Volume 127, No 22, September 8, 2017

Volume 127, No. 22 Friday, September 8, 2017

Inside The Lines

Orange Out Weekend YOUR TAILGATE HEADQUARTERS! 1107 CITY PARK AVE. | 970-484-1107

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Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

Collegian sports pick-em’ Justin Michael Sports Director (6-4)

Colin Barnard Sports Editor (7-3)

Elliott Jerge Chief Sports Photographer (7-3)

Eddie Herz Sports Reporter (6-4)

CSU vs. Abilene Christian

CSU

CSU

CSU

CSU

Arizona State vs.

San Diego State

Arizona State

Arizona State

Arizona State

Arizona State

North Carolina vs.

Louisville

Louisville

Louisville

North Carolina

Louisville

Michigan vs.

Cincinnati

Michigan

Michigan

Michigan

Michigan

TCU

TCU

Arkansas

Arkansas

Auburn

Clemson

Clemson

Clemson

Ohio State vs.

Oklahoma

Ohio State

Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Ohio State

Notre Dame vs.

Georgia

Notre Dame

Georgia

Notre Dame

Notre Dame

Washington State vs. Boise State

Washington State

Boise State

Boise State

Washington State

USC vs. Stanford

USC

USC

USC

USC

Lory Student Center Box 13 Fort Collins, CO 80523

EDITORIAL STAFF | 970-491-7513

Arkansas vs. TCU Clemson vs.

Auburn

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.

Erin Douglas | Editor-in-Chief editor@collegian.com Tatiana Parafiniuk-Talesnick | Managing Editor managingeditor@collegian.com Haley Candelario | News Director news@collegian.com Rachel Telljohn | News Editor news@collegian.com Allec Brust | Opinion Editor letters@collegian.com Justin Michael | Sports Director sports@collegian.com Colin Barnard | Sports Editor sports@collegian.com

Randi Mattox | A&C Director entertainment@collegian.com Zoë Jennings | A&C Editor entertainment@collegian.com Casey Martinez | Design Editor design@collegian.com Tony Villalobos May | Photography Director photo@collegian.com Mikaela Rodenbaugh | Digital Production Manager mrodenbaugh@collegian.com Darby Osborne | Social Media Editor socialmedia@collegian.com Seth Bodine | Copy Chief sbodine@collegian.com Josh Kloehn | Webmaster webmaster@collegian.com

Chapman Croskell | Videography Director ccroskell@collegian.com Elliott Jerge | Chief Sports Photographer photos@collegian.com

ADVISING STAFF

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

KEY PHONE NUMBERS

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

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, September 8, 2017

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3 Friday, September 8, 2017 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, September 8, 2017

4

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, September 8, 2017

Big Game Savings!

Beer

Bud, Bud Light ............................ $14.99

Liquor

20pk – 12oz cans/btls Coors, Coors Light ..................... $13.99

1107 City Park Ave. Mon.-Thurs. 8 a.m. - Midnight Fri.-Sun. 8 a.m. - Midnight

(970) 484-1107 Craft Beer of the Month

New Belgium Brewing

6pk - 12oz btls.............................$8.49 Fat Tire, White, Tartastic, Voodoo IPA & 8 Hop, 1554, Blue Paddle, Citradelics, & Voodoo Atomic Pumpkin

Import Beer of the Month

Heineken, Light

6pk-12oz btls.....................$7.59

18pk – 12oz cans Miller Lite ..................................... $13.99 18pk – 12oz cans Keystone Light, Ice ................... $14.99 30pk – 12oz cans Coors Extra Gold ....................... $12.99 30pk – 12oz cans Lost Lake “Cubes” ................... $11.99 24pk – 12oz cans Breckenridge Brewing .............. $14.99 Sampler 12pk-12oz btls Blue Moon Brewing ................... $12.99 Belgium White, Mixed

Old Aggie Lager ................$99.99 Coors, Coors Light............$99.99 Bud, Bud Light ..................$104.99 Pabst Blue Ribbon ............$84.99 Labatt Blue .......................$79.99 Keystone Light ..................$75.99 Miller High Life ..................$75.99 New Belgium ....................$119.99 Odell Brewing ...................$125.99

Kegs 1/4 Barrels

1.75L Bourbon, Rye Chivas 12yr ............................... $29.99 750ml Scotch Beefeater Gin ........................... $28.99 1.75L Tito’s Vodka .............................. $26.99 1.75L Gentleman Jack ....................... $24.99 750ml Cuervo Tequila ......................... $22.99 1.75L Silver, Gold Fireball Whiskey ...................... $22.99 1.75L Hot Cinnamon Bacardi Rum ............................ $19.99 1.75L Superior, Flavors Sailor Jerry Rum ...................... $19.99

12pk – 12oz btls Fort Collins Brewery ................. $11.99 Mixer 12pk – 12oz cans Eddyline Brewing ...................... $ 8.99 IPA, Pale

1.75L Spiced Skyy Vodka ............................... $18.99 1.75L Regular, Citrus Milagro Tequila ......................... $18.99 750ml Silver, Reposado

6pk -16oz cans Lagunitas Brewing .................... $ 7.99

Kegs 1/2 Barrels

Bulleit ........................................ $39.99

IPA, Li’l Sumpin, Maximus, Hop Stoopid 6pk – 12oz btls Dos Equis ................................... $12.99 Ambar, Lager, Variety

Seagram’s VO .......................... $17.99

Newcastle Brown Ale ................ $12.99 12pk – 12oz btls Not Your Fathers ........................ $ 8.99 Rootbeer, Cream, Mtn Ale

Ketel One Vodka ...................... $17.99 750ml Jack Daniels ............................. $17.99 New Amsterdam Gin ............... $16.99 1.75L Disaronno Amaretto ................ $16.99 750ml Fris Vodka ................................. $12.99

6pk- 12oz btls Strongbow Ciders ..................... $ 7.99 Honey, Golden, Cherry

1.75L Northern Light .......................... $ 9.99 1.75L Whiskey

6pk- 12oz btls

Odell Brewing......................$73.99 Odell IPA.............................$85.99

Kegs 1/6 Barrels New Belgium.......................$45.99 Fat Tire, Voodoo IPA, Citradelic, and many more...

Mon. - Thurs. 8 a.m. - Midnight Fri. - Sun. 8 a.m. - Midnight 1107 City Park Ave. campuswestliquors.com @campuswliquors

Prices Good Thru 09/09/17

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Craft Cave Feature of the Week

Crooked Stave Brewing 375ml Bottles - All Types

While they last!

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6

Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

Michael: Stevens’ maturity key for 2017 offense Justin Michael @JustinTMichael

Nick Stevens Makes a pass towards the endzone during the Rocky Mountain Showdown on Sept. 1.

PHOTO BY JACK STAKEBAUM COLLEGIAN

Two weeks into the 2017 football season the general feeling around Colorado State is that this team is for real. Expectations were high prior to the season and they were elevated when the Rams dismantled Oregon State at home on Aug. 26.

CSU is coming off of a hard fought loss to Colorado, something that would normally be considered a dark cloud to loom over the team for the rest of the season. However, this squad has a different vibe.

After getting jobbed by the officials in the Rocky Mountain Showdown, head coach Mike Bobo made no excuses about the poor officiating. Neither did any of the seven players that talked to the media after the bitter loss.

Instead, they put things into perspective. They talked about the offense’s shortcomings in the game and admitted that the situation was unfortunate, but they cannot complain about things that are out of their of control such as the officiating.

The act of self control was one of many instances where the Rams players have displayed maturity this fall. Junior running back Izzy Matthews points to familiarity within the system and knowing what the coaching staff expects of them.

“When you really think about it, everyone basically restarted in Bobo’s first year (2015),” Matthews said. “Basically everyone restarts as freshman. Maybe not physically, but mentally and with their understanding of the offense, that’s what it is. So we’ve been developing the standard on offense and the standard for the team. You’re really going to see that start to come into fruition this season.”

He also singled out the leadership of senior quarterback Nick Stevens, who has come into the 2017 season just as hot as he finished the 2016 season. Stevens has thrown for at least 300 yards in both of CSU’s games this season, throwing three touchdowns and three interceptions during that span.

More important than his stat line, the poise Stevens has displayed through two games has been been indicative of a quarterback that has had to battle his entire career. After being named the starter in the offseason, Stevens grabbed the

job by the horns and has not let go of the reigns.

“I thought that it was a huge thing for our offense,” Matthews said. “We declared our starter four or five weeks before the season started. In years past, we were doing it close to game week, which I think can really mess with people.”

“Nick has really been able to come into his own as a leader,” Matthews continued. “Just as someone that can control the offense, can control the team and is someone that everyone looks up to. It’s really a testament to him after everything he’s been through. To finally step into this role and lead the team how he does.”

The players are not the only ones satisfied with the veteran quarterback’s play either. Bobo praised Stevens Tuesday for his performance through the first two weeks of the season, calling his performance against the Beavers “exceptional.”

Quick not to bloat his quarterback’s ego, Bobo admitted that Stevens has gotten away with some poor throws at times and his receivers have stepped up immensely this season as well. Overall, Stevens has been a player that is suited to lead this team to victory though.

“You’re not going to be perfect every play, but overall he’s shown some toughness through the first two games.

He’s shown the ability to keep us in ballgames with his arm,” Bobo said.

Between the end of last season and the start of the 2017 campaign, it has become clear that Stevens can undoubtedly lead this team where it needs to be. Barring an injury or dramatic shift in his performance, it should be Stevens that takes every meaningful snap for the remainder of the season.

Bobo has often said that he wants sophomore quarterback Collin Hill to continue preparing as the starter, and in practice he definitely should.

Given how well Stevens is playing though, it would be crazy to waste Hill’s eligibility this season by having him see the field on game day. Stevens has earned the right to lead the team this season and the Rams can save their young gun for the future.

CSU has the weapons at the offensive skill positions to compete for the Mountain West. Stevens’ maturity and stable presence under center is what the team needs to help guide them there.

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

Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

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Rams refuse to overlook FCS opponent

By Colin Barnard @ColinBarnard_

The Colorado State football team will look to rebound from last week’s loss to Colorado with a home matchup against Abilene Christian this Saturday.

In addition to representing the school’s heritage with the annual Ag Day game, the matchup is the one and only instance that CSU will play a team in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Though the FCS is a step below the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in which the Rams play, Abilene Christian may offer a tougher test than most schools of their caliber.

The Wildcats welcome firstyear head coach Adam Dorrel after his recording-breaking stretch at Northwest Missouri State. In his six years as a head coach, Dorrel won 76 of 84 games and three FCS Division II national championships. His .905 winning percentage is the highest mark of any active coach in college football.

CSU head coach Mike Bobo understands the importance of treating this like any other game.

“This is a tough football team

who’s got a lot of skill on offense, got a quarterback who can run around and make plays, defense that’s very athletic,” Bobo said.

“So, we’re probably coaching as hard as we’ve coached all year for this week.”

In ACU’s week one loss to fellow Mountain West foe New Mexico, the Wildcats were competitive for the entire first half, entering the break trailing by a touchdown. Although the final score may not reflect it, Bobo was impressed with what he saw from ACU in the first game.

“They played New Mexico very well,” Bobo said. “They look athletic. They’re a spread offensive football team that likes to throw the ball around a lot.”

At the helm of the Wildcats’ offense is junior quarterback Dallas Sealey. Last year, the dual-threat quarterback threw for more than 2,700 yards and 19 touchdowns while adding 381 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

Surrounding him is a roster littered with FBS experience.

Overall, the Wildcats have nine players who previously played for a FBS team. Five of those

players played for a team in a Power Five conference. CSU senior defensive lineman Jakob Buys recognizes the athleticism and talent throughout the team.

“Their wide receivers are good, they’re quick,” Buys said.

“I think they’re similar to what we just faced (against CU). Their running backs are fast, wide receivers are quick. I think it’s going to be a tough matchup for us.”

As a team that does not get the attention that Power Five schools do, Colorado State understands the fire that can come from being overlooked.

It’s something that Bobo and company are keeping in mind heading into the matchup with ACU. “We don’t like to be looked down on when people talk about us, and I think it’s the same with teams like Abilene Christian,” Bobo said. “Their talent level is just as good as ours…it’s going to be a tough football game for us.”

After the matchup with ACU, the Rams will turn their attention to current No. 1 Alabama. With such a daunting task ahead of them, it could be easy to overlook this week’s

Colorado State Football head coach Mike Bobo watches his team during the second quarter of the Rocky Mountain Showdown on Sept. 1, 2017.

PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

matchup and begin preparing for the Crimson Tide.

However, Bobo refuses to let what lies ahead get in the way of preparing for this weekend.

A lot of times people think you’re going to change the game plan. It doesn’t matter our opponent, we’re going to game plan the same way,” Bobo said. “We have to get ready for

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this game. We can’t let what happened Friday night (against CU) or us playing the No. 1 team in the nation in two weeks affect anything. Our preparation needs to be on Abilene Christian and that’s what I expect and that’s what I think our players are going to know what I expect.”

Colin Barnard can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

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Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

CSU Sophomore Amanda Young digs a ball during the season opener against Duke on August 25, 2017. The Rams played a hard fought five sets but in the end were unable to over power the Blue Devils. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

Amanda Young seizing opportunity to lead for CSU volleyball

By Luke Zahlmann @lukezahlmann

Despite coming into the season as the favorite to win the Mountain West, the Colorado State volleyball team was unsure of one of the more important positions on the court: libero.

This offseason, the Rams opened up a competition for the libero spot. Multiple defensive specialists competed for the alternate jersey and defensive leadership position in the weeks leading up to the season.

Although the Rams returned a trio of defensive specialists, they added three more in the offseason to double the pool.

Through it all, sophomore Amanda Young separated herself from the competition. Even with the number of players competing for one position, Young kept her edge and pushed through.

“I think (knowing our specialists doubled), we just went in and controlled what we could control,” Young said.

“Getting better ourselves instead of worrying about everyone else and pushing each other to get better.”

On her path to libero, an offseason surgery to Olivia

Nicholson narrowed the competition to just Young and the other defensive specialists on the team. Though narrowed, the competition remained wide open.

Within the competition, coach Tom Hilbert was looking for a player to step up and lead the defensive side of the ball while excelling in service. Young rose to the challenge and took control of the spot, earning an opening match start at libero against Duke. She came into the match knowing she had to play well, but sought to not let any added pressure affect her mindset or flow of play.

“I just played with a lot of freedom,” Young said. “I felt pretty at peace the whole time and I think I was really prepared for (the match) and excited to be the libero.”

Young had a break from the role of libero her freshman year of college after playing the position in high school.

She made the re-adjustments and found her comfort zone with preparation and rigor for improvement.

The passion and drive that Young has placed in her volleyball repertoire has allowed

her to improve and learn other skills that have placed her at the core of the Rams success. Going into the offseason as a quality player for the Rams, Young worked hard to improve areas of her game that were not up to her lofty standards in hopes of becoming a complete player and driving her team to success.

“I wanted to work on my vision,” Young said. “Now that I am used to playing at a college level, I wanted to get better at seeing the court and making defensive plays while holding my team accountable.”

Young’s leadership is a quality that coach Hilbert looks for in his recruiting process of defensive specialists. Every defensive specialist the Rams have possess a leadership quality and take control for the team.

“All of the (players) that play defense for us are good leadership types,” Hilbert said.

“They are all hard workers, all great (people).”

Even though the Rams leadership was not in question, the team was looking to improve defensively coming into the year and raise their defensive prowess to match their star outside and middle hitters.

Even after winning the competition to stand as the Rams libero, Young is pushed by freshman Maddi Foutz. The competition is what pushes Young to continue working and avoid the complacency that can cause a team to plateau.

CSU Sophomore Amanda Young digs a ball during the season opener against Duke on August 25, 2017. The Rams played a hard fought five sets but in the end were unable to over power the Blue Devils. (Elliott Jerge | Collegian) As well as Foutz, Young finds inspiration in the words and lessons of her libero and defensive coach Emily Hiza Kohan.

“Emily has had a really big impact on me,” Young said. “She has been someone who has always been really relatable to me and she uses a lot of tough love when she coaches and you know that she is always going to want what is best for you and pushes you.”

Through the Rams 5-1 start, Young has led the team in digs (96) and in digs per set (4.17).

Young’s proficiency in digs mixed with the blocking prowess of Kirstie Hillyer have been

catalysts for the Rams success.

The Rams are aware of the hype surrounding the team and the increasing expectations for the remainder of the season.

With their upset of Florida State, the Rams are becoming a household name, moving into the top 25. Regardless of the added notoriety, the team’s goals have remained the same.

“Our team has so much potential,” Young said. “We have known for a while that this was going to be a really big year, and I think you can kind of lose sight of that once it finally comes. We just have to keep our goals in mind and take it one step at a time. I just want to get better every day.”

With a step by step approach, the Rams are looking to focus on one game at a time and move past their upset of the Seminoles.

Rather than focus on past success, the Rams are looking at another Mountain West title and beyond.

The Rams have only four seniors and could be looking at a long road of success with their core of Breana Runnels, Katie Oleksak and Hillyer, all pushed by the leadership of their libero.

Luke Zahlmann can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, September 8, 2017

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Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

The Rams prepare to take the field during the 2015 edition of Ag Day. PHOTO BY ABBIE PARR COLLEGIAN

Players look forward to annual Orange Out

By Justin Michael @JustinTMichael

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FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

GO RAMS

When the cannon fires, smoke rises and Colorado State football exits the tunnel onto the field this Saturday, they will step out into a sea of orange.

In celebration of the school’s agricultural heritage, CSU will hold its annual Ag Day and celebrate the university’s agricultural roots.

In lieu of the traditional green and vegas gold, the Rams will once again don the alternate pumpkin orange and alfalfa green uniforms with boned horns on the helmet. The look is unique to CSU and pays homage to the days of the Colorado A&M Aggies.

A chance for the players to wear unique threads and for fans to break out the Aggie-themed gear, this weekend is always one of the more anticipated themes of the football season. It is a chance to honor CSU’s unique heritage.

Following practice Tuesday, players talked about the excitement of the Ag Day festivities, including junior wide receiver Olabisi Johnson. Coming off a big performance against Colorado, Johnson is excited to play in front of the home fans and wear the uniforms that he scored his first career touchdown in in September of 2015.

“The orange is awesome,” Johnson said. “Uniforms do not win games, but I think it makes it that much more exciting of a game because you’re wearing the Aggie jerseys and you see all the fans in orange. It feels like a different environment, honestly.”

Junior running back Izzy Matthews also said that he really likes wearing the green and orange uniforms.

“I love them,” Matthews said.

“You get out there and you’re kind of feeling yourself in those different jerseys. It just gets you excited to be out there. It’s almost the same feeling as opening up a stadium. It’s something new, it’s something special, it’s something different.”

While head coach Mike Bobo agrees that uniforms do not win football games, the Rams are 7-0 since the team introduced the uniforms in 2010. In fact the Rams have not had an opponent even stay within two scores on Ag Day in the last four years.

With all the excitement surrounding the game, even Bobo looks forward to the annual Ag Day celebration. However, as someone that has worn orange on the sideline for the majority of CSU’s contests over the last three years, Saturday will be just another game day at the office.

The third-year coach joked that he was never allowed to wear orange when he was a player or assistant coach at Georgia because of rivals Auburn, Clemson and Florida. Now, he’s making up for time lost.

“You were never allowed to wear orange, I grew up never wearing orange from the time I showed up in Athens, Ga. in 1992 until I left in 2015,” Bobo said.

“So, when I got here and orange was our color, I said, ‘Hey I want to wear that color because I’ve never worn it.’”

The Rams will look to move to 8-0 in the Aggie uniforms this Saturday. The matchup with Abilene Christian University is scheduled to kickoff at 1:30 p.m.

The Wildcats were defeated by New Mexico 38-14 in week 1.

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

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, September 8, 2017

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Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

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Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

Breana Runnels

Sophomore Brenda Runnels goes for a huge kill against the Duke Blue Devils on Aug. 25, 2017. The Rams were defeated in five hard-fought battles. PHOTO BY ELLIOT JERGE COLLEGIAN

Redshirt star emerges as offensive weapon

By Luke Zalhmann @lukezahlmann

Though normally disallowed by law, killing is the path to greatness for Colorado State volleyball’s redshirt freshman Breana Runnels.

Runnels spent last year dressing and traveling to every game without the thrill of seeing the court or helping her team win.

Hard work propelled Runnels to take a turn in October of last year and become a glimmer in the eye of coach Tom Hilbert. Hilbert knew Runnels was turning a corner and becoming a more consistent hitter that would assist the Rams success in her future at CSU. Despite the skill shown, Hilbert resisted his urges and stuck to his plan to leave her off the court to develop.

Being redshirted is an experience that requires a player to immerse themselves in the process and work hard for the future, not necessarily the present.

Being surrounded by a culture of success and hard work has enabled Runnels and teammate Kirstie Hillyer to create a redshirt attacking force along the net.

“Last year I was fully involved,” Runnels said. “It was a growth period for me. I knew I was not going to play, it was just a work-in-progress situation for me. I’m still learning.”

A young player gifted with an older leader, Runnels follows senior Jasmine Hanna’s lessons to a tee. Hanna leads by example and takes every piece of the process seriously as she methodically attempts to perfect her game. Runnels admires Hanna’s game and has shaped hers to match. Coach Hilbert finds that when Runnels is on her game, she goes above and beyond.

“When she is on, she is the best outside hitter on our team,” Hilbert said of Runnels. “In the spring, she played all the time and she will probably be a fouryear starter as long as she stays healthy.”

Runnels has elevated her play and catapulted the Rams to a hitting force. As well as constantly competing with Hanna, Runnels has soaked up every piece of knowledge that Hanna has to offer. “(Jasmine Hanna) is just a

smart player,” Runnels said. “She has intentions with every move she does and I definitely want to be that way. I think she definitely has had the biggest impact on me, but everyone is still teaching me stuff every day.”

Facing a separate and more tedious challenge, Runnels has embraced the task of developing chemistry with setter Katie Oleksak that has spread their relationship beyond the realm of the volleyball court. Their friendship off the court has only enhanced the chemistry on it. Runnels was a recipient of the setting of coach Luke Murray during her redshirt season, which helped her improve her skills, but lacked the bond building with her future setter. “(Katie and I) are still working through things,” Runnels said.

“We definitely have chemistry off the court and for that to transfer on the court will be amazing when it is time.”

A quiet persona allows Runnels to lead by example and still have her impact felt throughout the team. With every kill, Runnels deepens the trust of her teammates and the admiration of her

talents. While vocalized leadership is not the path to glory for Runnels, superior play and work ethic are the key to her being the driving force of the Rams.

Currently residing at second in total kills for the Rams (68) and leading in total attacks, Runnels is showing the trust Hilbert has in his star outside hitter, and the success he believes they will have when running the offense through her. Runnels has slowly bolted herself to the head of opposing teams’ watch lists when game planning for the Rams.

Her skills add to an already impressive arsenal coach Hilbert possesses in Kirstie Hillyer, Jasmine Hanna and Sanja Cizmic.

Once the Rams get senior Alexandra Poletto back, oppositions will have to make a choice: defend the rockets coming from Hanna and Runnels on the outside, or clog the middle and stop Hillyer and Poletto.

The emergence of Runnels further projects the greatness of coach Hilbert and the impact he has on the program’s recruitment and development of young players. Hilbert has developed a knack

for redshirting players and allowing them to develop while the talent ahead of them excels, as most recently evidenced in the growth of Runnels and Hillyer.

Runnels seeks to improve and leave a legacy as a Colorado State athlete with a constant drive to improve and avoid flatlining her growth. “(I just want to) continue to grow,” Runnels said. “We all need to keep ourselves to a high standard every year. Win the big games when we can and never let a petty loss get to us.”

The Rams suffered their first “petty loss” to Duke and have embraced Runnels’ mentality by not letting it define them as they have a perfect record since. The Rams have several big games the rest of the season and will need to embrace that same attitude under pressure to succeed.

Meanwhile, Runnels will continue her own personal goal of being a silent, but deadly, outside hitter, creating momentum with every swing.

Luke Zahlmann can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

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Quarterback Nick Stevens hands the ball off to running back Izzy Matthews during Friday’s game against Colorado. PHOTO BY FORREST CZARNECKI COLLEGIAN

CSU offense looks to find balance with rushing attack

By Justin Michael @JustinTMichael

Heading into week 3 of the 2017 season, the Colorado State football team is looking to establish a more consistent run-game to match its potent passing offense.

After leaning on the arm of quarterback Nick Stevens against Oregon State and Colorado, CSU football head coach Mike Bobo has emphasized the importance of bringing a more balanced attack as the team moves forward.

Coming off a less than stellar offensive output in last Friday’s matchup with CU, the Rams will have the opportunity to work out some kinks in their rushing offense against Abilene Christian Saturday before traveling to Tuscaloosa for the final non-conference game of 2017 against Alabama Sept. 16.

While the Wildcats are an FCS program, nobody is taking them lightly. ACU has a roster littered with Division I transfers and a ton of speed on both sides of the ball. After an impressive effort against New Mexico in

week 1, the Wildcats will provide a solid test for a CSU offensive unit that is still discovering its identity.

“Our opponent does not matter, we are going to gameplan the same way,” head coach Mike Bobo saidTuesday. “We are not at a point where we can just show up, throw our helmets on the field and say, ‘Hey, we’re going to win.’ This is a tough football team...We are probably coaching as hard as we’ve coached all year.”

Bobo and the Rams are not letting their guard down when it comes to facing ACU Saturday — this is very much a game that the team expects to win. Beyond the obvious goal of scoring more points than the opponent, one of the goals for Saturday will to bring more balance to the offense.

CSU has seen consistent success through the air this season, gaining over 300 yards passing in each of the first two games.

The ground game has been a different story, as the team’s leading rusher Dalyn Dawkins (119 yards) is averaging 3.8 yards per carry. Behind Dawkins is

junior running back Izzy Matthews, who has carried the ball 19 times for 64 yards (3.1 YPC).

Realistically they will not be able to rely solely on the passing attack this season. For the betterment of the offense, establishing a consistent ground game will be crucial. When the offense was performing at its highest level in 2016, CSU was dominant through the air, but they were also able to pound the rock on a consistent basis.

“I’d still like to become more balanced,” Bobo said. “We cannot throw it 47 times and expect to win the ball game. It’s not going to happen.”

In 12 games last season, Dawkins carried the ball 161 times for 952 yards, averaging 5.7 yards per carry and finding the end zone four times. Matthews finished with 153 carries for 747 yards, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. The California native also led the Rams with 13 rushing touchdowns.

According to Bobo, there are a variety of reasons the Rams have not been able to run the ball at the same success rate as 2016.

Instability on the offensive line

has been a big part of the problem, but Bobo believes the running backs might also be trying to do a little bit too much.

“Around here we’re used to seeing huge holes when guys are running the ball well. Especially at the end of last year,” Bobo said. “Sometimes you gotta get up in there and get three, four, five yards and just continue to do that. I think we’re looking for the big play a little bit too much at running back.”

Having a strong running game to lean on is beneficial for the sake of variety within the offense, but it is also a huge factor in wearing down opponents in the second half. There were glimpses of this in the 58-27 victory over OSU Aug. 26, when the Rams totaled 31 first downs in the game and scored 34 points in the second half alone.

“In the first week I thought we showed a lot of toughness to be able to play for four quarters and close to 80 snaps,” Bobo said.

“I think we have some tough guys mentally that got a lot of experience during this second week.”

Despite not executing at the highest level through two weeks,

the players believe that the running game will be just fine. Following Tuesday’s practice, Matthews explained that the Rams have always thrown the ball frequently in the early portions of the season, but over time the rushing offense will naturally work its way into a rhythm.

With talented rushers like Dawkins and himself leading the way, as well as young bucks like Marvin Kinsey Jr. and Rashaad Boddie in the mix, Matthews believes this team is in a position to consistently wear down opponents on the ground all season.

“As a coaching staff, they know who they have at running back and they do not really need to worry about developing them,” Matthews said. “Right now we have kind of been trying to find guys outside of Mike (Gallup) and Bisi (Johnson) on the side that can consistently make plays.”

Matthews also explained that while the team has been working on establishing a rhythm through the air and identifying playmakers on the outside in the early portion of the see MATTHEWS on page 18 >>

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Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

MATTHEWS >> from page 17

the season, he knows that the team will need to rely on the rushing unit for consistent success down the stretch.

Confident in the versatility and talent of the players in his meeting room, Matthews believes that their work ethic and experience will be the biggest benefactor for the success of the offense. Having three years to grow in the system, there is not an aspect of the offense that No. 24 is not comfortable handling.

Dawkins and Matthews often get grouped into certain categories like “power back” or “speed back,” but Matthews believes those labelings are not accurate of their true abilities. In fact, he very much believes that he and Dawkins are capable of bringing the fight to the defense no matter the down, distance or situation.

“I’ve always wanted Dalyn and I to be able to do the same things,” Matthews said.

The backs obviously will work in certain packages that favor their strengths or plays on a defensive weakness. These packages are evident when Dawkins lines up out wide or when Mat-

thews lines up at fullback, but that does not mean they can only be used in specialty situations.

“As far as our role in the offense goes, which is being playmakers and true running backs, I feel we can do the same things,” Matthews said.

Ultimately, getting the two-headed rushing attack of Dawkins and Matthews more involved will be crucial to the success of the offense this season.

But if the Rams have to continue letting Stevens shoulder the weight offensively, Mathews says that he will be right there to do his part and lend a helping hand.

“We set a standard for ourselves that we believe is higher than everyone else’s on the team,” Matthews said. “If I only have four rushes in a game, I will not care if we get the win. If Dawk has four rushes in the game, he’s not really tripping about it. For us it’s not about the stats, it’s about doing whatever we can for our team.”

The Rams will once again look to test their offense against ACU on Saturday. The game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the on-campus stadium.

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

Colorado State running back Izzy Matthews runs into Buffalo Territory during the third quarter of action during the Rocky Mountain Showdown Sept. 1 at Mile High Stadium. The Rams were defeated by the Buffaloes 17-3. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

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The Lines 20 Inside Friday, September 8, 2017

Katie Oleksak uses the court as her canvas

By Austin White @ajwrules44

Works of art require the delicate and steady hands of a well-trained craftsman in order to discover the magic and bring to life their creation. For Colorado State’s volleyball team, those perfect hands hang on the arms of sophomore setter Katie Oleksak.

“Her hands are beautiful,” Oleksak’s high school coach Amber LeTarte told the Collegian.

“She would make moves on the court that can’t be taught.”

Oleksak’s movement combined with her passing touch immediately caught the eye of CSU head coach Tom Hilbert when recruiting her out of Phoenix, Ariz.

“She is an extremely athletic, very creative setter,” Hilbert said.

“When she committed to us I was very excited, not just because she is talented. ...She is also a leader and a person of character and you want those kind of people in your program.”

Oleksak ultimately picked the Rams over other suitors for a variety of factors, but more than anything it was just a natural feeling.

“It was kind of in my gut, I got a good feeling here based on the crowds, the people, the team, the coaches,” Oleksak said. “Just putting all those factors together, I really liked CSU out of all the schools I was looking at.”

The first dip into volleyball for Oleksak began down in Phoenix, where she grew up in the desert heat, with a neighbor who played volleyball. She eventually got more into the sport and decided to join a team in fifth grade.

“My first team, we lost every single game so I was kind of discouraged by that,” Oleksak said. “In seventh grade I picked it up again and I got a really good coach and I became a setter right off the bat.”

The move to become a setter had obvious payoffs as Oleksak is still in that position today. Even then, volleyball

Colorado State Sophomore Katie Oleksak (22) sets the ball for fellow teammate Sanja Cizmic during the third set of action against the University of Northern Colorado. The Rams defeated the Bears in three sets Aug. 29. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

was not the only activity going on in her life. Music and the performing arts also played a larger role in Oleksak’s life.

Oleksak used her hands on the keys of a piano, but could never fully pursue it as volleyball required so much time and was a large financial commitment.

Instead of making art on the piano, Oleksak would make beauty on the court of Sunnyslope High School (Arizona) as a fouryear varsity starter. She helped lead the Vikings to two state titles in 2013 and 2014 and leave her mark on the program with an impressive sense of leadership.

“She was a leader and had this amazing calmness about her on the court that helped her teammates relax,” LeTarte said.

Sophomore Katie Oleksak celebrates a point during the match against University of Northern Colorado on Aug 29. The Rams are now 2-1 on the season. PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

“She gained strength and insight to the game. She became a better leader vocally through her four years on varsity.”

Nowadays, Oleksak is at the forefront of a Rams team that is currently ranked No. 25 in the nation and looks to go where the program has never been before: the fourth round of the NCAA Tournament.

Her skills on the court represent a little bit of everything that the game has to offer. She sets up her teammates with welltimed and placed passes on a daily basis. She can sneak in a kill when the defense gets caught going through the set-kill motions.

She can get back on defense and layout for a dig and can even slide in front of the net to get block with her 5-foot-10 frame.

These skills have been apparent for a long time as her coach LeTarte believed that Oleksak was destined for the high levels of college volleyball from the first time she met her.

“I knew Katie would play volleyball in college the minute I saw her in open gyms,” LeTarte said. “She has a natural talent.”

That talent is what has helped Oleksak create art in motion on the Moby Arena court on a nightly basis.

Volleyball is a systematic game that has players rotate to different spots and set up defenses that aim to cover the whole floor. Oleksak has learned to analyze this constant change on the court and she uses that ability to set her teammates

up for success. She even takes advantage of the holes herself by sneaking in kills when she dumps the ball onto the other side. This ability is something that Hilbert reminds her to stay aware of.

“He (Hilbert) loves when I dump when it’s successful,” Oleksak said. “Sometimes I chose to do it at the wrong times and he gets upset. But when it’s successful, it’s really good because it keeps the blockers focused on me.”

Her style of setting is unique and it has become very important to how the team operates as almost every attack goes through Oleksak first.

“She is always in motion and she is deceptive in what she is going to do and she is not afraid to throw a ball, to make a difficult choice,” Hilbert said on what makes Oleksak different from other setters.

Her unique skills extend off the court as Oleksak goes out of her way to make connections with her hitters in order to produce a better piece on the court.

“She is really positive and she listens, that’s what makes a good setter,” teammate Breana Runnels said. “We’re friends off the court, we need to have that bond off the court so that we can play better on the court as well.”

Oleksak builds these bonds by simply making an effort to talk to her teammates and learn anything she can about who they are.

“Connecting off the court really helps you connect on the

court,” Oleksak said. “I really try to talk to each player when we travel or ask them questions about their life or their day…you create that trust outside and then once you’re on the court they trust you with setting.”

A commitment to being friends off the court is something that Hilbert believes shows great leadership and says quite a bit about the young sophomore.

“People look at her as a person who is above drama and is good at managing her life,” Hilbert said.

“She is trusted and people respect her…she walked in the door and started getting her teammates to trust her and like her and that makes all the difference.”

And Oleksak gives her teammates no option but to like her as she is comfortable to just be herself. This is a characteristic that has been present since high school.

“Off the court, Katie was a blast to be around,” LeTarte said.

“I had her in my office all the time.

She would make me laugh every day. Katie had no fear in being herself and living out of who she is…when she left I missed her tremendously on the court of course, but also on a daily basis.”

Art will always have critics and people saying what something is worth, but the display being put on at Moby Arena and around the country

by Oleksak is worth a thousand words.

Austin White can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

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CSU defense taking pride in its early success

By Colin Barnard @ColinBarnard_

Contrary to popular opinion entering the 2017 football season, Colorado State’s defense, not offense, has put the Rams in a position to win each of the team’s two games this season.

It is difficult to criticize the offense’s performance when looking at statistics, as the Rams have averaged more than 30 points per game. However, considering that 58 of the total 61 points came in CSU’s week one victory over Oregon State, that average is noticeably skewed.

Meanwhile, the defense has allowed 22 points per game without demonstrating the extreme spectrum shifts that the offense has. In 2016, that average would have ranked second among Mountain West defenses.

For a unit that was overlooked coming into the season, the defense’s success is something they take pride in.

“Going into this year, everyone was talking about our high-powered offense and how great they were going to be,” senior defensive lineman Jakob Buys said. “We had a decision to make: either we step up with them and be a complete team, or we just let the offense dominate games.

So we stepped up. We’ve been pushing our offense; our offense is pushing us.”

But the competition between the two units did not just start at the beginning of the year.

Throughout fall camp, head coach Mike Bobo praised the defense for its success against the offense.

Though there were still plenty of questions to be answered, the improvement was evident prior to the season opener.

Senior linebacker and defensive captain for a third consecutive week, Evan Colorito attributes some of the defense’s success to engaging in competition with the offense from the onset of camp.

“I think it started as soon as

camp started,” Colorito said. “I think that’s what got us to the point where we’re at now with our defense being much better than we were last year. The competition starting in late July and carrying through August…It’s really nice to have everyone competing, realizing how important it is to have such a strong defense.”

Naturally, competition between the two units is a positive thing. When one side of the ball performs better than the other during a game, they are able to carry that momentum over into practice. This enhanced competition allows each unit to better themselves, something Bobo recognizes as vital to the team’s growth.

“Quite frankly (the defense) has taken it to the offense on a number of occasions, fall camp and through the first couple weeks of practice once the season started,” Bobo said. “It’s good. It’s good because we compete regularly, even when we’re in season…

It’s back and forth for offense and

defense. That’s only going to make us better. I love that competition between the offense and defense.”

Arguably the most impressive part of the defense’s success is something that cannot be seen by the final score. In both games, the defense struggled to find a rhythm early before settling in during the second half.

Against Oregon State in week 1, they gave up 39-yard and 75yard scoring plays in the first half, before nearly pitching a shutout during the second 30 minutes of play.

The next week against Colorado, Phillip Lindsay broke free for a 45-yard touchdown in the first quarter as CU totalled 17 points early in the first half. Both games seemed as if they would feature the same shaky defense from the Rams that they demonstrated throughout 2016.

However, their ability to fight back after slow starts shows the resiliency that these Rams have on defense. Rather than folding

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under the pressure, CSU locked down in both games. They allowed seven second half points to Oregon State and shutout Colorado during the second half of the Rocky Mountain Showdown.

The defense’s ability to dominate opposing offenses after struggling to start a game has been one of the biggest takeaways for Bobo.

“The guys did what we asked as coaches,” Bobo said in regards to the loss to Colorado. “They were ready to play, they played extremely hard, they played together. For us to start off a little bit shaky, but find our grove and continue to play together and play hard for each other and be opportunistic on defense was a good sign.”

The Rams will look to build on their defensive momentum with the team’s annual Ag Day game against Abilene Christian on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1:30 p.m.

Colin Barnard can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

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Inside The Lines Friday, September 8, 2017

Volleyball to host tournament highlighted by No. 16 Michigan

By Austin White @ajwrules44

Freshly ranked at No. 25 in the nation, the Colorado State volleyball team returns home this weekend to host its first tournament of the season. Ball State, Michigan and Idaho State will all make the trip to Fort Collins to participate in the action.

The tournament begins Friday for CSU (5-1) who will look to continue its five-game winning streak with a matchup against the Ball State Cardinals (5-2). The Cardinals boast a roster that tries to use height to its advantage. Out of the 18 girls on the roster, 10 of them are at least 6-feet tall, including 6-foot-6 ,Meg Starling.

“We were surprised how physical they were,” head coach Tom Hilbert said. “You do the same things (to combat height)…

You just play the game the best

you can and try to use your athleticism to beat theirs.”

Starling leads the Cardinals in total blocks with 23 through their first seven games. She also has the team’s best hitting percentage at a .337 clip and has 48 kills on the year. The offense will not solely come from Starling, though, as junior Brooklyn Goodsel leads the Cardinals with 90 kills through seven matches.

Ball State will not be the only challenge Friday as the Rams will have to gear up again when they take on No. 16 Michigan on Friday evening.

Last week, the Rams were able to take down the previously ranked No.15 Florida State Seminoles on the road, despite not having Mountain West Player of the Week Kirstie Hillyer for half of the match.

In the absence of Hillyer,

sophomore Paulina HougaardJensen stepped up in the middle blocking position and was able to help guide the Rams to a win with a team high four total blocks. That will have to be the case again this week as coach Hilbert announced Hillyer is not available this weekend due to her knee injury.

The Rams will need all the blocking help they can get in their second matchup as Michigan already has four players with 50 kills or more through six games. Of the Wolverines five wins, four have been sweeps and their one loss was on the road against the University of Southern California.

While Michigan is not as tall as Ball State, the Wolverines still have many options for attacking which includes senior Adeja Lambert who leads the team in kills with 65. Right behind her is junior Carly Skjodt and senior Claire

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Colorado State Volleyball Head Coach Tom Hilbert talks to his team during a break in play on Aug. 29 against the University of Northern Colorado. The Rams defeated the Bears in three sets.

PHOTO BY ELLIOTT JERGE COLLEGIAN

Kieffer-Wright who have 58 and 55 kills, respectively.

“They are challenging because they’re so talented that…if we commit to one thing and they see it they’ve got players who could just bury the ball,” Hilbert said.

CSU might have a chance to slow down Michigan as the Rams rank 17th in country in blocks per set with 2.91. Hillyer ranks 18th in country with 1.59 blocks per set.

The Rams will end the week on Sunday when they match up with Idaho State (3-4). The Bengals come to Fort Collins on a twogame losing streak and will face Michigan and Ball State the days before.

Redshirt senior Chloe Hirst is the Bengal with the loudest roar this year as she leads her team in kills with 97. However, she only

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hits at a .202 clip. The Bengals as a whole hit only .236 while allowing their opponents a .234 percentage.

Those struggles are seen by their low blocking numbers as redshirt sophomore Brooke Pehrson leading the team with 19 total blocks. The Rams outside hitters of Jasmine Hanna, Breana Runnels and Sanja Cizmic will try to take advantage of the Bengals’ potential weakness.

Game one against Ball State will begin at 12 p.m. Friday before the Rams face Michigan at 6 p.m.

The matchup against Michigan will serve as the team’s annual Orange Out game. The week will end on Sunday against Idaho State with first serve set for 12 p.m.

Austin White can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

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COLLEGIAN.COM Friday, September 8, 2017

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15 Flight-related prefix 21 I problem?

24 Pyrénées peak 25 Mike of “Next Friday” 26 Rural agreement 27 Org. that inspects workplaces 28 Any of 12 popes 30 Treasure chest coins represented graphically by two consecutive letters in six puzzle answers (including this one) Rocky Mt. Collegian 9/7/17 Sudoku 32 1875 Alcott novel 33 Uma’s role in “The Producers” 34 Squirrel’s hoard 35the Escape destinations To solve Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and 37 Fourth dimension box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

38 Essence 40 Budget motel chain Hunky-dory 9 43 2 44 Elizabeth I’s line 46 Shabby8 9 3 47 “Hamilton” role 48 Help with a job?

2 8 4 49 “A __ formality” 50 Shave 2 1 52 Editor’s mark 5 953 Captain hanged for piracy 54 Pac-12 team 45 Carpathian Mountains locale 4 3 8 56 Salon offering 47 Do diner work 58 Spacewalk initials 48 Roadie’s box Rocky Mt. Collegian 9/11/17 1 4 7 51 Product made from fermented Yesterday’s solution rice 3 5 6 52 Game typically with 81 squares 55 “Scram!”

6 1 57 Make less vulnerable to earthCopyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com quakes, say 59 Straying 60 Countermanded 61 Wee 62 Muesli bit 63 Repairs with turf

PuzzleJunction.com

Sudoku

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

SUDOKU

Down 1 Russia had one in the 20th century 2 Level, in London 3 ‘70s-’80s show about a big family 4 Induced the purchase of add-ons, say 5 “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” e.g.

6 Brother of Peyton 7 Obsolete audio technology 8 Employing 9 Federal housing assistance program 10 “No thanks” 11 Somewhat 12 Aloe __

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6

Sudoku Solution

Yesterday’s solution

9 1 3 6 5 7 2 4 8

4 2 6 8 9 1 5 3 7

8 5 7 3 4 2 9 1 6

5 8 1 2 6 9 3 7 4

6 7 2 1 3 4 8 5 9

3 4 9 7 8 5 1 6 2

7 9 5 4 2 3 6 8 1

7

1 3 8 9 7 6 4 2 5

2 6 4 5 1 8 7 9 3

4 2 1 8

8

5 3 2 7 1 4

7

7

1

6

3

9 1

3 4 5 5 6 3

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STAND STANDOUT OUTFROM FROMTHE THECROWD CROWD Sudoku Solution

1 5 3 6 4 9 7 8 2 6 7 4 2 8 3 9 1 5 8 2 9 7 1 5 3 6 4

24 Friday, September 8, 2017 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

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