Vol. 128, No. 8, 7/26/18

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Vol. 128, No. 8 Thursday, July 26, 2018

NEWS

OPINION

A&C

CITY APPROVES HOMELESS LOCKERS

LTTE: ‘NO PLACE 4 H8’ WASN’T INTENDED TO STOP RACISM

FORT COLLINS COMPOSER REWORKS NATIONAL ANTHEM

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Five CSU football standouts have been identified as players to watch this upcoming season. PHOTOGRAPHIC BY ASHLEY POTTS AND MEG METZGER-SEYMOUR COLLEGIAN

Five football players earn national recognition in the preseason By Mack Beaulieu @Macknz_James

The Colorado State Rams have placed four players on preseason award watch lists during the past week, as well as having punter Ryan Stonehouse named as a preseason AllMountain West selection July 24. Stonehouse and fellow special teamer Wyatt Bryan were also named to watch lists for their prospective positions with Stonehouse being named for the Ray Guy Award watch list and Bryan making an appearance on

the Lou Groza Award watch list, an award he was a semifinalist for last season. The team will look to establish itself this season, while being one of the most inexperienced teams in the nation, but running back Izzy Matthews, tight end Cameron Butler, fullback Adam Prentice and Stonehouse have already established themselves as players who could achieve big things this season. Matthews was the first to be selected July 18 for the Doak Walker Award watch list. Given to the best collegiate running

back in the nation every year, Matthews looks to finally have a chance to be the Rams leading running back after Dalyn Dawkins departed for the NFL. Matthews will have his work cut out for him this year because the Rams’ offensive line lost three starters from last season, with further questions about the quarterback position. Additionally, new offensive line coach and run game coordinator Dave Johnson comes from runheavy Ohio State and Georgia. The Rams will be putting out an inexperienced line in the middle of learning their new coach’s

preferences, a rocky path to the top. “The offensive scheme is the same,” lineman Barry Wesley said. “But just the way coach Johnson wants us to do it is completely different.” The Rams’ next preseason nominees’ success may also hinge on how well the offensive line and quarterback situations work out. Butler had one of the best freshman seasons ever for a Rams’ tight end last year, with 12 catches and 171 yards. Butler is poised to be a sure-handed outlet if the Rams’ lineman and new starting quarterback struggle.

Butler was highly touted as a senior coming out of South Carolina after playing wide receiver in high school. The bigbodied Butler made the switch to being a dynamic tight end with the highlight of his freshman season coming on a 50-yard TD reception. “That’s what’s so scary, if he had played a full season, he’s definitely an SEC-caliber kid,” said Perry Parks, Butler’s former high school coach. “He went to Georgia’s camp and shredded it. Coach Bobo and coach Cox, they see FOOTBALL on page 12 >>


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