Basketball Season Preview, Volume 124, No. 60

Special Basketball Preview Edition

Border War Section PAGE 7

Friday, November 6, 2015 Volume 124, No. 60• collegian.com

Big Men on Campus New year, new roles

One final shot

Back in action

PAGE 3

PAGE 24

PAGE 2

Clavell, Gillon step into starting lineup

Senior Joe De Ciman sits down with Keegan Pope for a Q&A

Antwan Scott returns to CSU hoops after injury PHOTO BY EMMETT MCCARTHY COLLE-

Go Rams!

BEAT the cowboys!

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SPORTS Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Antwan Scott ready to fill his role after being granted eligibility

By Sam Lounsberry @SamLounz

College basketball was supposed to end last season for Antwan Scott.

The CSU guard had overcome enough hardship on his way to a major Division I program. Once he became a Ram, there were supposed to be better times ahead. The team was expected to do big things behind the leadership of seniors Daniel Bejarano, JJ Avila and Stanton Kidd, and Scott was expected to play a major role.

But, Scott never really got to join that group for its 27-win season. A broken foot requiring surgery kept him out for all but the first four games last year.

Scott’s path as a basketball player is far from typical. After spending 2010-2012 at a junior college in Ranger, Texas, he transferred to Idaho for his Division I debut, but he never played a game there.

Instead, the Wylie, Texas native used his redshirt and transferred to Grambling State in Louisiana for the 2013-14 season to be closer to his mother, Theresa, who had entered a coma. Scott missed his first three games as a Tiger after she passed away prior to his junior season.

He wouldn’t be stopped, though. Not then, and not last year after doctors told him he couldn’t play on his foot in his last guaranteed year of NCAA eligibility. He initially suffered the injury at Grambling State in off-season workouts, and it lingered with Scott, forcing him into surgery before last season. He was sidelined for all but the first four games, in which he accumulated a mere 33 minutes for the year.

“I had surgery in September (last year), and then I tried to play and my foot was just hurting

me,” Scott said. “The doctor said it stopped healing, it didn’t heal right. So, he shut me down until it healed, and it didn’t heal until May.” Scott’s career could have ended on the bench. But, he was granted a sixth year of NCAA eligibility due to medical hardship this summer on July 27.

“I had to go through summer workouts, the whole spring, everything, going to school just not knowing,” Scott said. “It was hard, but I kept my faith, my faith in God. It’s just a bless-

Colorado State guard Antwan Scott shoots during a practice last season. After sitting out last year with a foot injury, Scott returns to the Rams looking to make a big impact. PHOTO BY ABBIE PARR COLLEGIAN

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ing, man, to even be out here (in practice), to put my shoes on and run up and down the court every day.”

Now, the 6-foot-1 inch guard expects to contribute in CSU’s backcourt.

“He’s ecstatic,” CSU head coach Larry Eustachy said.

Excited as he is, though, Eustachy needs Scott to adjust his game. In his sole season at Grambling State, Scott was a high-volume shooter, scoring a team-high 15.7 points per game on an average of nearly 12 shot attempts per contest, with over four coming from 3-point range. The Tigers notched a 5-24 overall record in 2013-14.

“Somebody has to be the leading scorer on a bad, bad team, and that’s what he was,” Eustachy said. “So, he’s buying in.”

Joining fellow guards John Gillon, Gian Clavell and Joe De Ciman in the backcourt this year means Scott will have teammates just as talented as him for perhaps the first time in his career, besides the four games he

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played last year.

“He is not used to getting assists,” Eustachy said. “He’s used to receiving them, getting an assist from a player. This is really the first time in his life that he’s been instructed on how he should play, instead of just a guy who shoots it and gets back in a zone.”

A greater expectation of discipline under Eustachy is a reason Scott chose Colorado State over Tennessee while being recruited out of Grambling.

“At Grambling, I was a kucklehead,” Scott said. “I got to run around, do what I want to do, no discipline. Here, there is so much discipline.”

Scott acknowledges his time at CSU has been the most beneficial for his game, and he has started feeling more at home in Fort Collins during his second year in CSU’s Adult Education Master’s Program. The graduate student earned a degree in criminal justice during his stint at Grambling State, and will have his master’s come May. “It’s been a rocky road,” Scott said. “This has been the best stop, though, when it comes down to resources. I’m getting the best

coaching I’ve ever had. I’ve never been held accountable as much as I’m held accountable now.”

Being considered accountable by Eustachy means he will have to become more than just a shooter, and the guard is embracing that task. He said his goal for the season is to be one of the Rams’ top defenders.

Improving shot selection is a priority, too.

“I’m not going to be able to take 20 shots a game like I did at Grambling, so I have to be able to drive and kick and get someone else a good shot,” Scott said. “It’s been a struggle for me, especially taking bad shots. At Grambling, I could take any shot I wanted.

Here, I can’t do that.”

Look for Scott to come off the bench to start the season, likely to replace Clavell or Gillon in the backcourt. Eustachy said Scott is in his eighth or ninth spot, but the coach said that could easily change before the season is over.

Scott, though, isn’t worried about his minutes.

“I’m just here to play my role,” he said. “Blessed to be back for another year.”

Sam Lounsberry can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

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sports Friday, November 6, 2015

Views from the Sixth Man

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

John Gillon earned Sixth Man of the Year honors last season from the Mountain West, and the only competition was his own teammate: Gian Clavell.

Neither man is a promising candidate for the award this year, as the two will likely make up the starting backcourt for the Rams. The guards averaged a combined 17.1 points per game last season (23.6 percent of the Rams’ scoring) while coming off of the bench for a 27-win Colorado State team. Both were frequently on the court to close out big games.

Clavell played in all 34 games last year, including three starts, and is the team’s top returning scorer. The senior from Caguas, Puerto Rico scored in double figures on 15 occasions, including the championship of the Great Alaska Shootout, in which he made two free throws with 5.7 seconds remaining to take the lead and win the game against UC Santa Barbara.

Gillon shot 39.5 percent from downtown, and in confer-

ence play dished out 3.9 assists per game. On New Year’s Eve, he erupted for 25 points to deliver the Rams a narrow win over Boise State. He’s extremely efficient offensively and a blur with the basketball, which drew some NBA comparison from his coach.

“I’ve had one guy that could really go by people, and he ended up being a first-round draft choice,” CSU head coach Larry Eustachy said. “Next to Jamaal Tinsley, I haven’t had a guy that can really get to the rim the way (Gillon) can get to it.”

Gillon is ranked No. 20 on Sports Illustrated’s top projected breakout scorers list heading into this season.

“He’s a true, true point guard who can shoot it,” CSU head coach Larry Eustachy said of Gillon. “He’s a hard guard, and then he’s got to be able to not be a liability at the other end, which he’s moving closer to. He’s actually better than you think at defending and rebounding. He’s got a good knack to take the ball out of the air when someone tries to lob over the top.”

“Next to Jamaal Tinsley, I haven’t had a guy that can really get to the rim the way (Gillon) can get to it.” larry eustachy CSU head coach

While the criticisms of Gillon’s defense are often exaggerated – he can stay in front of anyone, has a good instinct for steals and defends well in transition – it is still something he has taken notice of and wants to erase.

“I died on ball screens last year,” Gillon said. “I wasn’t as

active on help side when my man didn’t have the ball. When my man had the ball I’m a pretty good defender. But, over the summer and in practice I’ve just worked on getting over ball screens and I’m much better, so those comments won’t be valid this year.”

Clavell was not as efficient as Gillon, but it was part of what made him fun to watch. Both players would let it fly from anywhere and never shied after from the ball in big moments.

“If I’m being pressed I can give it to John, if John’s being pressed he can give it to me. If the clock is down and we need a play, we can give it up to (each other). All us guards can dribble and get our own shots,” Clavell said.

CSU’s rotation is heavy on perimeter players who like to shoot it. Gillon, Clavell and returning starter Joe De Ciman combined to shoot 350 threes last year, and did so at a 35.1 percent clip. Add in Antwan Scott, who shot 39.2 percent on 120 attempts in 2013-2014 at Grambling State, and you can expect to see plenty of outside shooting

this year, for better or for worse.

With so many players who like the ball in their hands, and with Eustachy’s emphasis on defense, communication will be key.

“We’ve been here, so we’ve got a feel for each other,” Clavell said. “Just talking to each other in practice, ‘I like when you’re in this spot, I like when you drive and kick here’.”

The Rams lost three very vocal seniors, so Clavell is taking up upon himself to lead the conversation on the court. English isn’t his first language, but he’s loud, so it works.

“When you’re tired, you forget to talk,” Clavell said. “I try to do my best to get people involved, try and motivate people, push when they’re tired.”

It’s appreciated, and much needed from the returning players moving into even larger roles.

“We can’t have enough leaders on this team, we just can’t,” Eustachy said. “We can’t have enough voices.”

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by e-mail at sports@ collegian.com.

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SPORTS Friday, November 6, 2015

Collegian basketball staff picks The Collegian sports desk weighs in on the upcoming basketball season and gives their predictions for the Mountain West:

Keegan Pope Football Reporter

Emmett McCarthy Sports Editor

CSU record: 22-9 (11-7 MW) Mountain West Player of the Year: James Webb III (Boise State) MW champions: Boise State Season outlook: There will be a handful of games this season where CSU will go 2-for-20 from deep and look like a mess. Other than that, the Rams will actually be pretty good. Eustachy’s tournament promise? Unlikely, considering 27 wins didn’t cut it last year. But, it won’t be the same drop off as two years ago when the team went 1616. There’s enough talent either leftover or joining the team for it to win 20-plus games. Watch for junior college transfer Emmanuel Omogbo to win MW Newcomer of the Year. As for the rest of the conference, it will likely come down to San Diego State and Boise State in the regular season, while UNLV could be dangerous in the tournament. Josh Adams of Wyoming will be the most exciting player to watch, but player of the year will likely go to the best player on the best team, and I believe that will be James Webb of Boise State. Even if SDSU does win, the scoring may be distributed so evenly that my darkhorse pick of Webb still comes through.

Brett Kennedy CTV Sports Anchor

Sam Lounsberry Assistant Sports Editor

Prediction: 19-12 (9-9 MW) Mountain West Player of the Year: Malik Pope (San Diego State) MW Champions: San Diego State

CSU record: 23-8 (12-6 MW) Mountain West Player of the Year: Josh Adams (Wyoming) MW Champions: San Diego State

CSU record: 22-9 (13-5 MW) Mountain West Player of the Year: Cullen Neal (New Mexico) MW Champions: New Mexico

Season outlook: CSU will be the most physical team in the Mountain West this year. However, with college basketball’s new attention to calling fouls (which is horrible), that might not help them that much.

There is a lot to replace from last year’s record-setting team, plain and simple. But, that doesn’t mean the Rams don’t have the talent to get close to 20 wins. Gian Clavell and John Gillon have the opportunity to be breakout scorers, and Joe De Ciman is one of the most consistent players in the league.

The question is where CSU’s frontcourt scoring comes from, and we’ll have to wait and see if Tiel Daniels, Emmanuel Omogbo and Kimani Jackson can answer that. The Rams should have a lot of success in the non-conference schedule, but will have their work cut out for them in MW play.

Expect to see San Diego State at the top of the league, and Malik Pope (great name) to be the league’s player of the year.

Season outlook: I see great promise in CSU’s roster this year. Even with the loss of Stanton Kidd, Daniel Bejarano and JJ Avila, I still think this team has an opportunity to turn some heads this year. It’s time for Gian Clavell and John Gillon to step up this year and take bigger roles in this Rams offense. Watch Joe De Ciman raise his level of play this season even after the solid one he had last year.

I really like Kimani Jackson and Emmanuel Omogbo. Omogbo won’t make CSU fans forget about JJ Avila, but he sure as heck won’t be a let down either. I expect he’ll make a large contribution to the team.

Big games against Colorado, San Diego State, Boise State, UNLV and Wyoming lie on the Ram’s schedule. This team has enough talent to rise up and win a couple of games that they shouldn’t. But San Diego State will once again reign supreme in the Mountain West.

C’mon, it’s no question, the dunk artist Josh Adams will be the MW player of the year, that guy isn’t human.

You think he’s good now? Just wait ‘till he gets into the NBA, you watch.

Season outlook: CSU is going to surprise people in MW play after a shaky start to the season. The Rams will lose at least four non-conference games and look not so pretty against upper-tier teams like Kansas State. But, drastic improvement by the start of conference play is a staple of Larry Eustachy's teams. There might be no coach more used to annually having new guys in new roles than Eustachy. The Rams will pull it together and pose a serious threat to any MW squads. They'll lose one a piece to San Diego State, UNLV, Wyoming and New Mexico.

With the return of New Mexico head coach Craig Neal's son, Cullen Neal, after a season-ending ankle injury last year, the Lobos will be more dangerous.

Yes, Neal may be a showboat, but more often than not, his game backs his antics up. This guy's offense was decent as a freshman, and electrifying in the start to his sophomore year. He played on the same AAU team as UCLA's Bryce Alford and was by far the better of the two coach's sons. He has been around the game a long time and understands it plenty well. Neal will put it together with his health back. Scary to think he has two years after this one in the Mountain West.

Justin Michael Sports Reporter

CSU record prediction: 21-10 (12-6 MW) Mountain West Player of the Year: Josh Adams (Wyoming) MW Champions: San Diego State

Season outlook: CSU lost its three leading scorers from 2014-15, and in a tough Mountain West Conference, it is safe to say CSU is not likely to repeat their record-setting 27-win performance this season. Replacing the scoring of Avila, Bejarano and Kidd will be no easy task, but CSU will attempt to do so with John Gillon and Gian Clavell in the backcourt. Gillon is a versatile scorer, and his speed makes him a matchup nightmare around the league. Clavell is deadly from three-point range and adds a lot of versatility to the Colorado State lineup.

In the frontcourt, there are some questions to be answered, like who will replace the offensive and defensive production of Avila.

With teams like San Diego State stacked with height, the big men will play a large role in the success of CSU hoops. Kimani Jackson, Emmanuel Omogobo, and Tiel Daniels will have to step up for the Rams to have any chance of competing for a Mountain West title.

Collegian Sports Desk can be reached at sports@collegian. com and on Twitter @RMCollegianSpts.

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SPORTS Tuesday, October 27, 2015

The All-Eustachy men’s team

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

Colorado State head coach Larry Eustachy is entering his 25th season as an NCAA head coach. Surely, some exceptional players have passed through his programs. He mentioned one of them last week when asked about current CSU guard John Gillon.

“I’ve had one guy that could really go by people, and he ended up being a firstround draft choice,” Eustachy said. “Next to Jamaal Tinsley, I haven’t had a guy that can really get to the rim the way (John Gillon) can get to it.”

Jamaal Tinsley! It got us thinking: who are the very best to have played for Eustachy over the last two and a half decades?

Obviously, the answers are subjective. Our criteria con-

sisted of collegiate success, professional accomplishments and overall basketball skill.

Please note that this is not strictly based on performance while at CSU – if that were the case, Dorian Green would have topped the list.

Here’s what we came up with:

All-Eustachy starting lineup

Colton Iverson, center, Colorado State Played under Eustachy from 2012-2013 Not many players are impactful enough for Eustachy to essentially reconstruct his offense around them. “Colt-45” was an exception. The 7-foot center anchored the Rams in Eustachy’s first year as head coach, when they earned a No. 8 seed and defeated a Missouri team starring Phil Pressey in the NCAA Tournament. In

Iverson’s only year at CSU, the school cracked the top25 rankings for the first time since 1954. His lone season as a Ram earned him Mountain West Newcomer of the Year, as well as first-team All-MW and honorable mention All-American honors. Iverson heard his name called in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft.

By the numbers: Iverson averaged 14.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 59.6 percent from the field for CSU in 2012-2013.

Jackson Vroman, forward, Iowa State Played under Eustachy from 2002-2003 Vroman’s played one year under Eustachy and later went on to be a second round NBA draft pick. After Eustachy left ISU, Vroman led the Big 12 in rebounding the next season.

After being drafted in 2004, Vroman played two seasons in the NBA before continuing his career internationally. He was also a naturalized Lebanese citizen and played for the national team. In 2009, he led club team Mahram Tehran to a title in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, and was named MVP for his performance. Vroman tragically died at the age of 34 in an accidental drowning in the swimming pool at his Los Angeles home June 29.

By the numbers: Vroman veraged 13.9 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 steals for Iowa State in 20032004.

Marcus Fizer, forward, Iowa State Played under Eustachy from 1998-2000 The No. 4 overall pick in the 2000 draft, Fizer played

under Eustachy for two years after Tim Floyd, the previous ISU coach and a good friend of Eustachy’s, left to take the coaching job with the Chicago Bulls. A torn ACL in 2003 severely stunted Fizer’s effectiveness at the professional level. He was named MVP of the NBA Developmental League in 2006 and went on to play for some of the top club teams in Euroleague. In his junior year at Iowa State, he was named Big 12 Conference Player of the Year and Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player and was a consensus All-American. That same year, ISU won the Big 12 regular season and tournament titles, and reached the Elite Eight.

By the numbers: Fizer veraged 12.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for the Chicago Bulls in 2001-2002. see EUSTACHY on page 8 >>

6 Friday, November 6, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

collegian.com

Special Border War Edition PHOTO COURTESY JOHN HIRN

Where Legends Were Made No room for error

Staff picks

106 years running

PAGE 11

PAGE 18

PAGE 7

CSU must turn season around starting this week against Wyoming

Collegian football reporters pick Saturday’s showdown

Long-running CSUWyoming rivalry continues

After 25 years, the defensive battle at Hughes Stadium on Nov. 3, 1990, remains the greatest game in the series PAGE 12

Friday, November 6, 2015 Volume 124, No. 60 • collegian.com

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>> EUSTACHY from page 5 Orlando Lightfoot, guard, Idaho Played under Eustachy from 1991-1993 Eustachy got his head coaching start at Idaho, and much of his success there can be attributed in part to Lightfoot, who ranks as the all-time leading scorer in Big Sky history (2,201 career points at Idaho). The 6-foot-7 inch shooting guard dropped 50 points in a game against Gonzaga Dec. 21, 1993. He was named Big Sky Conference Player of the Year and was named first-team AllBig Sky three times. Lightfoot

SPORTS Tuesday, October 27, 2015

was also a two-time Sports Illustrated National Player of the Week. Despite going undrafted in 1994, he played professionally for over a decade. Lightfoot won the Three-Point Competition at the Swedish Basketligan All-Star game in 2006.

By the numbers: Lightfoot averaged 25.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game, and made 71 threes for Idaho in 1993-1994.

Jamaal Tinsley, guard, Iowa State Played under Eustachy from 1999-2001 Another first round pick (No. 27 overall in 2007) and

the man who inspired this list, Tinsley is probably the most recognized name to have played for Eustachy. As a senior at ISU, he earned Big 12 Conference Player of the year and was a Second Team All-American selection. In his final year of college, he also led ISU to a second consecutive Big 12 Conference title, as well as a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. After getting drafted in the first round, Tinsley played in the NBA for over a decade. In 2004, he started all 16 games in the postseason for the Indiana Pacers’ in 2004 when the team advanced to the

Eastern Conference Championship.

By the numbers: Tinsley averaged 15.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.0 steals per game for the Indiana Pacers in 2004-2005.

Reserves (honorable mentions)

J.J. Avila, forward, Colorado State Played under Eustachy from 2013-2015 Gary Flowers, forward, Southern Mississippi Played under Eustachy from 2009-2011

Dorian Green, guard, Colorado State Played under Eustachy from 2012-2013

Jeremy Wise, guard, Southern Mississippi Played under Eustachy from 2006-2009

Jon Octeus, guard, Colorado State Played under Eustachy from 2012-2014

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by e-mail at sports@ collegian.com.

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SPORTS Friday, November 6, 2015

Three Keys with Keegs: Colorado State at Wyoming

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Colorado State and Wyoming face off Saturday in the 106th edition of the longest-running football rivalry west of the Mississippi – the Border War. The Rams have won the last two match-ups handily, but both teams come into this year’s game reeling.

CSU has struggled this season, losing three of its first four league games, while falling to 3-5 overall. Things have been much worse for the Cowboys, though, who have just one win this season over Nevada. Wyoming has surprisingly had one of the better offenses in the league when it is fully healthy.

Quarterback Cameron Coffman was one of the most efficient passers in the MW before being hurt, and running back Brian Hill already has more than 1,250 yards this season.

This is a rivalry game, and as players and coaches from both sides will point out this week, anything can happen.

Here are three keys for the Rams to knock off the Cowboys and move one step closer to bowl eligibility.

Eliminate the mistakes Realistically, this has been the key to just about every CSU loss this season. The Rams are second-to-last in the FBS in turnover margin, giving the ball away 22 times, while only creating eight takeaways. In losses to Utah State, Minnesota, Colorado and San Diego State, CSU has shot itself in the foot over and over again. If CSU is able to avoid those mistakes – and they should – against one of the worst statistical defenses in

the country, the obvious talent gap will show. The Cowboys are also among the worst teams in the country in turnover margin, so whoever can manage to hold onto the ball will likely come out victorious. Just don’t be surprised if CSU takes a knee on three consecutive downs and punts, like head coach Mike Bobo suggested Saturday.

Just kidding, of course.

Ground and pound Most people will clamor for more passes to Rashard Higgins, Joe Hansley and Kivon Cartwright, but CSU has to establish its ground game against the Cowboys. The Rams had a lot of success against San Diego State’s “vaunted” rushing defense last Saturday, but they got away from the run after the midway point of the second quarter, and it resulted in Nick Stevens throwing three costly interceptions. Wyoming ranks No. 112 (out of 128 teams) in the FBS against the run, and CSU has three very capable running backs in Jasen Oden Jr., Dalyn Dawkins and freshman Izzy Matthews. Running the ball is the best way to avoid those pesky interceptions, and judging by the Cowboys’s struggles this year, CSU should have a field day in Laramie.

Stop the run Equally as important for CSU to have success with its own run game is to stop Wyoming’s rushing attack. Reserve quarterback Nick Smith, who will fill in for the injured Cameron Coffman, is a potent running threat alongside back Brian Hill. Smith has played in just three games, but is Wyoming’s second leading rusher, aver-

COLLEIGAN FILE PHOTO

aging 45.3 yards per game. He presents a much different look than Coffman, and the Cowboys have even implemented some jet sweep and zone-read plays to get the ball in his hands even more. CSU has been dominated in the past weeks in the run game, and Wyoming presents another tough challenge.

Smith is by no means the passer that Coffman is, and he’ll likely be without his best weapon, receiver Tanner Gentry. Expect CSU to load the box to stop Wyoming’s run game, and if the Rams have success, they will essentially shut down the Cowboys’s offense.

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.

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SPORTS Friday, November 6, 2015

Border War history: 106 years of bad blood, chaos and profanity

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22.

The longest running rivalry west of the Mississippi River continues Saturday in Laramie, Wyoming when the Colorado State Rams head north to take on the Pokes.

Saturday’s game will be the 107th meeting between the teams, but officially it will only be counted as the 106th. Let’s start there:

Three centuries of bad blood

CSU and Wyoming first played in 1899, with CSU winning 12-0 after the game ended in a forfeit after a rules disagreement. Because NCAA rules do not recognize forfeits, CSU does not count the game.

However, Wyoming has chosen to recognize the contest in its series history. After all, how many rivalries can claim to have been played in three different century? Actually, quite a few can – there are 34, including the Border War.

Annual beating of Wyoming

At first, the rivalry wasn’t much of a rivalry at all. CSU held a 27-5-5 advantage in the series when it was put on hold for World War II. According to CSU volunteer historian John Hirn, the game was referred to in newspapers as the “annual beating of Wyoming” during Harry Hughes’ tenure as CSU head coach.

World War II changed everything

Like many other schools did in the 1940s, CSU disbanded its football program for WWII. After the war was over, both CSU and Wyoming experienced a surge of military veterans able to attend school on the GI Bill, and just like that, the rivalry was reborn.

Once the Border War was resumed, the rivalry really heated up in 1948. After defeating the Cowboys in Laramie, CSU fans tore down the Wyoming goal posts.

The Bronze Boot and Capt.

Dan Romero

1968 was the dawn of a new era for the rivalry when both schools decided to hold a contest for fans to design a trophy to go home with the winning team each year.

CSU Army ROTC cadre member Major Vic Fernandez’s idea of a battle-tested combat boot turned into a trophy won. Captain Dan Romero, a CSU ROTC graduate student and instructor, donated the U.S. Army-issued boot he had worn during his tour in the Vietnam War. The Bronze Boot was presented before the 1968 meeting at the newly constructed Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins. Since the introduction of the trophy, Wyoming holds a 23-24 edge in the Border War.

The chaos in 1978

For the 1978 Border War, CSU coach Sark Alslanian declared the entire team as captains for the pregame coin toss. According to Collegian archives, the team arrived less than half an hour before kickoff and entered through the student section rather than the tunnel. Unaware of every CSU player being a captain, Wyoming players thought the Rams were charging out to attack their captains at midfield. In turn, the Cowboys charged out as well and a brawl ensued.

After the Rams lost 13-3, CSU offensive coordinator Charley Armey followed referee Gene Wurtz through the tunnel and allegedly punched the official, according to Hirn.

The Collegian quoted Armey after the game as saying, “I was just trying to defend my quarterback, then that a**hole over there… I said, ‘well, f*ck you,’ and you can print that.”

Last of the grass

You know that grass section at the north end of Hughes Stadium? It used to be student seating, until the fiasco in 1986. CSU won 20-15, but that was not the story of the game.

Spectator Christopher Kerlin, an accounting major, slipped and fell five feet onto the concrete. He suffered a concussion and an ambulance was brought onto the field to transport him to Poudre Valley Hospital. Frustrated by the delay, students began throwing sod at the ambulance. In the end, only one arrest was made and 15 summons were issued, and grassy section was no longer made available for seating.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC TIPPECONNIC

The awkward field rush

The 1994 game ended awkwardly. No. 14 CSU was about to win 35-24 when excited CSU fans embarrassed themselves by rushing the field

prematurely. After all sorts of delays, the whistle eventually blew to signify the end of the game, and CSU fans finally were able to tear down the goal posts. The Rams went on

to their first 10-win season and won their first Western Athletic Conference championship.

Emmett McCarthy can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

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No room for error anymore on the gridiron

By Geoff Huebner @huebnermedia93

The Colorado State football team (3-5, 1-3 Mountain West) has little room for error entering the Border War Saturday against Wyoming (1-8, 1-4 MW) and for the rest of the season.

To achieve bowl eligibility, the Rams must win at least three of their final four games, three of which will be against teams with records worse than CSU’s currently.

Following the rivalry game in Laramie, Wyoming, the Rams will take on UNLV (2-6, 1-3 MW) at home, then New Mexico (4-4, 2-2 MW) and Fresno State (1-4, 2-6 MW) on the road.

Winning three of the four would be nice, but what the team really wants to do is winout.

“I think we have a high chance of winning the rest

of our games,” senior safety Kevin Pierre-Louis said. “The bowl game matters to us but not really right now, we just want to get Coach Bobo a winning season his first year and win these games.”

If the team is going to accomplish this, they will have to find some way to fix their rampant turnover issues.

Head coach Mike Bobo hasn’t been a part of an offense with this many turnovers before, and has addressed the issue several times throughout the season.

“I think we’re next to last, or two from the bottom (in turnover margin), and then you look at the records there of the teams that have turned the ball over. We’ve turned it over 22 times, I think we’ve gotten eight (takeaways) so we’ve turned it over way too many times … that’s where we are,” Bobo said. “I’m serious, we’re going to find a way not to

why we’ve just got to prepare throughout the week and “Any given Saturday go into the game confident knowing you are going to anything could leave everything on the field,” happen, that’s why Pierre-Louis said. we’ve just got to For a lot of the seniors on the team, playing with effort prepare throughout and leaving everything on the week and go into the field has become what the the game confident game is all about.

“If you fail, you fail beknowing you are going cause you didn’t try and I to leave everything on think what we did in the past the field.” years to change (the direction of the season) was we always kept going and that’s one of the KEVIN PIERRE-LOUIS key ingredients we’re going to SENIOR SAFETY have to do for this year,” senior safety Trent Matthews said.

“At the end of the day we’ve still got a lot to play for and I think that’s what I have to do turn the ball over this week.”

The task is far easier said as a leader is to encourage evthan done. College football eryone else and tell everyone can be as unpredictable as any that it’s not over until it’s really over.” sport.

Senior wide receiver Joe “Any given Saturday anything could happen, that’s Hansley displays that same

senior-leadership quality and mentality.

“I think there’s a lot to play for and at the end of the day we just like playing football as a team … we’re all here because we like to play football and we will have fun doing it,” Hansley said.

For the Rams, the next stop is a familiar and very important one. They will need Saturday to be the turning point for their season. But, just because the game comes against a team that has only won one of nine games, does not make it a layup. As Pierre-Louis mentioned, anything can happen on any given Saturday.

“I think they can beat anybody they play and we better respect that when we go to Wyoming, they can embarrass us if we’re not ready to play,” Bobo said.

Geoff Huebner can be reached at sports@collegian. com.

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a m G e t s E e v t e a r e r P G l a e y h ed T Friday, November 6, 2015

e greatest upsets in school history, sparki h t f o e n o ff o d e l l ng more th te pu a t S o d an a dec a r lo o C , ade of o g a s r a succe e 25 y ss

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By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

t’s been nearly 25 years since Eric Tippeconnic took his uniform off for the last time at Colorado State.

Tippeconnic, now a history professor at Cal-State Fullerton and a part-time artist, doesn’t remember everything from his football career, but there is one moment in particular he could never forget.

The revival

For decades, the Colorado State football program was mired in a state of not just mediocrity, but overall embarrassment. Following the then-Colorado A&M Aggies 21-20 loss to Occidental College in the 1949 Raisin Bowl, the program didn’t play in another bowl game under head coach Bob Davis, despite winning the Mountain States Conference championship in 1955 and rolling to an 8-2 record. When Davis left the program after that season, the downturn of the program began. Over the next 35 years, CSU lost more than 10 games in a season five times, and never made it back to a bowl game under the likes of Don “Tuffy” Mullison, Milo “Mike” Lude, Jerry Wampfler, Sark Arslanian, Chester Caddas, and Leon Fuller. None of those coaches left the school with a winning record, and only Arslanian won more than 35 percent of his games.

But in 1989, former Ohio State head coach and Woody Hayes’ protégé Earle Bruce became the 17th head coach in program history, taking over a Colorado State team that finished the 1988 season 1-10 and was handled 48-14 by thenNo. 10 Wyoming.

The Rams improved in 1989, finishing with a 5-5-1 record, but were dominated by rivals Air Force, Wyoming and Colorado, who combined to beat the Rams 146-76. It was a step in the right direction, but the Rams were surrounded by rivals who were among the best teams in the country, with the Buffaloes winning the 1990 national championship under Bill McCartney.

Bruce vowed to turn things around, and in 1990 he did.

A game for the ages

Coming into Rams’ showdown with thenNo. 19 Wyoming Nov. 3, 1990, CSU owned a 5-3 record, including a season-opening road win over Air Force. CSU hadn’t beaten Wyoming since 1986, and the Rams came into game as heavy underdogs against the Western Athletic Conference-leading Cowboys. Then-Wyoming

head coach Paul Roach allegedly said on the radio that week that CSU wasn’t tough enough to play with the Cowboys, and he would resign from his position if Wyoming ever lost to CSU while he was the head coach.

That was all Eric Tippeconnic and his teammates needed to fire them up. Bruce had shirts printed with the words, “Who’s Tougher Now?” which he showed to players before the game and promised to give them if they won.

Despite scoring 47 points against New Mexico the week before, and coming into the game as the 12th-ranked offense in the country, CSU's offense sputtered all game against the Cowboys. It was the Colorado State defense that came to play against Wyoming, sacking the Cowboys six times, intercepting three passes, scoring a safety and causing a fumble at the goal line late in the fourth quarter.

Trailing 11-0 at the half, Wyoming cut the deficit to just three with 9:04 left in the third quarter on a 19-yard TD pass from quarterback Tom Corontzos to wide receiver Shawn Wiggins. Corontzos then hit wide receiver Robert River for a two-point conversion, bringing the Cowboys within 11-8.

The Cowboys were looking to take the lead with a little more than six minutes left in the fourth quarter with the ball at the Colorado State 6-yard line. However, running back Jay Daffer fumbled into the end zone and CSU recovered for a touchback.

After the Rams’ offense faltered, Wyoming began another drive, looking to steal away a road win in the final minutes. But, with 1:29 left, linebacker Tippeconnic stepped in front Corontzos’ pass, picked it off and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown to give the Rams a 17-8 they would never relinquish.

“It was a total defensive domination,” Tippeconnic said. “And honestly, my play happened so fast. I remember getting lined up and Todd Corontzos was the quarterback for Wyoming. I remember we were in a zone defense, and we knew they were going to pass. I dropped back into my hook zone, and I tried to get to the depth I was supposed to get to. And I get there and I settle in, but before I can really sit down in my zone, that ball was in the air.

And all I can remember is just reacting to it, and I don’t even remember catching it. I just remember the beginning of the play and then feeling like I was waking up from a dream and realizing, ‘I’m running the ball now.’ And then I was thinking, I’m going to score. I’m not going out of bounds, I’m not going to sit on the ball, I just reacted. I started running toward

Eric Tippeconnic received the game ball after the Rams’ win from head coach Earle Bruce. Tippeconnic returned the ball to Bruce to have the date and final score of the game painted onto it. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC TIPPECONNIC

the right sideline and everyone was pursuing the play that way, so all I had to do was make one cut, and I just cut it back against the grain toward the middle of the field, and the whole defense had turned into a bunch of blockers.

That was it. That was the game. The whole thing happened in like the blink of an eye. I remember lining up and then all of the sudden, it was over.”

Wyoming got the ball back one final time after Tippeconnic’s interception, but at that point, it was already over.

“After that play, after I picked off that pass and ran it back for the score, I remember moving over toward the part of the stadium where my family was sitting” Tippeconnic said. “I just remember looking at them and celebrating with them in my mind. I see them jumping up and down, I see them hugging strangers and I’m just looking at them with my arms out like, ‘How do you like that?’ From that point on, it was just a celebration. Even when Wyoming got the ball back, they were in desperation mode, and Corontzos dropped way back and threw one deep, and that’s when Adolf Renaud made an interception at the end of the game to kind of seal it. But from the time I scored that touchdown, the game was over. We had it, and we knew it. It was over and it was final. That’s when the celebration really began. You don’t ever want to celebrate before the game is over, but I’d be lying if I said we didn’t already know we had it.”

Bedlam

As the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard and the cannon rang out one final time, students, including a then-freshman named John Hirn, stormed the field and tore down the goal posts in celebration.

“I think just about everybody from my floor in Corbett Hall went to that game, I remember filling my car with as many girls and guys as could fit in a 1979 Camaro,” said Hirn, now the CSU athletic department’s volunteer historian.

“We were packed shoulder-to-shoulder in the student section, there was this guy dressed in a brown coat, cowboy hat and yelling for Wyoming that got his face bloodied by students in the fraternity section of the east stands. The cops tossed him out of the stadium. It was cold and dark, and that was even before the lights were added to the stadium.” “…We knew that if we beat the No. 19 team in the country we had a great chance at our first bowl game since 1949. The students were well aware of how important a win over Wyoming was. When the final cannon fired and we had won the game, we all poured onto the field and rushed after the goalposts. I remember hanging on the south post when it snapped, but they carried that thing out of the stadium before I could catch up to them.

The mayhem was total joy.”

Today, a part of that goalpost hangs in CB and Potts restaurant on Elizabeth Street in Fort Collins, and various different pieces of memo-

rabilia are scattered around the country in the hands of coaches, fans and players, including the game ball, which was given to Tippeconnic by Bruce after the game.

The game is considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest game ever played at Hughes Stadium. The Rams went on to play in their first bowl game in more than four decades, defeating Oregon 32-31 in the 1990 Freedom Bowl. It was the first bowl win in CSU history, but Tippeconnic still remembers the win over Wyoming, and his interception, as one of the greatest moments in Colorado State history.

“In the modern era of Colorado State football, we built the foundation for all subsequent success. I cannot discount anything that came before us, but in the modern era, when you talk about momentum and how important recruiting is and how important success is to build a program, that game, that moment in time, that snapshot propelled us to that bowl season and then that bowl victory. I think all of the success CSU has had following that was built there in part. I think it’s — if not the most important game in CSU football history — it’s definitely up there in the conversation with any other game played at Hughes Stadium. Absolutely. Unequivocally. Without a doubt.”

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@ collegian.com.

Colorado State linebacker Eric Tippeconnic tackles a Wyoming ballcarrier during the Rams’ 17-8 win over the 19th-ranked Cowboys on Nov. 3, 1990. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC TIPPECONNIC

CSU running back Tony Alford runs the ball during the 1990 Border War game. PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN HIRN

Friday, November 6, 2015 Volume 124, No. 60 • collegian.com

Collectible Poster 8 of 9 Colorado State vs.

Wyoming

Collegian File Photo

| 82 | Rashard Higgins | WR | Senior |

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“It’s all about pride, it’s one of those games where regardless of our records every year, it’s always a dog fight and both teams come to impose their wills on each other.”

JOE KAWULOK DEFENSIVE LINEMAN

Border War could bring out the best in both struggling football teams ByGeoff Huebner @huebnermedia93

With a combined record of 4-13 overall, and 2-7 in the Mountain West, this year’s Border War rivalry game between Colorado State (3-5, 1-3 MW) and Wyoming (1-8, 1-4 MW) might not appear that glamorous, but that is exactly the way the two teams like it.

“They’re blue-collar guys, man,” senior safety Kevin-Pierre Louis said. “Blue collar athletes on both sides of the field, those guys are going to play hard, it doesn’t matter what their record is, even if Wyoming was the last team in the NCAA they are going to come out and play the Rams hard.”

First year head coach Mike Bobo is new to the Border War

rivalry and the traveling Bronze Boot (which goes home with the winning team), but he does know a thing or two about rivalry games from his time at Georgia, and he knows that this game could bring out the best in both teams.

“You see them hit their stride occasionally and it’s a lot like us, not consistent enough at times, but at times they play very well,” Bobo said. “We’ve got our work cut out for this game, like any rival game you can throw the records out the window and it’s going to be a true test of who wants it more.”

A lot of Wyoming’s struggles and youth have shown up on the defensive side of the ball this season. The Cowboys are allowing 35.1 points per game, but on the other side of the ball they do have

a couple playmakers, including sophomore running back Brian Hill.

Hill has 1,262 yards and is averaging 6.2 yards per carry. A big part of what the Rams have to do Saturday is limiting Hill and preventing explosive plays, something that the team has struggled to do all season.

“They’re physical up front and they are going to run the ball,” Bobo said. “They’re going to make you stop the run and we have not stopped the run very well.”

Bobo was very high on Hill when speaking of his abilities, even comparing him to St. Louis Rams running back Todd Gurley, whom Bobo coached during his time as an offensive coordinator at Georgia.

“He reminds me a little bit of

Todd Gurley, he doesn’t have the size Todd has ... but he’s a taller guy, he’s able to still run a little bit upright like Todd did but still has the ability to get behind his pads and break tackles which is impressive and I think that’s how you judge a great back,” Bobo said.

Senior defensive lineman Joe Kawulok knows how important it is this week to control the line of scrimmage.

“We just have to control the line of scrimmage and everyone has to execute their assignments, it will all come easy on Saturday naturally with the pride that comes with that game,” Kawulok said.

“It’s all about pride, it’s one of those games where regardless of our records every year, it’s always a dog fight and both

teams come to impose their wills on each other.”

Football players do not often openly admit one game has more value than another, but that is the nature of a rivalry game and is what gives the Border War the notoriety of a true rivalry game.

“There’s certain games that you don’t want to say you get more prepared for or stuff like that but at the end of the day we’re all human and a rivalry game is a rivalry game,” senior wide receiver Joe Hansley said. “So the Wyoming game is always one to look forward to because of the history of the rivalry and getting that Boot back is pretty special.”

Geoff Huebner can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

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sports Friday, November 6, 2015

When the Rams are on defense...

Colorado State

Wyoming

9 - Martavius Foster, LDE, 6-4, 270, Senior

15 - Nick Smith, QB, 6-4, 233, Freshman

68 - Justin Hansen, DT, 6-5, 305, Senior

8 - Brian Hill, RB, 6-1, 211, Sophomore

93 - Terry Jackson, DT, 6-1, 295, Senior

36 - Drew Van Maanen, FB, 6-1, 226, Sophomore

90 - Joe Kawulok, RDE, 6-6, 250, Senior

80 - James Price, WR, 6-2, 208, Freshman

31 - Cory James, SLB, 6-0, 245, Senior

83 - Jake Maulhardt, WR, 6-6, 216, Junior

12 - Deonte Clyburn, MLB, 6-1, 230, Junior

88 - Jacob Hollister, TE, 6-4, 230, Junior

33 - Kevin Davis, WLB, 6-3, 240, Junior

72 - Zach Wallace, RT, 6-7, 265, Freshman

13 - DeAndre Elliott, LCB, 6-1, 185, Senior

51 - Troy Boyland, RG, 6-2, 302, Senior

16 - Trent Matthews, SS, 6-3, 210, Senior

64 - Charlie Renfree, C, 6-3, 281, Freshman

26 - Kevin Pierre-Louis, FS, 6-1, 215, Senior

73 - Chase Roullier, LG, 6-4, 293, Junior

24 - Preston Hodges, RCB, 5-11, 200, Junior

59 - Ryan Cummings, LT, 6-6, 314, Sophomore

When the Rams are on offense...

Colorado State

Wyoming

7 - Nick Stevens, QB, 6-3, 205, Sophomore

55 - Eddie Yarbrough, DE, 6-3, 251, Senior

6 - Jasen Oden Jr., RB, 5-11, 220, Senior

96 - Sidney Malauulu, NT, 6-3, 300, Freshman

82 - Rashard Higgins, WR, 6-2, 190, Junior

90 - Uso Olive, DT, 6-1, 301, Junior

25 - Joe Hansley, WR, 5-10, 180, Senior

34 - Siaosi Hala’api’api, DE, 6-2, 250, Senior

2 - Deionte Gaines, WR, 5-8, 180, Sophomore

7 - D.J. May, SLB, 5-11, 198 Junior

86 - Kivon Cartwright, TE, 6-4, 245, Senior

45 - Lucas Wacha, MLB, 6-1, 214, Junior

71 - Sam Carlson, RT, 6-4, 295, Senior

23 - Tim Kamana, WLB, 5-11, 206, Sophomore

54 - Fred Zerblis, RG, 6-3, 295, Junior

2 - Robert Priester, CB, 5-9, 180, Sophomore

77 - Jake Bennett, C, 6-3, 295, Sophomore

35- Marcus Epps, SS, 6-0, 190, Freshman

61 - Zack Golditch, LG, 6-6, 290, Sophomore

28 - Andrew Wingard, FS, 6-0, 194, Freshman

76 - Nick Callender, LT, 6-6. 315, Junior

21 - Antonio Hull, CB, 5-10, 188, Freshman KEEGAN POPE COLLEGIAN

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Staff Picks: The Border War Emmett McCarthy Sports Editor

Keegan Pope Football Reporter

Sam Lounsberry Assistant Sports Editor

Geoff Huebner Football Reporter

Brett Kennedy

CTV Sports Anchor

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The Cowboys are awful.

Their colors are even worse. I’m not even from Colorado, but I hate the Pokes. I love a good rivalry game though. Wyoming is 1-8 but rivalries bring out the best in teams, so you can throw that record out the window. Actually, no you can't – Wyoming is really, really bad. CSU has had a rough year, but should beat the Pokes handily.

CSU isn’t very good this year, as its record indicates. But the Cowboys are much, much worse.

Wyoming has a standout running back in Brian Hill and an accurate quarterback in Cameron Coffman, though it’s unlikely he will play Saturday. Like CSU though, the Cowboys are among the country’s worst in turnover margin and defense. That doesn’t mean the Cowboys won’t have some revenge on their mind though, as CSU has smacked them around the past two years. There is still much to play for this season for the Rams, contrary to what lots of fans think, and CSU has enough talent and senior leadership to roll in this one and get one step closer to bowl eligibility.

Thankfully, I actually will be sticking in Fort Collins to cover the other men's basketball exhibition. This could be one of the least meaningful Border Wars for all 106 games. It's really meaningless for Wyoming.

This game is between a CSU team in a down year, and one of the worst teams in the nation in Wyoming. At the same time, the Border War is all the Pokes have this season. They'll be fired up, enough for two touchdowns. As much as fans have complained about CSU's record this year, the Rams are much better than Wyoming, and will prevail.

Wyoming is a struggling football team right now. Sophomore running back Brian Hill seems to be the one bright spot for the Cowboys, but Hill cannot carry the team on his shoulders alone and the Cowboys are simply outmatched on a talent level

by Colorado State. Look for the offense to have a big bounceback week against a Wyoming defense that surrenders 35 points a game. CSU will leave Laramie hoisting the Bronze Boot for the third year in a row.

1-8, that’s not pretty Wyoming. Those aren’t close losses either, most of those are blowouts. I see the Rams easily winning this one even with last week's horrendous loss still nagging at the team’s heels. Wyoming doesn’t have a great defense at all which will open up opportunities for big plays from Rashard Higgins and company.

For the third year in a row the Rams will take home the Boot.

It’s pretty crazy to think that even with all that's happened this year for the green and gold, the Rams still have a shot of making a bowl game this year.

CSU ROTC cadets make annual 38-mile run to Wyoming

By Nicole Towne @nicole_towne21

Saturday, the Colorado State Football team face, University of Wyoming in what is famously known has the Border War. The game is set to kick off at 1 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium in Laramie, Wyoming, but the quest for victory begins over 24 hours prior to game time with Bronze Boot Run. The run, which started in 1968, brings together the ROTC Army branches at both schools and delivers the game ball to the home team.

Maj. Vic Fernandez started the tradition in honor of Army War Veteran Captain Dan Rome-

ro, who served in the Vietnam war. The bronze boot, which is Romero’s boot from war, serves as a symbol of pride and honor to the Battalions at CSU and Wyoming.

This year’s Bronze Boot Run starts with an early morning ceremony at Hughes Stadium, where CAM the Ram is expected to be in attendance. Following the ceremony, 36 CSU ROTC Army Cadets will make the 38mile trip from Hughes to the Colorado-Wyoming border.

The cadets run in shifts following behind Colorado State Patrol. Each cadet runs two miles, one holding the game ball and one running beside it. When not running, the cadets ride in vans accompanying the runners.

At the border, a blank cannon is

shot and the game ball is passed.

“I think it’s awesome.

But, unlike our rivalry with its not a negative rivalry. It’s a gentlemen’s rivalry.”

KEDNAL PETER CSU CADET

There, CAM will make his second appearance of the day along with Cowboy Joe, the University of Wyoming’s pony.

After the passing of the ball, Wyoming’s army battalion will

finish the run by carrying it 29 miles to Laramie.

"It’s good to be a part of such a long tradition," said CSU Lt. Col. James Blanton.

The winner of the Border War game determines which battalion will earn possession of the Bronze Boot. CSU won last year’s game and had the honor of housing the Bronze Boot. CSU ROTC is hopeful that the boot will remain in their possession for another year.

"We’re going to keep the boot for the year," said Liam Huber, sophomore cadet and first-time participant in the Bronze Boot Run. As the two largest Army battalions in the area, CSU and Wyoming enjoy some friendly

competition.

"I think it’s awesome," said fourth-year cadet Kendal Peter.

"But, unlike our rivalry with CU, its not a negative rivalry. It’s a gentleman’s rivalry."

Last year, Peter had the opportunity to travel to the border with the Ram Handlers, but this year, like Huber, will be his first time running.

Second-year cadet Ted Thatcher is looking forward to carrying on the tradition.

"It’s a great tradition that has been going on longer than I’ve been alive, and I want to carry that tradition on and inspire younger cadets to follow our footsteps," Thatcher said.

Nicole Towne can be reached at news@collegian.com.

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CSU hoops teams enter 2015 season with lots of questions

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Colorado State, coming off a 27-7 season and an NIT bid last year, opens its 2015 season Saturday against CSU-Pueblo at Moby Arena. The Rams return just two starters, but bring back key reserves Gian Clavell and John Gillon, along with a host of talented young players and two junior college transfers. CSU was projected seventh in the Mountain West preseason poll, with San Diego State and Boise State taking the top two spots in the rankings.

The women’s team, who lost in the quarterfinals of the Mountain West tournament after winning its second-consecutive regular season title, will look to replace league player of the year Gritt Ryder and fellow guard AJ Newton, who have both since graduated.

The Rams were again selected to win the Mountain West in the preseason poll, and will be led by standout Swedes Elin Gustavsson and Ellen Nystrom.

The Rams’ two teams open the season in very different positions, but here are the five sto-

rylines to watch this season.

The absence of Avila The losses of Stanton Kidd and Daniel Bejarano will surely hurt CSU, but trying to replace the production of JJ Avila will be nearly impossible. Had it not been for Derrick Marks, Avila likely would’ve been the Mountain West Player of the Year in 2015. Not only are his numbers difficult to replicate, but so is his clutch gene. Many people remember Bejarano’s late-game heroics, but Avila was the difference between a handful of wins and losses over the past two years. Junior college forward Emmanuel Omogbo will slide into Avila’s spot in the starting lineup, and he, Kimani Jackson and Tiel Daniels will look to make up the production that Avila left behind.

Can Gillon become a consistent force?

At Mountain West media days, CSU head coach Larry Eustachy said his point guard, John Gillon, was the best player at his position in the league. When Gillon is on, that’s a pretty hard statement to 2226 W. Elizabeth St. Unit a-106 Fort Collins, CO 80521

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argue with. He may be the only one in the league who is quicker with the ball in his hands, and in the open court, he is nearly unguardable, as you can see in the video below. The crux with Gillon has always been his ability to do it on a regular basis, though.

There were games last season where he was the best player on the floor, and there were others where he barely made an impact.

That will have to change this season is CSU is to have any measure of success.

Young guns Outside of CSU’s top seven players, the rest of the squad is a relative unknown. Fred Richardson III and Antwan Scott will provide some much-needed depth off of the bench, but after that, the questions begin. Redshirt freshmen J.D. Paige and Toby Van Ry return after redshirting last sea-

son, and joining them are a trio of true freshmen and Jackson.

Eustachy is known for going with a relatively short bench, but he’ll need at least one or two of those six players to contribute meaningful minutes. Look for Jackson and Paige to play early on, but don’t be surprised if Nixon makes a push for playing time.

Replacing Ryder?

There might not have been a better all-around player than Gritt Ryder in the league last season, which is exactly why she was named MW Player of the Year.

Her scoring numbers weren’t off-the-charts by any means, but Ryder did a little bit of everything last year when CSU needed her. Head coach Ryun Williams is tasked with replacing her this year, and so far it looks like it will be done by committee. Nebraska transfer Hannah Tvrdy should

compete for the starting spot, but don’t be surprised to see Nystrom and Wharry running the point for long stretches because of their versatility.

Three-peat?

The women’s team has the chance to do what no other team in Mountain West history has done and win three regular season league titles in a row. But, they’ll face a stiff challenge with New Mexico and Boise State nipping at their heels. The Broncos are the defending Mountain West tournament champions, and the Lobos are the runners-up. They’ll have to rely heavily Gustavsson, Nystrom and Keyora Wharry to get them through a brutal Mountain West schedule. Expect a dogfight until the final week of the season.

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.

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SPORTS Friday, November 5, 2015

Breaking down Colorado State’s new-look hoops roster

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Colorado State again brings in a new-look roster under Larry Eustachy, with five newcomers joining the squad along with two returning redshirt freshmen. For those unfamiliar with the Rams, here’s a breakdown of their roster.

POINT GUARD

John Gillon- The redshirt junior was listed as one of Sports Illustrated’s 20 Breakout Scorers in 2015, and could be among the elite guards in the Mountain West if he can bring it all together each night.

Projected stats: 14.4 PPG, 4.2 APG, 2.7 RPG, 30.3 MPG Antwan Scott- Scott was a heralded transfer coming from Grambling State, but a nagging foot injury cost him the entire season last year. He’s fully healthy now, and should provide a scoring spark off the bench.

Projected stats: 5.8 PPG, 1.8 APG, 1.9 RPG, 16.7 MPG Prentiss Nixon- As every freshman does, Nixon will have a substantial learning curve adjusting to the college game. Don’t be surprised to see him redshirt this season.

Projected stats: Redshirt

SHOOTING GUARD

Gian Clavell- The Puerto Rican guard was electric at times off the bench last season, and the Rams will have to count on his scoring and defense this year. Along with Gillon, Clavell will likely be one of the team’s top scorers.

Projected stats: 10.2 PPG, 1.7 APG, 3.5 RPG, 28.5 MPG J.D. Paige- Paige redshirted last season, and has been

impressive at times during the preseason according to Eustachy. However, the Rams depth at the ‘2’ and ‘3’ positions will make it tough for Paige to find a lot of minutes.

Projected stats: 1.2 PPG, 0.2 APG, 0.4 RPG, 5.5 MPG Anthony Bonner- Bonner is another freshmen who will spend the year learning the ropes, barring a number of catastrophic injuries.

Projected stats: Redshirt

SMALL FORWARD

Joe De Ciman- “Joe D” is the only player in Larry Eustachy’s tenure to start and finish his career at CSU, and he has developed into a consistent scoring, rebounding and defending threat.

Projected stats: 9.5 PPG, 2.3 APG, 5.5 RPG, 32.2 MPG Fred Richardson III- Richardson was one of CSU’s most versatile players last year, and should be again. The senior can play spots two thru four, will be tasked with guarding some of the opponents’ best wing players.

Projected stats: 6.3 PPG, 0.8 APG, 3.2 RPG, 16.5 MPG

POWER FORWARD

Emmanuel Omogbo- Along with Kimani Jackson, Omogbo is a highly-touted junior college forward who Eustachy is very high on. He’ll provide instant toughness and athleticism inside to pair with Tiel Daniels in the starting lineup.

Projected stats: 7.8 PPG, 0.6 APG, 6.9 RPG, 26.4 MPG Kimani Jackson- Jackson comes in with lofty expectations after being named one of the top JuCo players in the country last season. Not being in Fort Collins this summer hurt his conditioning, but he’ll still be a quality backup in the

frontcourt this season.

Projected stats: 5.4 PPG, 0.5 APG, 3.5 RPG, 11.2 MPG Toby Van Ry- The Fort Collins native redshirted last season alongside J.D. Paige, but likely won’t see much playing time this season either with the Rams’ frontcourt depth.

He provides a solid outside scoring touch, but Van Ry will only see the floor sparingly.

Projected stats: 0.7 PPG, 0.1 APG, 0.3 RPG, 4.0 MPG Nico Carvacho- The 6-foot10 inch freshman has been a pleasant surprise for the Rams this fall, and could develop into a talented player in the Mountain West once he spends some time in the weight room. Look

for Carvacho to redshirt, but possibly contribute next season.

Projected stats: Redshirt

CENTER

Tiel Daniels– There’s likely not a more dominant physical presence in the league than

Daniels, and CSU will rely on him to become more of an offensive presence down low.

Expect to see Daniels nearing a double-double each night.

Projected stats: 7.5 PPG, 1.6 APG, 9.5 RPG, 28.7 MPG Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.

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21

SPORTS Friday, November 5, 2015

A new type of big refills lost size for CSU men’s basketball

By Sam Lounsberry @samlounz

Size matters in basketball.

An obvious statement, but Colorado State basketball fans saw what could happen with a talented front line last year as the 6-foot-7 inch Stanton Kidd and 6-foot-8 inch J.J. Avila, runner-up for the Mountain West Player of the Year in 2015, led the team in scoring en route to 27 wins.

Kidd and Avila combined for over 28 points per game, and the two showed a versatility possessed by few players with the sheer diversity of their scoring methods. Additionally, Avila led the team in rebounds and steals with 7.5 and 2.0 per game, while Kidd notched 5.1 boards per game, shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc on 92 attempts.

Finding such versatile, big men is never an easy task for a program, and CSU coach Larry Eustachy knows that.

“You’re not going to replace those guys,” Eustachy said Wednesday.

But, that doesn’t mean he

can’t come close.

Enter junior college transfer Emmanuel Omogbo, a 6-foot-8 inch true power forward who comes to CSU by way of South Plains College. Joining him as another newcomer likely to see playing time at the forward spot is Kimani Jackson, who also stands at 6-foot-8 inches.

“They’re both more athletic than JJ,” Eustachy said. “Emmanuel is the most athletic guy his size that we’ve had here. And Greg Smith comes to mind, but this guy is a live wire. He could play for most schools in the country.”

With this pair teaming up with returning bruiser Tiel Daniels, who provided much of the brute force down low on the glass last year, CSU might not see too detrimental of a drop from last year’s talented bigs.

But, both Omogbo and Jackson have had to adjust from junior college to Eustachy’s brutal practices and hard-knock personality.

“Coming from junior college, I’m in way better shape since I’ve been here in the summer time,” Omogbo said. “Eustachy pretty much told us, ‘If you come here,

this is how we’re going to do things, and you’re either going to go with it or you’re not.’ I’ve been living by the rules so far, just come in everyday and get the job done.”

Jackson missed summer workouts, but Eustachy said he was “pleasantly surprised” with the forward’s physical condition to start the season.

“I was expecting him to be way behind,” Eustachy said.

Though he may have come in ready to run, the redshirt sophomore forward who transferred from New Mexico Junior College is still working on eliminating some of the bad habits Eustachy will not tolerate 10 practices into this season. “(Kimani) just doesn’t understand what poor body language is,” Eustachy said. “He has done things in 10 days that he’s never done. He bumped his quad, and bumped his knee, normally he would probably not practice, but the culture here is you play through the pain. If you’re hurt, you’re hurt, but when it’s just pain you have to learn how to handle it.

He’s got a lot of talent and he’s just a sophomore.”

The athleticism possessed by both Omogbo and Jackson should afford each minutes within Eustachy’s philosophy of putting defense and rebounding first.

“Emmanuel is just a freak athlete,” Daniels said. “His frame is thin, but he’s not afraid to get down there and bang. He can catch a lot of balls off the rim for dunks, and he can get down there and rebound with me. Kimani is really long, he’s physical and can shoot it a little bit. ... None of those guys are scared to get in the trenches and go get it and that’s what I like.”

Both have range out to the 3-point line, according to Eustachy, a weapon he hadn’t realized in his recruiting of Ombogbo and Jackson.

“They can both shoot it, particularly Emmanuel,” Eusatchy said. “He’s a 40 percent 3-point shooter, which shocks me. Even Kimani has range all the way to the three-point (line).”

Omogbo has not yet thought about where his offensive contributions will come.

“You just have to put the ball in

the hole,” Omogbo said. “It doesn’t matter how you score, you have to put it in the hole. Coach’s offense is like no offense, so if you play defense, pass and cut on offense, and whoever is open is going to score.

If you’re wide open, Coach not telling you to not shoot the ball. That’s one thing I like about him; other coaches limit your game.”

While embarking upon a first Division I season is something both Jackson and Omogbo are surely looking forward to, there are still some jitters Omogbo says he’s getting over.

“I waited two years, so it should be pretty exciting,” Omogbo said. “I’ve been nervous a little bit, I’m not even going to lie. But once I get in, and then my motor gets running, it’s over with.

There’s no more being nervous.”

Saturday at 2 p.m., CSU plays a home exhibition game against Division II team Colorado State-Pueblo before heading on the road to officially begin its season Saturday, Nov. 14 against Northern Iowa.

Sam Lounsberry can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

22 Friday, November 6, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

collegian.com

Men’s hoops team learning to embrace grueling practices

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Gian Clavell walked off the floor Tuesday afternoon with a 4-inch cut above his eye. Emmanuel Omogbo made a few trips to trash can behind the basketball goal on the west end of Moby Arena to “get rid of” his lunch. Joe De Ciman, who is in his fourth year under head coach Larry Eustachy at Colorado State, collapsed his 6-foot6 frame onto a folding chair as soon as the team broke its final huddle.

This was just another practice for the CSU men’s basketball team, who began official practices last Friday, and will go six days per week until its home opener against CSU-Pueblo Nov. 7.

The Rams opened practice the way they normally do — with wind sprints. Over the next three-plus hours, CSU had two breaks — once when they reviewed film during a five-onfive drill, and once more while coaches divvied up teams for the final half an hour of drills. Near the two-hour mark, exhaustion began to set in, but Eustachy and his staff didn’t let up, with the fourth-year head coach at one point saying, ‘This is what great coaching staffs do, they find out how to break their players down before they build them back up.’

Eustachy’s methods are unconventional, but he says pushing his players, especially the newcomers, to the brink of their physical ability is essential if his team is to hold up during a grueling five-month season.

“I’ve always thought that the first two weeks are the biggest part of the season” Eustachy said. “What you teach and what you emphasize is what you’re

going to instill into your team for the whole year. I think a lot of coaches make the mistake of not emphasizing things that win you games until it’s too late. What we do with these guys during the first two weeks carries over into the rest of the year.”

The majority of the things that Eustachy and his staff emphasized were the same as they have always been: defense and rebounding. The Rams spent the better part of an hour in a three-on-three defensive drills.

The drill might have been a lit-

“What you teach and what you emphasize is what you’re going to instill into your team for the whole year. “ LARRY EUSTACHY MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH

tle more physical than you’d expect from a basketball practice, though. In one 30-second segment, Omogbo put center Tiel Daniels in a quasi-rear naked choke hold as he battled around a pick, senior Fred Richardson III tossed freshman guard Anthony Bonner to the ground like a rag doll and guard Antwan Scott held enough players’ jerseys trying to get through screens to warrant enough penalty flags to cover the entire 94-by-50 court at Moby Arena.

It’s likely CSU’s entire team would foul out in the first five minutes of a game if players were that aggressive, but to match up with bigger, stronger teams, players say that these drills are

necessary.

“We don’t have no McDonald’s All-Americans here,” Richardson III said. “So we’ve got to be the most physical and well-conditioned team in the league. This program is built on toughness, conditioning, thinking while you’re tired and just playing hard. We don’t have three or four guys who are projected NBA draft picks, so these first couple of weeks help get the new guys introduced to what we do and what to expect when the season comes. Teams like San Diego State and UNLV, they’ve got big guys who will pull jerseys, they’ll knock you to the ground so we’ve got to be able to re-enact what those games are going to be like in practice.”

The physical play goes hand-in-hand with an intense, ultra-competitive environment.

There’s plenty of trash talk, verbal jabs and in-your-face bravado. Richardson and fellow seniors Gian Clavell, Tiel Daniels, Joe De Ciman and Antwan Scott are at the forefront of that, and De Ciman says that as seniors it’s their job to stoke that competitive fire, but to also know when to tone it down off of the court.

“As seniors, our goal from Day 1 has been to lead this team,” De Ciman said. “We told them that there are going to be good days and bad days, we told them how Coach Eustachy is, and we told them what Mountain West play is going to be like. We’re all competitive guys, so there’s going to be some trash talking and all of that, but as soon as we get off the court we understand we’re a family and that we’re in this together.”

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.

Daily Horoscope Nancy Black

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY

(11/06/15). Community efforts bear fruit this year. Collaborate in the biggest game you can play. Discipline pays in spades.

Springtime brings new love and long-term plans. Take time to reflect. After next autumn, your group game levels up and a new one sparks. Follow your heart.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

— 8 — Explore new workspace options, with Mercury trine Neptune. It’s a lucky moment for expressing dreams. Good news comes from far away. Clarify an obscure message. Talk about desires and intentions. Get the word out.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — 9 — Show someone how much you appreciate their attention.

Share passionate messages, with Mercury trine Neptune. Discuss fantasies and dreams. Ask for what you want. It’s a good time to request money. Play with the ones you love.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — 8 — Think of all the possibilities.

Persuade others to go along with your home renovation plans.

Write down your dreams. Invest in family comfort. You’re surrounded by love. Get the whole gang to help. Soak it up.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — 7 — Your intuition about what needs to be expressed is especially tuned. You sense where things are going. It’s a good time to craft mission and vision statements, to articulate dreams. You may get what you ask for.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — 9 — You are at your most convincing.

It’s an excellent time to ask for money. Send invoices. Spend to upgrade infrastructure. Fulfill a dream through communications. Find the facts to fill in the blanks. Generosity gets rewarded.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — 9 — Savor a creative job. A philosophical shift shows you a

new perspective. Realign your personal priorities. You’ve got the energy to make things happen, and words to express your vision. Focus your aim and hit the mark.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — 7 — Peaceful introspection reveals hidden creativity. Spin a wild yarn. Take photographs or write.

Commit to a romantic dream.

Consider imaginative alternatives to the status quo. Draw beautiful fantasies, and implement their practical details. Joy inspires you.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — 9 — Get into communication with social networks to find what you need. Gentle persuasion is best. Obtain the desired results easily. Advancement could seem sudden. Discover more options than you knew you had. A new opportunity brings luck.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — 9 — Exciting professional opportunities require your attention. Take definitive action.

There’s more than expected.

Keep your feet on the ground.

Celebrate after work. Get advice from experienced friends.

Outdoor recreation is possible.

Gourmet dining is on.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — 8 — Share your dreams publicly and goodness comes your way. An unexpected development draws you out. Opportunities abound. Investigate and explore. Talk to people nearby to uncover a buried truth. Discover wisdom and compassion. Far horizons beckon.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — 9 — Talk with your partner about what you would do if money were no object. What creative work would you take on? Raise the passion factor. Speculate with numbers. Go for the big prize, and take notes.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — 9 — Imagine your space set to support your collaboration.

Talk to your partner about both of your heart’s desires. Discuss dreams and ambitions, and think of ways to help each other.

Wash everything in sight.

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, November 6, 2015

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Across 1 They’re bought and soled 6 Educational foundation 10 Lowest part 15 Make like a tree, facetiously 16 “Uh-huh” 17 Butyl acetate, e.g.

18 AAEGIMRR 21 Balkan region 22 Wild period 23 Edible tuber 24 __ Plantation, site of the world’s largest maze 26 Sun Valley locale 28 AACDEINNV 35 Sea sound 36 One of Suetonius’ “Twelve Caesars” 37 Actor Hawke 38 Youngest March sister 39 Sent away 42 Make a selection 43 “I’ve got this one” 45 Wax on an envelope, say 46 Robert of “The Sopranos” 47 ADEHLNRTUY 51 Structural opening?

52 Angler’s prize 53 Lack of continuity 55 Old painting sites

58 More pinlike?

62 ILST ... and each of three other puzzle clues 65 Not hold one’s peace 66 Domain 67 Of few words 68 Game that may involve complicated shots 69 Mediterranean feeder 70 Three-layer treats Down 1 Thick mass 2 Rescuer, often 3 Marine propulsion aids 4 Heavyweight champ between Buster and Riddick 5 __ citizen 6 Mate’s affirmative 7 Garden spots 8 Like-minded group 9 Islamic law 10 Mourning 11 “Take me __ am” 12 Wait for help, perhaps too long 13 Genesis creator 14 Home of Utah Valley University 19 Lead ore 20 Comedian Foxx 25 First place?

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BREWSTER ROCKIT TIM RICKARD

27 Porkpie, for one 28 Advanced tests 29 “What light through yonder window breaks?” speaker 30 Other side of “We Can Work It Out” 31 Like Jameson whiskey 32 Long time ending?

33 Heist, say 34 Contest form 39 “Magic Mike” feature 40 “ ... on the sand, / __ sunk, a shattered visage lies”: “Ozymandias” 41 Paige of British musical theatre 44 Map feature with an elev.

46 Asthma sufferer’s relief 48 Boring 49 Ale seller 50 No longer bothered by 53 Severe wound 54 Dinner for Spot 56 Little case 57 Window frame part 59 Weary 60 Canadian gas brand 61 GPS info 63 Is down with 64 Zipper opening

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24

SPORTS Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Q&A: Colorado State senior forward Joe De Ciman

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Colorado State senior guard enters his fourth year with the program, and will leave as the first player in the Larry Eustachy era to start and end his career at CSU. Collegian sportswriter Keegan Pope sat down with him to discuss his time at CSU, the Fort Collins community and growing up in an athletic family.

Keegan Pope: So, this is your fourth year in the program now, you’re the only player to play here for all four years. What’s that experience been like?

Joe De Ciman: “I’ve grown up, ya know? I’ve been blessed to have great leadership and have great seniors here in my four years. When I came here, I was with Jesse (Carr), Wes (Eikmeier), Dorian (Green), Colt (Iverson), Pierce (Hornung) and Greg (Smith). They took me under their wing, and taught me how to handle myself on the court, how to handle myself off the court.

To be here four years, it makes me appreciate Fort Collins, the University, my coaches, and all the great people I see every day.

Being here for four years makes me really cherish the program, and make me really want to play for Colorado State.”

KP: What was the experience like, coming into a team with all those seniors who played in the NCAA tournament?

JD: “Not many freshman walk into (a team) with that kind

of makeup. These days it’s rare, people transferring or one-anddone’s. Having seniors that came in together, lost and grew. Made the NCAA tournament the year before. Just watching them handle business. They were grown men. I had to adjust to them, they weren’t going to adjust to me.

That’s how it’s done. It taught me how to lead these young guys, and what it really takes to win.”

KP: Obviously, there have been guys that have come and gone. A lot of guys have transferred in, guys have transferred out. How challenging is it each year to develop a relationship with new guys that are constantly coming in and out?

JD: “It’s tough, you know.

High school kids coming in don’t understand how we play the game of basketball, specifically here. Junior college guys that come are here for a short period of time, so they kind of have to catch on quick. Our coaching staff is one of the greatest in the country. I truly believe that. We have great trainers. We have great strength coaches. You know everyone around this program are great people. We’re all on the same page, so I think it makes it easier for them to see how we do it here. All the guys that coaches recruit, they come in with open ears. They aren’t trying to do their own thing. They know we’ve had success and they just want to be a part of that.”

KP: Do you think being here for four years gives you a connec-

tion with CSU fans. Dorian, Greg and some of those others, CSU fans grew up with them. Started with them winning seven games, and finished them in the NCAA tournament. Do you feel like you’ve grown up with this community and become a part of it?

JD: “Yeah, I love playing basketball. I love going to school.

But, that’s been the most rewarding and genuine part of being here for so long, is the community. I know so many people. And, walking around now people will say you’re a senior now, and it’s a little sad. I’ve been able to meet some of the greatest people that I’ll be in touch with for my life.

That’s been the best moment being here.”

KP: Has it been an advantage being here for a longer time than some of the other guys and being able to get adjusted and understand what’s expected of you?

JD: “Yeah, off the court, and just knowing all the people I know. Around the athletic department and the community.

Just knowing where to go. Fort Collins is nice, it is home to me.

It really is, I don’t go home much anymore. From a basketball standpoint, being coached every day for four years. Our coaching staff doesn’t take it easy on everybody. They’ll be brutally honest. Just being in this environment for four years has helped me grow my game on the court and as a person. I think that’s my biggest advantage is being coached hard.”

KP: You’ve got quite the athletic history in your family, with both of your sisters playing Division I sports, what was it like growing up in such a competitive family?

JD: “It wasn’t really that fun for me sometimes. I’ve got an older brother, who is pretty bouncy. It wasn’t fun getting beat by girls, either. It was always fun, we were always competing.

They got me at basketball and it was great, and if I had good days or bad days at practice I could go to them and they understood exactly what I was talking about.

I love them to death and they really helped me grow up.”

KP: Now that you’re at this point, and you’ve hit your senior year, are you kind of feeling that right now or do you think it will take until the end of the year to realize this is your last year playing at CSU?

JD: “It’ll definitely take until senior night, you know I’ve talked about being a senior and how crazy that is, but it doesn’t feel like it just yet. On that night it will kick in and I’m trying not to think about, but knowing that it’s almost here, I’m just trying to enjoy every day. Coming to practice, competing, getting coached at a high level, playing the games, not many people get to experience that, and I’m just thankful I’ve been able to.”

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.