FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Jay Norvell missed Colorado State’s second fall scrimmage on Wednesday due to COVID-19, but associate head coach/quarterbacks coach Matt Mumme and defensive coordinator Freddie Banks led practice.
Banks’ defense won the day.
“It’s a daily process of reminding them that every time we touch the field there’s only one way to play, and that’s physical,” Banks said. “Running to the ball, having fun. We demand that we celebrate when we make big plays, because you don’t work football, you play football, and our guys are buying into that.”
As the Rams continue to work on their new air raid offense, it’s difficult going up against a more experienced defense every day in practice.
“It’s definitely a challenge,” Mumme said. “At the end of the day, if we’re all playing together we’re in pretty good shape. If we’re not playing together it’s going to be tough.”
CSU’s starting quarterback Clay Millen is only a redshirt freshman, and the other three QBs on the roster are freshmen as well, so it’s a very young QB room. Mumme says there will be mistakes, but they talk about that often.
“I think we talk about that almost every minute,” Mumme said. “I don’t waste a minute on the field. I’m screaming and yelling at them as they come off. If he [Millen] calls the offense like he’s supposed to, it will work for him.”
Athletic Director Joe Parker stopped by practice Wednesday as well, and he acknowledged that things do feel different in Fort Collins after the coaching change.
“There’s an expectation that hope has kind of been restored. I know hope is not a strategy, and we’re never going to focus on hope. Jay has been a wonderful compliment, and I think it’s going to be something to continue to build on.”
The Rams travel to Ann Arbor to take on the Michigan Wolverines in the Big House in their season opener on Sept. 3.
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