Spring Football Roundup: Colorado State

The Rams kick off the 2008 season with Steve Fairchild who came from the Buffalo Bills and was the offensive coordinator for the Rams during their better years when the Rams went to 5 bowl games in 8 years. With a new coach in town Coach Fairchild has cleared the depth chart and every position is up for grabs.

The Rams return 14 starters 8 on offense and 6 on defense, however that number is greater because those offensive numbers do not include RB Kyle Bell, G Scott Benrdick, and TE Kory Sperry all who had significant playing time and started multiple games as well. The main concern for this team is to get the new scheme down that is being put in with the new staff and get comfortable with it. Also, the team needs to replace Senior QB Caleb Hanie and the job is wide open with possible replacements as Senior Billy Farris, Junior Grant Stucker, and then Senior Michael Meyers.

Some newcomers to look out for on this Rams squad are either division one transfers or JUCO transfers and these players are: WR Ryan Gardner from Diablo Valley College, OL Connor Smith from Northwestern (Smith all ready sat out 2007), DT Sevaro Johnson Laney College, and finally DE Sam Stewart Santa Ana College.

The Rams also need to find a way this spring to incorporate RB's Kyle Bell and Gatrell Johnson III who are both legit starters and Johnson came on strong after Bell still was not at full strength after recovering from his ACL injury.

There are many things this spring that the Rams need to work on, but look for the Rams to be one of the most improved teams in the conference this year. That is just a sneak peak of my 2008 preview for the Rams.

Here are some video links of new Coach Steve Fairchild on Spring practice

1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

The Spring game itself will be at 11AM local time at Sunny Lubbick Field on April 19th.