Photo by: Cris Tiller
Rams Have Hit an Early Groove Offensively
9/10/2019 7:35:00 PM | Football
Unit has produced 500-plus yards per game
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – The numbers are pretty good, even for early in the season. Mike Bobo is convinced they could be even better.
"We should be averaging more," the Colorado State head football coach said, referring to the Rams' yards per game. "The second half last week, I think we came out asleep."
The Rams have generated 545 yard per game of total offense (13th nationally), eclipsing 500 yards in each of the first two games (20 times in Bobo's tenure). The passing attack, guided by quarterback Collin Hill, ranks seventh nationally at 385 yards per game. The running game is still growing, but has produced pop and kept defenses honest.
Even where the Rams see some flaws, they are finding a way to overcome them, be it youth, penalties or depth.
"I think we're in a groove. I think we feel good about what we're doing," Bobo said. "We've been able to overcome some setbacks offensively that we've got to clean up, which is probably why we have more yards, because we had so many penalties last week, we backed up and went again and that's more yards. I like where we're at, but I think we're not even close to how good we can be."
It was then he listed off the youth making contributions. There are two major senior contributors, guard Jeff Taylor and running back Marvin Kinsey Jr. Hill has still made just nine starts at quarterback; Warren Jackson, Dante Wright and the rest of the receiving corps are growing up with each play; and tight ends Cameron Butler and Trey McBride are young, even if they've played a lot.
Youngsters are making plays in spots where there may not be an abundance of depth, but Bobo said if they stay healthy, they'll only continue to get better.
Hill, while feeling good about the progress, still sees glitches.
"I think we're kind of in a groove. We've executed well," he said. "We have moved the ball really well, but there's been some SIW's – self-inflicted wounds – that haven't allowed us to finish off a drive. I do feel we're kind of in a groove right now."
Nobody is happy with the amount of penalties, but they have also shown where the team has matured this year.
A season ago, a flag was a drive killer, plain and simple. This year, as Bobo suggested, being behind the sticks hasn't always stopped the flow, it's just presented a minor hiccup.
Yes, they want the flags to remain pocketed, but the Rams have become more resilient, which Jackson sees as a positive.
"Something that I've noticed is nothing really fazes us," he said. "If we get a penalty or something, we just brush it off. Obviously it's something we have to clean up, but it's something I'm happy to see us do. Our body language about it is just nothing fazes us, we're still going to score, we're still going to do something good. That's something we worked on in the offseason, where Coach Joey (Guarascio, strength and conditioning) put us in tough positions and said, 'we're going to do this, this many reps, no matter what.' That's starting to show on the football field."
The passing numbers have excelled, and the run game has improved. It hasn't been eye-popping yet, but Bobo said an offseason commitment to that part of the offense has not wavered. In addition, they've been aggressive early in drives, which has allowed the Rams to hit some explosive runs.
As good as it feels, Hill said it is not enough. The reality is there never is a final target.
"I don't think there is a last step, to be honest," he said. "I think it's a continual thing. Coach talks about it every week, you have to get better. In order to do that, every day you have to get better. As an offense, our mindset is go into your meetings, understand what we're doing and then execute it on the field."
"We should be averaging more," the Colorado State head football coach said, referring to the Rams' yards per game. "The second half last week, I think we came out asleep."
The Rams have generated 545 yard per game of total offense (13th nationally), eclipsing 500 yards in each of the first two games (20 times in Bobo's tenure). The passing attack, guided by quarterback Collin Hill, ranks seventh nationally at 385 yards per game. The running game is still growing, but has produced pop and kept defenses honest.
Even where the Rams see some flaws, they are finding a way to overcome them, be it youth, penalties or depth.
"I think we're in a groove. I think we feel good about what we're doing," Bobo said. "We've been able to overcome some setbacks offensively that we've got to clean up, which is probably why we have more yards, because we had so many penalties last week, we backed up and went again and that's more yards. I like where we're at, but I think we're not even close to how good we can be."
It was then he listed off the youth making contributions. There are two major senior contributors, guard Jeff Taylor and running back Marvin Kinsey Jr. Hill has still made just nine starts at quarterback; Warren Jackson, Dante Wright and the rest of the receiving corps are growing up with each play; and tight ends Cameron Butler and Trey McBride are young, even if they've played a lot.
Youngsters are making plays in spots where there may not be an abundance of depth, but Bobo said if they stay healthy, they'll only continue to get better.
Hill, while feeling good about the progress, still sees glitches.
"I think we're kind of in a groove. We've executed well," he said. "We have moved the ball really well, but there's been some SIW's – self-inflicted wounds – that haven't allowed us to finish off a drive. I do feel we're kind of in a groove right now."
Nobody is happy with the amount of penalties, but they have also shown where the team has matured this year.
A season ago, a flag was a drive killer, plain and simple. This year, as Bobo suggested, being behind the sticks hasn't always stopped the flow, it's just presented a minor hiccup.
Yes, they want the flags to remain pocketed, but the Rams have become more resilient, which Jackson sees as a positive.
"Something that I've noticed is nothing really fazes us," he said. "If we get a penalty or something, we just brush it off. Obviously it's something we have to clean up, but it's something I'm happy to see us do. Our body language about it is just nothing fazes us, we're still going to score, we're still going to do something good. That's something we worked on in the offseason, where Coach Joey (Guarascio, strength and conditioning) put us in tough positions and said, 'we're going to do this, this many reps, no matter what.' That's starting to show on the football field."
The passing numbers have excelled, and the run game has improved. It hasn't been eye-popping yet, but Bobo said an offseason commitment to that part of the offense has not wavered. In addition, they've been aggressive early in drives, which has allowed the Rams to hit some explosive runs.
As good as it feels, Hill said it is not enough. The reality is there never is a final target.
"I don't think there is a last step, to be honest," he said. "I think it's a continual thing. Coach talks about it every week, you have to get better. In order to do that, every day you have to get better. As an offense, our mindset is go into your meetings, understand what we're doing and then execute it on the field."