments and minor injuries to students,” Goble wrote.

According to a timeline in an email from Goble, the cessation of the routine had been in the works since August 2011, when Richard Frey began his role as Director of Athletic Bands and immediately had concerns about the safety of the routine.

In August 2014, Rebecca Philips assumed the role of director of bands, and had concerns about No. 5 creating a hazing culture.

An email sent on Aug. 29 from Richard Frey to Goble about No. 5, states the routine had caused six reported injuries since 2008, but cost $2,108 in

damage expenditures in 2015 alone.

However, in a 5-page document titled, “Justification of the Removal of Trombone Suicide (#5) from the CSU Marching Band” written by Rebecca Phillips, director of bands, states “students paid for repairs as they occurred.”

According to the report, “the expenditure of Music Program Fee funds for avoidable damage to instruments is not good stewardship of student fees.”

The claim that trombone repair costs were inappropriate uses of student fees appears to have been made without the consultation of any student groups or members of the marching band itself.

“The incident that finally brought this to a head was due to a student who … refused to pay for the repairs to her instrument,” Phillips wrote in the report. “After Dr. Frey communicated with her numerous times about the instrument contract over several months, she stated that No. 5 was a ‘requirement of the class (marching band)’ and that she would not pay for damages.”

Although the document uses the word “refused” in reference to the student not paying for damages, an anonymous band member told the Collegian the student was unable to pay. The source said that the student is no longer attending CSU for cost-related reasons not related to marching band.

The student who struggled to pay for instrument damage could

not be reached for comment.

Goble did not want students to have to pay for Trombone No. 5 damages, according to an email from Sheryl Highsmith, the budget manager of the SoMTD, to Copper Ferreira, the Assistant Professor of Music Theory on Feb. 1.

In April 2016, Frey, Phillips, and Goble agree to consider eliminating Trombone No. 5, though several students in the band had been told their directors had fought for their routine.

“I know for a fact it did not come from the band directors, they fought very hard to keep it,” said the anonymous band member.

However, according to the justification document, “Dr. Goble made the difficult decision to recommend to the Director of Athletic Bands to remove #5 from the band’s repertoire.”

Though Frey, Phillips and Goble were concerned about public reaction to the decision, they were surprised at the amount of public outcry, according to the document.

“I was proud to have (performed the routine) and it’s really disheartening, it seems to be such an abrupt decision to let it go,” said McDonald.

Editor’s Note: Follow the Collegian in the coming weeks for more information about how the CSU community and University have responded to the end of Trombone No. 5.

Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick can be reached at news@ collegian.com.

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NEWS Friday, October 7, 2016

Homecoming activities include parade, oval festival, 5K race

By Logan Crizer @logloc19

Homecoming week for CSU kicked off Monday, with campus events planned for the entire week. The events lead up to the CSU football game on Oct. 8.

A festival on the Oval will begin at 3 p.m. Friday. The festival will have live music, activities for kids, food trucks, a beer garden and on-site yearbooks for alumni.

The event is free and open to the public, concluding at 6 p.m.

During the festival, the homecoming parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. The parade will start at Howes and Oak Street and conclude at the West lawn.

The parade will feature University and community floats, along with the CSU marching band and co-grand marshals Blanche Hughes and Polly Baca.

At the end of the parade, the homecoming pep rally will start on the West Lawn from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be a bonfire, fireworks and the lighting of the A. This event is free and open to the public.

Saturday morning will begin with the Homecoming 5k Race around the CSU campus starting at 8 a.m at the Oval.

The afternoon will include

>> TRADITIONS from page 11 “I’ll sing you a song of college days, and tell you where to go.

Aggies, where your knowledge is, and Boulder to spend your dough.

C.C. for your sissy boys, and Utah for your times, D.U. for your ministers, and drunkards School of Mines.

Don’t send my boy to Wyoming U. a dying mother said.

Don’t send him to old Brigham Young, I’d rather see him dead.

But send him to our Aggies, it’s better than Cornell.

Before I’d see him in Boulder, I’d see my son in hell!”

Trombone No. 5 A 20 year tradition was ended in August of 2016. Trombone No. 5, formerly known as Trombone Suicide, was a routine performed by the

the homecoming and family weekend tailgate starting at 4 p.m. at Ram Town at Hughes Stadium Alumni Association tent. Tickets are available online at the CSU website.

The week will conclude with the CSU football game against Utah State, beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday at Hughes Stadium. Tickets are free for students, and tickets for family and the public are available through CSU Athletics.

Earlier events for the week included a tailgate, a Larimer County Food Bank fundraiser and a comedy show.

A tailgate took place on Tuesday on the Parmelee Hall tree area, starting off the festivities.

On Wednesday, the annual Canstruction occurred at the Lory Student Center plaza, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. students competed to make shapes, such as peace signs, out of donated canned goods.

The cans are donated to the Cans Around the Oval Fundraiser, which benefits the Larimer County Food Bank.

Thursday included free homecoming cookies on the plaza and a comedy show at the Lory Student Center.

Logan Crizer can be reached at news@collegian. com.

trombone section of the CSU Marching Band in which trombone players line up shoulder-to-shoulder and alternate swinging their instrument and ducking. If band members fail to time themselves correctly, they can be smacked by a band member’s instrument in the back of the head or in the face.

It was popular among audiences who watch them, but more so among those who performed them. However, due to overwhelming cost of instrument damages, growing concerns for safety and suspicion of hazing, the CSU band directors ended the tradition. Read more about the reasons for the removal of Trombone No. 5 on page 13.

Jake Schwebach was a Collegian reporter from 2013 to 2015.

Participants in the 2014 Colorado State University Homecoming 5K. FILE PHOTO COLLEGIAN

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NEWS Friday, October 7, 2016

11 roads to close due to Homecoming Parade

By Savannah Hoag @sav_hoag

A total of 11 roads will be closed on Friday due to the Colorado State University Homecoming parade.

This year the parade begins at 4:30 p.m. on the corner of Oak and Howes Streets. It will travel south on Howes Street where it will pass through the heart of campus, the Oval, and continue west to finish on Meridian Avenue.

Roads providing vehicle access to the Oval will be closed due to the parade. Those attending

the parade, and any other Homecoming weekend events, are encouraged to utilize public transportation.

The Homecoming parade is a long-standing tradition unifying CSU students, alumni and the Fort Collins community as well as celebrating Ram pride. The parade and Homecoming theme for this year is “Capture Your Moment.”

This year Polly Baca, the first Latina woman to serve in both houses of the Colorado General Assembly, and Blanche Hughes, CSU Vice President for Student Affairs are co-grand marshals of

the parade.

Roads will open after the 90-minute parade ends at 6 p.m.

The end of the parade marks the beginning of Friday night lights, a Homecoming pep rally for the Saturday football game.

Events on Friday include: lighting of the A, a bonfire and fireworks. All events are free and open to the public.

More information about Homecoming events can be found online at homecoming.colostate. edu.

Savannah Hoag can be reached online at news@collegian.com.

Roads closed include: Howes Street – Mountain Avenue to Oak Street Oak Street – Between Sherwood and Howes Streets Laurel Street – From Meldrum Street to Mason Street University Avenue at West Drive The intersection of Meridian Avenue and Plum Street Olive, Magnolia, Mulberry and Myrtle Streets at Howes Street

Students create sculptures for annual Canstruction event

By Katie Linenberger @CSUCollegian

Colorado State University students’creativitywaschallengedtocreatethebeststatuemadeentirelyoutof cans on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at the Lory Student Center Plaza. The challenge was part of Canstruction, an annual competition where students, community members and faculty bring canned foods for the Cans Around the Ovalfundraiserandcreatesculptures.

People and student groups who participated in Canstruction received points that will add to the overall food drive points they may receive from Cans Around the Oval. The office for Student Leadership Involvement and Community Engagement merchandiseandtrophiesaregivenouttocompetitionwinners.

According to the SLiCE website, Canstruction’s purpose is to help raise awareness about hunger, raise food andmoneydonations.

Claire Andrues, senior liberal arts major and student coordinator, has been involved with Canstruction and CansAroundtheOvalforthreeyears.

“Canstruction is a visual way to see food insecurity in our community,” Andrues said. “It shows that the fooddriveishappening.”

Canstruction happens at CSU in order for students to get involved and engageinthefooddrive,Andruessaid.

This year some of the statues that were made from the cans were a canned robot, the ‘A’, Hughes Stadium and part of the new stadium that is in progress, the two towers on CSU’s campus (Westfall Hall and Durward Hall),theCSUramlogo,CSU’smascot Camandafootballjusttonameafew.

The cans that are used in CanstructionandcollectedfromCans Around the Oval are donated to the LarimerCountyFoodBank.

The Larmier County Food Bank provides food to nearly 36,000 people everyyear.

“Our mission is to provide food to all in need through community partnerships and hunger-relief programs,” according to the food bank’s website.

Last year, the food drive collected 60,364poundsoffoodand$57,030,according to the Cans Around the Oval website. Every dollar donated equals five pounds of food meaning that the food and money collected are combined to equal 345,514 pounds of food donated in the Cans Around the Oval fooddrivein2015.

The CSU and overall winner of the food drive in 2015 was the College of Business with 57,555 pounds of food. Outside of CSU, Rocky Mountain High School came in first in community schools category and second overall with 37,138 pounds of food donatedinthedrive.

SLiCE has coordinated the event everyyearfor30years.

Alyssa Smith, a member of the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma, participated in Canstruction for the first time. Smith said she decided to participate this year to get involved in homecoming and help Cans Around theOval.

“Canstruction is really important to me,” Smith said. “We worked really hardtocontributeandearncans.”

Katie Linenberger can be reached onlineatnews@collegian.com.

Colorado State students create sculptures out of cans for this year’s Canstruction event. COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

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OPINION Friday, October 7, 2016

Homecoming is a time to reflect on what brought you here Alexandra Stettner @alexstetts

I try to take things seriously and avoid making things emotional and meaningful, but whenever homecoming season comes around, it’s hard for me to not get sentimental.

I loved walking around campus and seeing everyone smiling and laughing. Not only was the university a great institution, but people were happy here.

My father is an alumnus from CSU and a former business student. I had zero intentions on attending CSU because of that, but he always made sure it was on my radar. After committing to a small private school in downtown Chicago that I was never crazy about, my father begged me to tour CSU. I cannot describe that

feeling that I felt on tour when I was walking around the oval, but I realized that I just had to come to CSU. I wanted that college campus experience, I loved the program options offered, I realized I was never that “city girl” in the first place as I craved to just go explore the beautiful outdoors here, and I loved the people.

I loved walking around campus and seeing everyone smiling and laughing. Not only was the university a great institution, but people were happy here. People wanted to be here, and seemed to care about the students around them. Here in my junior year, I now know that I was right and wrong. CSU has everything I thought it did, but it also has so much more.

Not only is my dad an alum, but he was a first-generation student. He worked incredibly hard throughout college to support himself, and learned so many skills and values from his experiences at CSU that helped him become successful enough to support me through college.

I think it’s incredibly special to have the opportunity to bring his success full circle by attending CSU. By no means is it necessary to be a legacy student (I hate that term), but there is something so unique about it.

In a way, I’m getting a very similar experience to what my father had at CSU, but CSU has given me the opportunity to create my own experience, as it has with all of us. Many of us come from incredibly different backgrounds, but at the end of the day, we all ended up here for a reason.

So this homecoming season, take a moment to stop and look around, and remember why you love it so much here.

Alexandra Stettner can be reached at opinion@collegian.com.

NOPE DOPE When your parents come to campus

and comment on how you live. #CanYouNot #I’mTryingMyBest

Campus is going to be super busy.

Good luck driving at all this weekend.

When you get asked to come into work on one of your only days off and nothing goes your way. #I’mNotEvenSupposedToBeHereToday

When your parents come to campus and you eat for free! #ThanksMom

The Homecoming Parade. ‘Cause parades are always nice. After this it is only a parade away from Thanksgiving.

A First Friday art walk is today. Get out there and explore this very creative city on this very creative night!

Going in-state for college was the best decision I ever made

By Allec Brust @brustyyy

Sometimes, the stigma that surrounds Colorado State’s instate student population is not attractive.

I guess that goes for all schools really. We all know the stereotypes: the in-state student who can’t leave his mom, the in-state student with commitment issues, the in-state student too tied up in high school to leave their state. Some of them are true for certain people, but being an in-state student myself, I really cannot see myself at any school other than CSU. I was supposed to go to Syracuse University when I was initially applying for schools. It was my dream school; the journalism program is amazing, the sports program is outstanding, I had a number of scholarships and I love New York. However, when it came down to the hard decision of deciding officially between going to Colorado State or Syracuse, I was surprised that I chose CSU with no hesitations.

Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I could have

made.

My family was shocked.

Why would I, a person so in love with another university, choose to go to a school an hour away from my home in Denver? At first, I thought I had let myself down. I felt like I had chosen the latter for the sole reason that I was scared.

Honestly, there was some truth to it. I was scared to leave my city, my friends, my family, my high school and all the memories I had made in Colorado. I was scared to embark on a new journey far away from home.

Now, as a sophomore at CSU, I am so proud of myself for listening to my gut. I am honestly not sure if it would have been the same story if I was an in-state student in another state because Colorado is a little different in terms of quality of life. What I am sure of is the experience that I am having as an in state student, it’s absolutely incredible.

First of all it’s awesome being close to my family.

Knowing that I can be home in a flash if anything goes wrong is a great feeling. Knowing I will never have to find the money to travel home for holidays is an

even better feeling. Aside from the distance factor, there is a level of comfort that I feel from being in state. Looking at the beautiful mountains every day from the bus window brings me this nostalgic feeling that would be unable to live without if I were in a foreign city.

It took me this long to realize it, but there is nothing wrong with going in state, especially in Colorado. Why would anybody want to leave such a beautiful state? Aside from that, the benefits of living in state are huge. Never feel bad about loving where you are from. I do not think I would enjoy living thousands of miles away from my family, friends and state I love. Fort Collins has brought me more joy than Syracuse, New York ever could.

I am not ashamed for staying in my comfort zone by going to CSU. I am not ashamed that I can drive home on the weekends and see my mom. I am not ashamed that I was scared to leave this beautiful state behind, and I am definitely not ashamed to be a Ram. Allec Brust can be reached at opinion@collegian.com

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 7, 2016

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ARTS & CULTURE Friday, October 7, 2016

LSC Starbucks creates homecoming-themed drink

By Taylor Felver @collegian_tay

In the spirit of homecoming week, the Starbucks in the LSC is putting a new twist on a fan favorite.

The Starbucks is offering a special homecoming drink appropriately termed The Ram-uccino. This drink is comprised of the classic Vanilla Bean Frappuccino with a Ram themed green whipped cream on top.

The drink has no caffeine and is mainly crème flavored, providing a positive alternative for those who do not respond well to caffeine’s effects.

The drink itself has no caffeine and is mainly crème flavored, providing a positive alternative for those who do not respond well to caffeine’s many effects. The green whipped topping has a subtle flavor with a hint of mint.

After trying out the drink, CSU student Sarah Evans said that it is sure to increase Ram pride.

“It is a great deal because it

is $1 off, and it tastes good,” Evans said.

For a grande Ram-uccino at the current discounted price, it only costs $3.17, making it not only a tasty treat to celebrate homecoming, but also an affordable one for those on a budget.

The Ram-uccino provided students with a way to showcase their creativity, which resulted in an appetizing tribute to CSU. The LSC’s Starbucks student manager, Carsyn Fritzler, and assistant manager, Raini Otto, created the drink.

“Seeing the student staff have fun with this and seeing their creativity come through,” said Geoff Valdez, assistant director of retail operations at the Lory Dining Services.

Among many other foods displayed with green and gold colors, the Ram-uccino poses as a fun way to indulge through the celebrations of homecoming.

One of the many perks of being a CSU Ram is participating in all the activities campus has to offer, and the Ram-uccino is just one of the ways to properly enjoy homecoming.

Taylor Felver can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

How to spend homecoming weekend with your parents

By Sarah Ehrlich

Location - West Lawn Time - October 7, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

@SarahEhrlich96

CSU’s homecoming and family Weekend is officially upon us.

This is the chance to show your family what kind of community Fort Collins is and to display the amount of pride you have for CSU. Convincing your family that you are eating and sleeping while maintaining your grades is hard enough, but having to entertain them for a whole weekend is even more difficult. Have no fear. The Collegian is here to help. Here is a list of things to do with your family this weekend:

Participate in the fun traditions of the University with the pep rally, bonfire and lighting of the A. In 1924, Aggie students voted to paint an A on the west hill of campus. Ever since then, it has been a tradition that boosts pride even higher around here.

This is one of the best ways to show off your school spirit.

1. Attend the Festival on the Oval, and show your parens what CSU is all about: Location- The Oval Time- Oct. 7, 3:30 - 6 p.m.

This is a great way to show your parents your appreciation for them and to introduce them to your friends and professors.

Plus, the game is that night, so you will need the energy.

There will be tons of fun activities on the iconic Oval. Enjoy food trucks, a beer garden and live music. And for all you parents, the face painting station is a perfect way to embarrass your child.

2. Take your parents to Friday Night Lights, and show off your school spirt:

3. Treat your parents to the Parents and Family Breakfast: Location: LSC Theater Time: 9 a.m. - end of breakfast

4. Tailgate (yes, with your parents), and cheer on the Rams at the game: Location: Hughes Stadium Time: October 8, 4 p.m. - end of game Dress in your best green and gold and cheer on the Rams as they play against Utah State. At the tailgate, you can meet alumni and professors while enjoying

great food and live music.

5. Drive your parents up to Horsetooth:

Drive up to Horsetooth Reservoir. From there, you can access many trails for biking and hiking. And, it is perfect for viewing the changing fall colors. You can even rent a boat to watch an epic Colorado sunset on the water.

6. Take your parents to Old Town for dinner and music:

Shop and listen to live music while enjoying great brews and food. There are 84 different restaurants serving any palate, so there is no room for excuses for your picky little sibling.

7. Beer and bike tours.

If there’s one thing Fort Collins is passionate about, its beer and bikes. Choose from an array of tours, including one where you can tour craft breweries by cruiser bike. How else could exercise and drink at the same time?

Sarah Ehrlich can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

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ARTS & CULTURE Friday, October 7, 2016

Homecoming weekend brings first tasting of CSU and Odell’s collaboration beer

By Alec Erickson @CTV_Ace

This year’s homecoming will give students and their families a chance to try a brand new brew created by business and fermentation students.

The College of Business is celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. The celebration led a collaborative effort with Odell’s Brewing Company’s new pilot system to create a brand new brew called the Stalwart Golden Ale. Students and graduates from colleges all across Colorado State University were asked to submit ideas for the name and label design.

The four finalists for this competition were tested by Nielsen. All the designs received high scores for unique approaches

and even a couple of them outperformed traditional companies.

Ultimately, Abby Lawson, a 2011 CSU graduate, won with her design. During her time at CSU, Lawson studied graphic design and now works as a web designer in Denver. Lawson’s design incorporated the Rocky

One of the coolest things about the commemorative brew is that all ingredients are 100 percent Colorado sourced.

Mountains, Aggies A and a ram.

All of these elements helped her design rise to the top.

One of the coolest things about the commemorative brew is that all ingredients are 100 percent Colorado sourced. Project managers for the Stalwart Golden Ale not only worked to pick the ingredients, but also helped with the brewing process as well.

The Stalwart Golden Ale will soon be available in both the Odell Brewing’s Tap Room and CSU’s own Ramskeller Pub. The first tasting for the brew will take place over homecoming weekend on Saturday Oct. 8. The tasting will occur at the College of Business’ 50th Birthday Bash.

Alec Erickson can be reached at news@collegian.com.

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

Top five ways to participate in CSU homecoming

By Ashley Potts @11smashley

In high school, homecoming weeks usually consisted of themed costume days and sporting events for every team, which culminated in the big homecoming dance. College homecoming is very different. It’s a literal coming home for many alumni from around the country. Alumni come back to see what is the same and what has changed since their time here at CSU and celebrate the pride they have for their alma mater. This makes it a bit less involved for the typical student currently enrolled at CSU, but there are still plenty of activities to participate in to get your fill of CSU pride this weekend.

1. Watch the parade and hang out at the festival on the oval While there are activities that go on all week, this is seen as the official start of homecoming weekend. Starting at 3 p.m. on Friday there will be all sorts of fun to be had on the oval. There will be live music, food trucks, a beer garden and games and activities suited for kids and the kid at heart. Hang around to watch the parade take a lap around the oval before continuing on its route.

The university and the Fort Collins community are represented in fun floats. The CSU Marching Band will make an appearance.

2. Chant at the bonfire and watch the lighting of the A Follow the parade route down to the West Lawn by the IM Fields for even more fun

starting at 6 p.m. This includes a pep rally full of Ram Pride and cheers around the bonfire. Find a spot in the grass with your Ramily to watch the fireworks and the annual lighting of the “A.” The fun wraps up at 8 p.m., so the 5k runners will be well rested come morning.

3. Tailgate with your friends before the football game Grab your friends and your parents and head out to Hughes Stadium to get pumped before the game. There are tickets for the official Alumni Association Tailgate Event, but as usual, there will be regular tailgating

FILE PHOTO COLLEGIAN

as well. Tailgating will start at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Students, parents, faculty, alumni and Fort Collins Rams fans will all come together to catch up and fill their bellies before finding their seats to cheer on the team.

4. Cheer on the Rams at their weekend games Rams football is not the only team to cheer for over the weekend. Rams soccer has two home matches at the Lagoon Field as well. Participate in an Orange Out as the lady Rams take on Colorado College today at 3 p.m. and come watch them again on Sunday at 1 p.m. against the Air Force Academy. The big football game against Utah State will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, and will be the last homecoming game played at Hughes Stadium, so be sure not to miss it.

5. Wear green and gold with pride If all these events are not really your style, there is always the option to wear some green and gold. You can also take in the awesome green and gold decorations in the LSC and other buildings around campus. These include streamers, balloons and even a balloon figurine of Cam the Ram. Alec Erickson can be reached at news@collegian.com.

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 7, 2016

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BLOGS Friday, October 7, 2016

As Told By Tam: Go to the home football games, you will not regret it

By Tamra Smalewitz @tamrasmalewitz

Football season has started up for every college campus and professional football team. We may not be in the Pac-12, but we still know how to win a game or two. The first game against Boulder was a rough one to watch, but that did not discourage us from winningagainstUTSA. You may be thinking to yourself, “Why do I want to waste my money going to a football game at Colorado State University?” Well, what sets CSU apart from other college campuses are our student tickets to football games. The tickets are a price no onecanbeat.

Now you may be puzzled at this, but don’t be. Home football games are completely FREE for students here at CSU. Yes, you heard me right, we studentsatCSUgetfreestudentticketsto the football home games. While other schools offer students a package to purchase for their football tickets, we don’thavetopayforthem.

Tickets are easy to acquire as well.

They can be bought online through the Colorado State Rams website or you can walk to Moby Arena and ask foryourhomegametickets.

If you are still at odds about going to the games, don’t be. We may

not be in the best team, but we are number one at tailgating. Just look at our tailgates from the Rocky Mountain Showdown; I have never seen so many adults and college students wearing green and chanting the fight song. Even at home games, you can find endless tailgates with music, barbecues and “I am proud to be a CSU Ram,” cheers yelled throughout the parking lot. If you have never been to a game at Hughes Stadium, go, because this will be the last semester we play there before our new on-campus stadiumisreadyforuse.

If this still does not persuade you, maybe the alcohol will. If you are over 21, you can get a wristband at Hughes Stadium and purchase liquor during the game. Some individuals like to drink and watch the football game, so Hughes Stadium will let you do both.

If you are going to drink during the game, remember to drink lots of water, though; the sun is much closer to usthanwethink.

Some of the home games even come with a theme. For example, every year we have the pink out game whereeveryoneintheaudiencewears pink CSU shirts to show their support ofBreastCancer.

If you are interested in going to the home football games, remember to wear sunscreen, drink plenty of wa-

Colorado State will face Utah State this Saturday at the homecoming football game. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE

COLLEGIAN

ter, be respectful of the people around you andwear your CSUgear.

The football games are not the onlygamesthathavefreestudenttick-

ets. Any home sporting event is free to CSU students. Take advantage of this opportunity before it is too late. You have nothing to lose by going to a free

sporting event atCSU. Tamra Smalewitz can be reached atblogs@collegian.com

Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

>> CLASSIC from page 9 “I just really remember thinking, ‘wow,’ ya know? How far we had come as a team in five years.,” Roberts said. “Looking around at a sellout crowd and thinking back to those games our first couple years, how it felt like there were a couple hundred people in the stands honestly.”

“Obviously as a kicker, those are just kind of the moments you dream about. It’s kind of surreal still. To think back to the moment, it still gives you chills,” Roberts continued.

A CSU false start penalty that was not without drama of its own pushed Roberts five yards further back as he now lined up for a 46-yarder for the win.

But, the two timeouts and the false start did nothing to phase him. He knew he hit a walk off the second his right leg struck the ball.

“That was one of my rare ones that I knew was good right down the middle,” Roberts said.

“You look at a lot of my kicks, they weren’t always right down the middle. That one, I knew it was good right away. That one definitely felt good.”

As Roberts’ kick sailed through the uprights and the clock hit all zeroes, the Colorado State players, and then the fans, stormed the field to celebrate with him.

It was a 16-13 last-second win on homecoming in front of

Today: Oct. 7 Colorado State players Dee Hart, left, and Xavier Williams, right, celebrate CSU’s win over Utah State in 2014 COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

a sellout crowd. Wins like that do not come around very often.

“It’s a moment you never want to end. It comes and goes so fast,” Roberts said. “Looking back on it, it just felt like it was all over so quickly. It’s such a rush of emotion and you know you put so much into the season both in the offseason and through the season and it’s those moments that make all the work worth it.”

“It was awesome, it was something you will remember for the rest of your life,” tight end Nolan Peralta, a sophomore on the 2014 team, said. “Those games don’t come around too often. It was an awesome experience for us and I know anyone

who was there will say the same thing. We are building memories out here playing. That was a great one we will always remember.”

The ending would not be all fairy tale. The CSU magic would run out in Colorado Springs in the last game of the season when the Falcons edged out CSU 27-24 with a last-second field goal of their own.

There would be no Mountain West championship. CSU would not even end up getting a bowl win to cap off the 10-win season.

But for one night in Fort Collins, the Hughes Stadium magic was back.

Eric Wolf can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

Festival on the Oval 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Oval Pre-parade celebration featuring live music, kids activities, food trucks and beer garden.

Homecoming Parade 4:30 p.m.

Howes Street Join students, faculty, staff and Fort Collins community members in celebrating CSU Homecoming!

Tomorrow: Oct. 8 Homecoming Tailgate 4:00 p.m.

Hughes Stadium Music and great food before the game! Alumni, families, parents and all Rams are invited.

CSU Football vs. Utah State 8:00 p.m.

Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium

Upcoming Events: Cans Around the Oval - Can Collection October 12, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Oval

CSU Volleyball vs. Nevada October 13, 7:00 p.m., Moby Arena

CSU Ethics Colloquium Series October 14, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Eddy Hall

Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

Rams look to fix defensive issues

By Eric Wolf When looking at the Colorado State Rams’ 2-3 record, it does not take much digging to find that the defense’s inability to get stops, especially against the run, is a primary driving force for where this team currently sits.

And, with where this team is at now, CSU’s struggles are particularly concerning heading into the rest of conference play this year.

“This is a physical league,” coach Mike Bobo said. “The teams that are winning the ball games are the physical football teams. This is not a league that throws it around and it’s 50-46 every week. You better be able to play defense, you better be able to run the ball and you better be able to stop the run.”

For much of this year, the Rams have been unable to do any of those things well, and they have the record to show for it.

On the season, the Rams are averaging 179.2 yards a game on the ground, while

giving up 172.8, but the statistics are skewed with the wins over UTSA and the University of Northern Colorado.

In the team’s three losses, the Rams were outrushed by an average of 257-143. For the season, the Rams rank 81st in the country in rushing defense.

“It’s like every week,” defensive coordinator Marty English said about his team’s struggles against the run this season. “As a coordinator and as a defense, you don’t want the ball run up your butt. It’s demoralizing, it’s aggravating.”

It is particularly striking considering the Rams still have to face three teams ranked in the top-25 in the nation in rushing offense in New Mexico (2nd), Air Force (5th) and San Diego State (22nd).

In Saturday’s Border War loss, running back Brian Hill and the Cowboys ran through the Rams’ defense at will to the tune of 269 yards on the ground.

“The disappointing thing is I thought Wyoming was

more physical than us,” Bobo said. “Why that is? We have to find that out and get back to who we are and what we want to become.”

And, as far as what they want to become, Bobo said it is all about getting back to his foundation.

“I believe that you have to be physical,” Bobo said. “You have to play great defense, you have to be able to run the ball, and you have to let your playmakers touch the ball offensively to have a chance to win.”

But Bobo’s, and this team’s philosophy, has been missing in action far too often this season.

“You’d like to say that we were physical but when you go back and watch the film and watch the game we got beat up front we got beat all around the ball,” safety Jake Schlager said of the Wyoming game. “It’s not just defense, it’s the offense too. They were more physical in all aspects of the game.”

“You just look at that, learn from that and just know

that our effort on Saturday was not good enough to win the game and the energy we need to win the game was not there either,” Schlager continued. “We need to step up and be more physical.”

After Saturday’s loss, English said that his young defense is still learning. He said that Wyoming was changing things up on the field with their blocking scheme, and as a coach on the sideline, he was unable to see it. When the Cowboys started changing things up, that’s when they started gashing the Rams.

Part of that inexperience on the defense was that his players did not come up to him during the game to point out what Wyoming was doing differently.

On Wednesday, coach Bobo said the team was going to make a change about which coaches were going to be in the press box during games so that the team would have more eyes in the sky to not let something like that happen again.

But in the end, it comes

down to the players on the field, and Schlager said they all need to do a better job of holding themselves accountable for the way this team, defense, is playing.

As a defense, they know where they want to be, but they are trying to figure out how to get there.

“Our goals are the same every week,” English said.

“We have to stop the run we have to slow the run down and force teams to throw and keep the ball underneath.”

The goals may be set, and the team can address its areas of weakness all that it wants, but there is no guarantee that it is all going to be fixed by season’s end.

“It’s going to be a challenge for us each week, all year,” English said.

With what the Rams have looming on the horizon in conference play, there will be no shortage of those challenges.

Eric Wolf can be reached by email at sports@collegian. com.

Former CSU players finding success in NFL

By Justin Michael There have been a number of former Colorado State players that have gone on to succeed in the NFL, but historically, Fort Collins has not been a hotbed for next level talent.

Players like Erik Pears, Clark Haggans and Joel Dreesen went on to have notable NFL careers, but in general, Joey Porter is the only name that rings a bell to the average football fan.

Over the past few years however, the number of Rams making it to the next level has gone up drastically. There are currently eight former CSU players on NFL rosters and one player on an NFL practice squad (Garrett Grayson, New Orleans Saints).

Most recently, Cory James (Oakland Raiders) and Rashard Higgins (Cleveland Browns) were selected in last year’s NFL Draft, and Deandre Elliott signed as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. These three all made their respective team’s 53-man rosters.

Cory James Of the three rookies, James has made the biggest impact one month into the season. The rookie linebacker has worked his way into the Raiders starting lineup and has exceeded expectations, performing at an elite

level in his rookie campaign. James has led the team in snaps played in consecutive weeks, and in the Raiders’ loss to the Baltimore Ravens last Sunday, James led the team in tackles (15) and forced a fumble.

Rashard Higgins Higgins has yet to make an impact in Cleveland, but after losing Corey Coleman to injury, Hollywood may have an opportunity to earn some playing time in the near future.

Higgins looked good in preseason and Cleveland writers praised the former Ram throughout training camp for his soft hands and versatility.

Shaq Barrett Along with the three rookies, there are a few former Rams that are particularly performing at a high level. Shaquil Barrett has quickly become one of the most disruptive pass-rushers in the league and a staple of the defense for the Denver Broncos after originally going undrafted in 2014.

Barrett worked his way onto the roster in 2015 and in limited action, recorded 50 tackles, 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. With DeMarcusWarecurrently out ofthepicture, Barrett is receiving an increased role in the defense in 2016 and the young linebacker is not disappointing.

Barrett recorded his best statistical

performance of the season against Tampa Bay last Sunday, recording six tackles, one sack and one pass-deflection.

Barrett is accompanied in Denver by former collegiate teammates Ty Sambrailo and Kapri Bibbs.

Ty Sambrailo Sambrailo was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, but missed pretty much the entire season to injury. In his sophomore season, Sambrailo has displayed versatility, playing guard throughout training camp/preseason, and switching back to tackle when Donald Stephenson went down with a leg injury.

Kapri Bibbs After spending the last two seasons on the practice squad, Bibbs earned a spot on the Broncos 53man roster this fall, beating out a pair of veteran running backs, including the team’s leading rusher from last year (Ronnie Hillman). Bibbs has yet to make much of an impact in the ground game, but the former Ram has excelled on special teams and has been receiving increased snaps on a weekly basis.

Weston Richburg Richburg has developed into one of the league’s elite centers, grad-

Baltimore Ravens tight end Crockett Gillmore (80) catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Thurston Armbrister during the second quarter on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015, at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore. (Karl Merton Ferron/Baltimore Sun/TNS)

ing out as the league’s 89th best player according to Pro Football Focus.

Richburg has been a constant for a New York Giants offensive line that has struggled to stay healthy over the past few seasons. His toughness and tenacity makes him a defensive nightmare. Although his aggression cost him when he became the first player to be ejected for two personal fouls in week-three.

Crockett Gillmore Along with Richburg, Gillmore has made a name for himself by being scrappy and relentless as a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens. Gillmore missed six games to injury last season, but still managed to record 33 receptions and four touchdowns in ten starts in 2015.

Justin Michael can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com

Inside the Lines

Detrich Clark 8 | Wide Receiver | Junior | Montezuma, GA

PHOTO BY LUKE WALKER COLLEGIAN

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Inside The Lines Friday, October 7, 2016

Inside The Lines

Bobo looking for players to take bigger leadership role

By Chad Deutschman

Coaches coach, players play.

It is a dynamic that has existed since, well forever. The coach explains what to do and how to do it; the player listens, and then emulates the coach’s words on the playing field. Good things happen when the player listens to the coach.

But what happens when the player becomes the coach?

Head coach Mike Bobo wants to find out. He doesn’t want his players to call the plays and come up with the schemes. He wants his players to coach leadership. Bobo wants CSU players to be able to teach each other what it means to be a Ram. What does that look like exactly?

“It looks like this,” Bobo said. “(Tuesday) we started team run, it was our first competition drill, and the offense was ready to go and they were kind of taking it to the defense. Didn’t really hear anything form the defense.

Coach (Marty) English had to get over there on the defensive side, amongst the linebackers, and start to challenge them and then they picked it up from that point.”

When players are leading themselves, defensive coordinator Marty English does not have to harp at the linebackers. He just has to sit back, watch, and coach as

players motivate themselves. The coach is there to do it if he has to, but Bobo does not want to have to.

“A player led team would do that themselves,” Bobo said.

“There is going to be bad plays, but they are going to speak up and realize what drill we are at, what we are trying to accomplish, what today is about. Just getting after it. Getting after each other. Coach English knows what good coaches do. They take over and he got it going.”

The players know what their coach wants. Understanding that leadership is an area needing some attention has not gone in one ear and out the other. With that being said, it is still a work in progress.

“There are different aspects of being player led over coach led, I think personally,” senior safety Jake Schlager said on how the team can become player led. “We do need to step up in the aspect that players need to be holding each other accountable and just not letting things slide.”

“I think we are continuing to get better at that each and every day, every week,” he said. “But like coach said, we are just not there yet. I think that is going to be something that progressively comes, but obviously we are nowhere near where we want to be or need to be at the moment. And that is what the leaders, and myself and everybody else are working towards.”

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Friday, October 7, 2016

For Schlager, becoming a leader has not been the easiest process, but is something he has strived for.

“You take that as a personal challenge,” he said. “I have never been a huge vocal person my entire life. I’m blue collared, I put my head down and I work and I grind and I let my actions speak for itself. But stepping into a new role, it is just something that you have to get out of the comfort zone, grow out of your bubble and just sort of expand into a new leadership role and that is being more vocal … I know that I need to do a better role and do a better job with that myself.”

A player can lead as much as humanly possible, but if the players he tries to lead do not want to see change, it does not amount to anything.

“You can harp and call people out and do everything, just try to be more player led. But at the end of the day, it’s the person in the glass; it is the man in the glass,” Schlager said. “It is who you have to look at in the mirror.

At the end of the day it’s yourself … you can harp on somebody as much as you want, but unless they want to change, unless they want to get better, then it is not going to get any better.”

Chad Deutschman can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

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FOOD

Across Street From CSU Thursday college night at La Luz Deadline to submit ads is 4pm the margarita day prior toand publication.

2 Bedroom/2 Bath, 3classified Bedroom/3 $5 pint 2 for $5 To place an ad call 970-491-1683 or click “Classifieds’ at Collegian.com.

Bath. W/D, AC, covered parking, big tacos. cats ok. $1180-1800 per month.

Text 970-599-4935.

CLASSIFIEDS

Roommate Wanted Across Street From CSU Private Bedroom/Bath in 2 Bedroom/2 Bath apartment. W/D, AC, covered parking, cats ok. $590 per month per room. Text 970-599-4935.

www.collegian.com Classifieds 970-491-1683 find a job sell old gadgets send secret messages to friends buy a car find roomates

970.491.1683

www.collegian.com

Deadline to submit classified ads is 4pm the day prior to publication.

To place an ad call 970-491-1683 or click “Classifieds’ at Collegian.com.

The Lines 38 Inside Friday, October 7, 2016

homecoming deal homecoming 2016 . go rams

*normally $9.75, only this 10/16, 10/17, 10/18, no limit on purchases

DELIVERS! 970-224-2000| 1124 West Elizabeth | www.krazykarlspizza.com

Inside The Lines Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Across 1 City NE of Odessa 8 American Pharoah accoutrement 14 Like many lots 15 Like bad butter 16 Item on a certain thief’s rap sheet?

18 Party planner’s compilation 19 Big Island entertainment 20 Tour stop 22 Put down 23 Sequential exercise 26 Name on the 1983 album “More Music for Films” 27 Long-distance calling org.?

29 Linguistic ending 30 Graceful wader 32 Dinner for a lottery winner?

36 “C U When U Get There” rapper 38 Cans on a Lowe’s shelf 39 Mural of a wild canine?

41 Flew like a birdie 42 Minn. neighbor 43 Zachary Taylor, e.g.

47 Affected denial 48 Held up

51 With 48-Down, judging with others 52 Sign of spring 53 Prominent feature of “Twilight” films?

54 Query in Matthew 56 Last of a $140 stack?

60 Follows 61 “The Little Prince” author Saint-Exupéry 62 Like hunks 63 Ached (for) Down 1 Economical bikes 2 Not a good way to be caught 3 Call it off 4 Pullover beneficiaries 5 Bookkeeper’s concerns: Abbr.

6 Gp. with many arms 7 Strauss’ “__ Rosenkavalier” 8 Slow down 9 Hurries 10 Tattoo parlor supplies 11 Roman 601 12 Not hurry home from 13 Avant-garde quality 17 Aromatic cocktail

GREEN APPLES JEFF HARRIS

BREWSTER ROCKIT TIM RICKARD

Friday, October 7, 2016

21 Düsseldorf deity 24 Director DeMille 25 “I’ll kneel down / And ___ thee forgiveness”: King Lear 28 “Kidding” 30 Former attorney general Holder 31 Moody Blues hit with an exclamation point in its title 33 “When I was __ ... “: “H.M.S. Pinafore” lyric 34 Starts the day 35 Sample 36 Whoops it up 37 West 39 Hinge holder 40 Like stormy seas 44 Sauce served with mu shu pork 45 Chant 46 Profited 48 See 51-Across 49 Not at all calm 50 Judge’s decrees 53 It might be resolved through mediation 55 Candy bar with a Nordic name 57 Sch. near the Appomattox River 58 Noisy bird 59 Chemical suffix Yesterday’s solution

SUDOKU

Yesterday’s solution

39

The Lines 40 Inside Friday, October 7, 2016