Colorado State Football

The Colorado State Rams will be getting a solid 2011 recruit in Plainfield North senior running back Kapri Bibbs. 

Bibbs has taken Northern Illinois high school football by storm the last two years, and this year, Bibbs ran for 2,602 with 39 touchdowns in nine games. 

That is an average of 289.1 yards every Friday night. 

Bibbs also rushed for 1,556 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior. 

But for all of his consistent production, Bibbs gained the most national attention On Oct. 1st, where he rushed for an amazing 520 yards and seven scores against Oswego High School. 

His worst game this year came Oct. 30 in round one of the 7A State Playoffs against a very stout Glenbard West defense that allows 10.5 points a contest. Glenbard West coach Chad Hetlet said he planned his defense to contain and pursue Bibbs. 

Bibbs rushed for 123 yards on 19 carries and had one touchdown, which was his lowest production in 2010. He also had a touchdown pass in the 51-12 defeat. 

Bibbs was stopped by a swarming defense with Glenbard West's linebackers zoning in on the ball ever time Bibbs touched it. However, Plainfield North only has Bibbs as a standout player and it would be harder to stop him in college surrounded by more talent at Colorado State. 

Despite his success this season, Bibbs has decided to honor his commitment to Colorado State instead of entertain offers from larger programs. He cited the Rams' initial interest in him when he wasn't setting state records. 

Bibbs' is 5'10" and 198 pounds. He runs 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash. Defenders say he is difficult to bring down and he usually has to be gang tackled. 

The Plainfield North product has a three star prospect ranking from Rivals.com, but 122 users have given him a 4.17 ranking. 

No one likes being forced to use the backup plan.

Whether it’s a higher-risk strategy of attack on the battlefield, keeping that love interest on the shelf until you need them or a couple having to use a fertility doctor because someone’s “special purpose” isn’t doing its job—it sucks because it’s not what you intended.

But what’s more rough than turning to “Plan B” is actually being a living, breathing version of it.

For former Colorado State quarterback Jon Eastman, that’s his story of wearing a Ram uniform for one year.

A native of Fort Morgan, Eastman played two seasons of junior college ball at Snow College in Utah, leading the Badgers to the NJCAA Top of the Mountains Bowl in 2008 and falling in double-overtime to the kings of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference, Butler, 37-30.

Despite missing the first nine games of the 2008 season at Snow with a foot injury, Eastman was able to throw for 804 yards, eight touchdowns and only three interceptions.
What did that earn him?

Eastman became a secondary option for CSU after California junior college quarterback Adam Froman committed to Louisville, who was then under the direction of Steve Fairchild’s good friend, Steve Kragthorpe.

Still, Eastman came to Fort Collins with the intention of winning a starting spot in the spring, as he graduated from Snow in December of 2008.

But at the end of spring 2009, neither Eastman nor Grant Stucker looked impressive enough to be named the starter, and it wasn’t until a week before the season-opener against CU-Boulder that Fairchild gave the nod to his fifth-year senior.

The 24-year-old Eastman would eventually see the field in six games during his junior season in 2009 (Nevada, TCU, Air Force, UNLV, New Mexico and Wyoming), including a start in the Border War where the Rams fell 17-16.

That lone start came in a senior day game where Stucker didn’t even suit up due to injury.

Fast forward to this past Wednesday, less than a week removed from Colorado State’s spring game, when I was able to confirm with Eastman and break the news that he was indeed transferring.

One thing went through my head: “I don’t blame him.”

Once again, now in what is his final season of NCAA eligibility (assuming he didn’t redshirt), he sat the majority of the spring behind two freshmen, a wide receiver and walk-on, despite completing 62 percent of his passes for 494 yards, two scores and three picks a year ago.

I’m all for the best player playing, no matter if he’s a true freshman or fifth-year senior. I think both Nico Ranieri and Pete Thomas are better options under center for the Rams in 2010 and still feel that Stucker was the man for the job in 2009. Yet it’s hard to take anything away from Eastman.

Disregard the fact that his stance and throwing motion make Tim Tebow look like a conventional quarterback, Eastman paid his dues while wearing the green and gold. He worked hard, listened to coaches’ instruction and, amazingly, never complained.

Sure, he’s been quoted saying that he’s frustrated he wasn’t getting as many snaps as he’d like during spring drills, just like I’m sure John Mosure and Leonard Mason are frustrated their not getting as many reps as they did last spring.

But being frustrated and being angry are on two different platforms.

When a day comes along and I’ve assigned my reporters four stories to run in the paper and our budget will only allow three to go in print and the fourth online, I’m frustrated. Due to my obvious bias, I feel sports stories should take a priority, but also know you can’t always get what you want. At the same time, I’m not angry, I’m not going throw a computer across the newsroom (if I did that, it would be because I can’t stand using a Macintosh).

Eastman never complained, he didn’t put his head down, he didn’t refuse to cooperate with coaches. He simply kept chugging along, always throwing the ball around at practice with anyone available in his down time. And that takes something that can’t be measured in quantity.

It takes class, and an even bigger amount of heart, which is why I will always respect Jon.

He’ll be finishing his college career at the University of Sioux Falls, a school in South Dakota that has won three of the past four NAIA national championships and is ranked first in the 2010 preseason coaches poll.

So best of luck, Mr. Eastman. May you always represent your community as well as you did while at CSU.

The column was featured in Monday's Rocky Mountain Collegian .

For the first time in the Steve Fairchild era, CSU got the most important part of spring football right.

Playing a spring game.

The first two years were nothing more than glorified practices at Hughes Stadium, but playing a true Green and Gold Game, like most top programs across the country do, is a big step in the right direction for the Rams.

Obviously, the point of spring football isn’t to have one scrimmage in front of fans, it’s there to start shaking off rust from the offseason and give the team a sense of what exactly they have to work with with new position battles due to graduating seniors.

On top of that, if you’re lucky enough to have signees who graduate high school in December, like CSU defensive end CJ James in 2009 and quarterback Pete Thomas this year, it gives them a jump start within your system to learn the play book and get acclimated with playing at the next level.

But the importance of a spring game cannot be overlooked. It’s a chance for new starters to feel the pressure of playing in front of fans, a quarterback to shed his unique jersey and see what it’s like to take a hit, and perhaps the most important thing: finish the spring season having fun.

If you’re not having fun, what’s the point?

It’s not just me who recognizes the importance of this game, even if only 1,500 people showed up to watch. Senior linebacker and team captain Ricky Brewer wanted to make a point to the student body, so on Wednesday he contacted me to ask if he could write a letter in Friday’s Collegian encouraging the student body to come support the team.

This initiative by Brewer is unprecedented in the three years I’ve been at Colorado State. Not having Brewer’s leadership in 2009 on the field damaged the core strength of the CSU defense—just hearing him on the field, helping to call audibles and act as a player-coach for younger guys shows his dedication to this Rams football program.

His letter was just another example of his determination.

Beyond having a good time, the spring game is a chance for well-balanced teams to face-off and see who becomes a play maker.

While senior walk-on slot receiver Tyson Liggett stole the show with two touchdowns and the game-winning two-point conversion, he’s the guy majority of fans know and look forward to seeing in the fall.

What about the players who might be flying under the radar like redshirt freshman Joe Brown?

Even though Brown’s Green team lost 18-17, they did have the best offensive showing and “The Judge” was a big part of that.

The tight end/fullback hybrid had the best receiving day of any player, bringing down three catches for 52 yards, highlighted by a 25-yard snag that had him breaking tackles and dragging defenders. But these kind of plays are nothing new for the Wichita, KS, native.

Brown was a stud at Bishop Carroll, playing the same role there as he is at CSU. Granted, he was aided, being thrown to by 4-star quarterback Blake Bell, the son of Ram great Mike Bell.

But from watching Brown’s tape and talking to him on the phone over a year ago during his recruiting process, it was easy to see he had the tools to be a star.

Even if he is a Kansas State fan and mocks my Kansas Jayhawks hats, sometimes you just can’t hold it against a guy.

Leaving spring football, CSU only has one truly visible problem.

Despite the inexperienced offensive line and young quarterbacks and receivers who tend to be inconsistent, the biggest issue is having too many good tight ends.

Eric Peitz is clearly the best complete package on the end and moving Adam Seymore to defense helps pave the way for younger guys, but what about Cameron Moss, who is a great possession guy?

And in the fall, what will happen when both Kivon Cartwright and Crockett Gillmore land on campus?

Redshirting is a quick fix, but this issue will eventually come to light in practice rather than theory.

Luckily for the Rams, this is a good problem to have. Without spring football, more specifically the Green and Gold Game, pressing issues like this, or having two capable freshman quarterbacks, might never have come to light.

If there is one word to describe the running back position at Colorado State in 2010, it would be "depth."

2009 was a shocking year for Colorado State fans, who are used to a tradition of hard-nosed running backs.

Fresh off a 2008 season which saw Ram running back Gartrell Johnson III set an NCAA Bowl record for the most yards from scrimmage in a game, the lack of 1,000-yard rusher was unusual.

Unusual, but not unexpected.

Inexperience filled the Rams' backfield.

Junior college transfer Leonard Mason led the team with 766 yards on the ground, working in a platoon system with John Mosure, who added 650 and the majority of ground-based scores with seven touchdowns.

With both Mason and Mosure returning in 2010, both have taken a back seat in spring ball as the majority of reps is being given to redshirt freshman Chris Nwoke and UCLA transfer Raymond Carter, who was rated as the No. 3 all-purpose back in the country from the class of 2007 by Rivals.com.

The Rams head coach, Steve Fairchild, has liked what he's seen from all of his running backs so far this spring.

"I don't think we finished runs very well at all last year, I think we're doing that a little bit better this year," Fairchild said after practice on Thursday. "Still, that whole ball security thing has to improve".

Ball security has definitely been an issue for the Rams in spring drills with select running backs showing an inability to hold on to the football following heavy hits.

Though Mason has taken a back seat in spring, Fairchild isn't completely counting the senior running back out of the race.

"Everybody has had bright spots. Chris has done some nice things, but he hasn't been perfect. It's really just a healthy competition and obviously we have some talent there."

The story of the spring continues to be Carter. No matter what any other running backs do on the field, the UCLA transfer always finds a way to stand out above the rest.

Looking like he's well on his way to be Colorado State's feature back in 2010, Fairchild has been impressed with how Carter has learned the Rams' playbook so quickly after being forced to play scout team in 2009, emulating the opposing running back.

"He's a talented guy, has solid speed, he can catch the ball, he's smart. There's so much to say—he's exactly what you want," Fairchild said.

With four running backs showing solidity on the depth chart and Lou Greenwood, who stood out as a true freshman in 2009, showing his versatility by taking snaps at slot receiver for the Rams, spring football in Fort Collins is showing a big upside.

If you’re a Colorado State football fan, there’s no way around it: the 2009 season was a total disaster. I’m not talking an “Oh, basketball lost again, we’re used to that,” disaster.  I mean a full-on rager.

One year removed from the first bowl victory in seven years, the Rams started off hot with three consecutive wins, and things were looking strong.

You know the rest.

Rashaun Greer dropped passes, Tyson Liggett surprised, Air Force dressed up as a passing team on Halloween and then there was that whole New Mexico embarrassment.

It still remains a mystery why Ryan Gardner’s career was completely wasted, and can someone tell me why the play selection the second half of the season turned in the opposite direction of Grant Stucker’s strengths (running and throwing deep)?

Despite all that, CSU was able to land a top 60 recruiting class. You know how much that effects the 2010 season? Little to not at all.

So let us work with what we already have to turn last year’s sophomore slump into the comeback of the year (cue the Fall Out Boy).

Jyrone Hickman

Much like Gardner’s lack of playing time last season, Hickman is another player who can’t seem to find the field as much as one might expect. In my personal opinion, he’s one of, if not the best, wide receivers the Rams have on roster.

You could argue that my analysis is incorrect, but on several occasions Fairchild has said that Hickman could play just about anywhere in the country, and CSU was lucky to land him three years ago out of junior college.

It’s now Hickman’s final year of eligibility, so the clock is ticking. He’s finally at full strength health wise –– assuming that awkward landing on his shoulder Sunday didn’t do too much harm –– so why not give him a chance?

Best linebackers in the MWC

One of the biggest blows the Rams took last year on defense was Ricky Brewer sitting the entire 2009 campaign due to suspension for reasons that were never officially released.

I don’t know what Rick did, I’m sure it was dumb, but I dare anyone, including myself, to say they’ve never done anything they regretted. The past is gone.

Now Brewer is back to fill the outside linebacker spot opposite of Myke Sisson. Add a dose of Alex Williams and Chris Gipson alternating at Mike linebacker (or both in a 3-4 set), and that’s going to be hard to run against.

This team’s biggest strength is its linebacker corps. Strong and versatile, perhaps the only schools who might challenge the Rams for having the best linebackers in the conference would come from the Beehive State –– but I doubt BYU or Utah can stack up.

Quarterbacks still need work

Third year of the Fairchild era, and the quarterback spot is virtually the same song as the previous two with one exception –– there are more than two kids competing to start.

Now, I agree that the spring isn’t the time to name a starter, but it would be nice to have a general idea. I’ve attended both practices that have been open to the media and T.J. Borcky, Nico Ranieri and Pete Thomas have all taken significant snaps with the so-called “first team offense.” And just as each has taken snaps with the firsts, so have they with the seconds and thirds.

Why? Because no one looks consistent. No one can connect with a wide receiver in stride on a fade route, and no one can hit a guy on a 10- to 15-yard sideline pattern in the chest with any consistency.

Did I say “no one” enough in that last paragraph?

It’s way too early to have this be a big concern. There have only been three practices to knock off rust, but these guys still need work.

Hey, Hollywood!

I realize everyone is an all-star when you’re just wearing shorts and helmets, but UCLA transfer Raymond Carter looks like a combination of Barry Sanders and Darren McFadden with his ability to shift from east to west and run you over.

Safe to say this position battle has gone Hollywood.

Fun in the sun

I hate to finish this column off with this, but it has to be said. The main element of spring practice thus far that gives me hope for CSU football next year is that these guys are having fun.

Not just, “Oh yea, I like football, fun times, yadda yadda …” but actual fun. These guys seem to be having the time of their lives out there right now and that’s not something that was apparent last spring or in 2008.

Even Fairchild, who outside of press conferences you don’t see smile much, has been laughing and walking around with a big grin on his face ­­––­­ not all the time, but enough to notice.

To me, that says, “Hey, we’re doing this right. There might be issues, but we’re quickly fixing them. This is how CSU football is meant to be.”

The best recruiting class in CSU history has officially been completed. Following National Signing Day last Wednesday, the Rams inked the No. 58 recruiting class in the nation, fourth in the Mountain West Conference, and first along the Front Range (eight spots ahead of CU-Boulder).

Twenty eight players in all (including grayshirt Mike Orakpo, who signed with CSU last year, but did not join the team last fall); the future looks bright for football at Hughes Stadium. Keyword: future.

Despite this outstanding recruiting class, it’s important for fans to not get ahead of themselves with expectations for freshmen. While it may be the best class in history, that’s all based off of their accomplishments while at the high school level. These young men have proven nothing yet as college football players, and it isn’t fair to expect the Rams to finish in the top three of the MWC standings in 2010.

It’s a building process Steve Fairchild and his assistants have started at CSU, and this recruiting class will help build on the foundation that the 2009 class laid last season.

As promised last week, it’s time for me to take a look at what defensive stars are coming to CSU this summer and what impact they might have.

Secondary

I think we should look at corners and safeties first since they’ll most likely be the ones expected to play the earliest.

This spring, the Rams will start evaluating current talent to replace strong safety Klint Kubiak and cornerback Nick Oppenneer. While I feel that Ricky Brewer should undoubtedly be the main candidate at SS, something in my gut says he’ll be back at linebacker next fall.

So what two incoming freshmen deserve the most attention once camp starts? I have to put my money on Mike Orakpo and Shaq Bell.

Orakpo is already enrolled and will begin making his mark in spring camp. He definitely fits the linebacker/safety hybrid mold at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds and runs a 4.4 forty. While it’s unclear exactly which position he’ll play (current CSU linebacker Myke Sisson was a high school safety), I’d like to see what he can do at strong safety. He’s a strong guy with a 515 squat and 375 bench, but it would be nice to see him around 215 pounds.

And yes, in case his last name sounds familiar, he’s the younger brother of former Texas Longhorn All-American and current Washington Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo. But let’s don’t judge him on that, we should give him the courtesy to make his own mark as a Ram.

Bell is a kid who looks like he could play early at either cornerback or nickelback, especially with so much instability shown by Brandon Owens the past two years.

Hailing from Osceola High School in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area, the same school that produced current CSU starting cornerback Momo Thomas, Bell looks like a steal of a prospect. Ranked as the No. 21 prospect in Central Florida by the Orlando Sentinel, Bell’s a tall, physical corner at 5-foot-11. He’s not afraid to jam receivers at the line.

Linebackers

Charles Favors and Marquis Hood are two linebackers who were teammates at Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando—the same place that gave Ram fans redshirt freshman quarterback Nico Raneri. They’re a deadly duo at the inside and outside spots, combing for 235 tackles as seniors.

Favors, who also held an offer from Louisville, broke the Dr. Phillips career tackle record during the first game of 2009. I would not be surprised if he saw some playing time in 2010, but he has tough competition in front of him in Alex Williams and Chris Gipson.

My favorite linebacker, though, is Eric Niederberger from Grass Valley, Calif. A three-star recruit, I’ve never (I mean never) seen a high school prospect with such great pursuit as Niederberger has. He weighs around 215 pounds and still has solid 4.5 speed.

In his highlight tape, there is one play where the opposing running back breaks a few tackles and gets into space in what looks to be a sure touchdown, and Niederberger comes from 30 yards (yes, 30 yards) behind and makes the tackle.

His pursuit is amazing and he refuses to give up on a play, and as a coach, that’s exactly what you want in a player.

Defensive Line

Another point of emphasis the Rams addressed in this recruiting class was the defensive line, both tackles and ends, by signing four to LOI’s.

The marquee name in this class is John Froland from Washington. Froland, a 6-foot-5, 250 pound defensive tackle, originally committed to Northwestern before switching to Colorado State two weeks prior to National Signing Day.

The No. 60 defensive tackle in the class of 2010, he was a borderline four-star recruit, who’s very physical on the defensive interior. His main drawback is his speed, running a five second forty-yard dash. Still, even though he isn’t the fastest guy, he shows a good burst off the line, pushing offensive linemen backward. He should make an early impact fighting for a DT spot opened by James Morehead’s graduation.

Trevor Murphy is another three-star defensive tackle in this class, but he earned his Rivals Rating as an offensive lineman. What I’ve seen from his defensive film hasn’t been too impressive.

Last, but not least, is the defensive end positions, mainly Nordly Capi.

Despite being one of the last players to verbally commit, Capi was officially the first Ram to fax in his Letter of Intent Wednesday. He was a player we didn’t know too much about before receiving word he pledged to the Rams, but after sending in his tape to be evaluated, he earned a three-star rating.

Capi is 6-foot-2, 220 pounds with a 4.72 forty. He looks like he could be a valuable player at defensive end with his strength, as he’s able to do 20 reps with his maximum bench of 320 pounds.

As a senior in 2009 at Ocoee High School in Florida, he recorded 87 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, and 15 sacks.

This could be the guy Ram fans have been waiting for to dominate their defensive line, but as I said before, only time will tell. We’ll see how things pan out in a couple of years.

The Pro Bowl. The Super Bowl. The Olympic Games. These are the major sporting events occupying most of the sports headlines across the country, but next to National Signing Day, they all pale in comparison.

What is National Signing Day, you naively ask? It’s the first day high school seniors across the United States who hold scholarship offers to play football at NCAA schools have an opportunity to sign their Letters of Intent.

I see it as Christmas, my birthday along with the temporarily donated seven days of Hanukkah from my Jewish friends, all wrapped up into what is, by far, the best day of the year.

As a recruiting analyst for a Rivals.com partner site, I have the great opportunity to scout, evaluate and get to know a lot of football recruits across the country year after year, which is part of the reason why I love National Signing Day so deeply. But this year is special because of what we’re seeing in our own backyard here in Fort Collins –– it’s a recruiting revolution.

For a moment, disregard the 3-9 record the Colorado State football team had in 2009. Somehow, Steve Fairchild and company have been able to gather what is, on paper, the best recruiting class in CSU Rams history. For you fans out there, this just goes to show how much believe these players have in the direction Fairchild will take CSU in the next two to three years.

Without further adieu, I’d like to start looking at some of the top offensive prospects the Rams have signed and take a further look at how they could benefit the program.

Quarterbacks

I have to start with the obvious one here, Pete Thomas. The 6-foot-5, 220 pound gunslinger is the first four-star recruiting CSU has landed out of high school since fullback Tristan Walker in 2002. As a senior in 2009, he passed for nearly 2,400 yards and 26 touchdowns.

A big complaint some folks have of Thomas is that he doesn’t move a lot and just looks like stone sitting in the pocket. I don’t see it. If you look closely, while he doesn’t do a lot of “bobbing” with his body like most QB’s do to stay in rhythm, he very quickly shuffles his feet, allowing him to take off if needed at a moment’s notice –– it’s just his personal style.

Thomas is already on campus at CSU and will be participating in spring practice, trying to compete for a starting job as a true freshman in 2010. We’ll see how long it takes him to learn the system, but he has an excellent chance to be under center when the Rams kickoff at INVESCO Field in September.

CSU also landed Top 25 quarterback Garrett Grayson from the Portland, Ore., area. Grayson, a dual-threat QB, could grayshirt to save eligibility depending on how Thomas performs this spring.

Running Back

Assuming Tony Drake qualifies for Colorado State, the Rams will have two Top 10 running backs from their respective classes eligible to play next season. Drake is ranked as the No. 8 all-purpose running back in the country and decided at the last minute to drop his commitment to Michigan, which he held for almost a year, and come to Fort Collins. He's an explosive runner, much like current Ram Lou Greenwood, with good speed at 4.4, even if he's not the biggest guy on the field (5-foot-9, 172 pounds). It will be interesting to see if he redshirts due to the log jam the Rams have at the top of their depth chart at running back.

Wide Receivers

The main two guys to watch out for are James Boone and Josh “Jay” James.

As for Boone, he’s a player who really liked the Rams ever since watching them defeat Colorado in the Rocky Mountain Showdown and stuck with CSU despite receiving a late push from Mississippi State. He’s definitely a kid Ram fans want to see in Green and Gold as he has 4.45 speed and had over 1,000 receiving the past two seasons. Plus, I personally like his story as he lived in a not-so-great New York neighborhood before moving to Florida in eighth grade on his way to become a football star.

James is more of a prototypical wide receiver and better size if he were to play in the slot at 6-foot-3, 221 pounds with 4.46 speed. He’s the younger brother of current CSU defensive end C.J. James. He could be moved to linebacker or safety by the time his college career is over.

Tight Ends

Maybe it’s just because I love the tight end position almost as much as running back (us Oklahomans love the hardnosed guys), but Crockett Gillmore and Kivon Cartwright are two of my favorite recruits in this class.

Cartwright is going to be that guy everyone hopes is the next Kory Sperry. Why? Because he’s from Pueblo! He missed most of his senior year with an injury to his patella, but told me he’s back at 100 percent. He’s a receiver-style tight end and has been called by some high school coaches across the state as Colorado’s best-kept secret.

Gillmore is the more physical of the two tight ends in the class. A three-star prospect, he’s 6-foot-6, 226 pounds and played wide receiver for his Bushland, Texas high school’s spread offense last year where he had 1,142 yards and 22 touchdowns on only 43 receptions. He does like to block, however, and the last time I talked to him two weeks ago he said he was 18-0 as a wrestler this season in Texas’s 215 weight class.

Stay tuned, as I'll look at the stars of the defensive signings soon.

On Wednesday, Colorado State head football coach Steve Fairchild announced Marc Lubick as the Rams' new recruiting coordinator. This move now fills all coaching positions for CSU.

After having a day to think about it, I feel confident that Lubick was the absolute best in-house choice for the job given the current members of the Rams' coaching staff. Sure, Pat Meyer is the assistant coach landing most of the current commitments from Florida, but with his recent promotion to offensive coordinator, adding recruiting coordinator to his list of duties would be a bit overwhelming.

At age 32, Lubick is on the fast track to being the next big name assistant coach in college football. The son of former Colorado State head coach Sonny Lubick, Marc has been the team's tight ends coach the past two seasons, and will retain those duties along with recruiting coordinator. His brother, Matt, is an assistant coach at Arizona State.

During Matt's time at Ole Miss, he and Marc both were mentioned in Bruce Feldman's  acclaimed book on college recruiting, Meat Market. When Matt Lubick felt a prospect was D-I worthy, but not quite SEC talent, he'd tip off Marc about what could be a “hidden gem.”

Marc Lubick is the hidden face of Colorado State football and the fact that he doesn't receive more coverage as a vital part of the CSU program is sad. He has been at Colorado State for nine seasons and was the only member of his father's final coaching staff to return under Fairchild.

Despite his youth, it's easy to tell how much respect the players at CSU have for Lubick. He really embraces that Ram pride that the athletic department is trying to reinstall in the community.

If there was one person to pick for this job as recruiting coordinator, no one was more qualified than Lubick. With this current 2010 recruiting class being the best in school history, expect them to become only greater as long as Lubick holds his title as coordinator.

Just a short update here, but it's something I wanted to share because of how impressed I am...even if it is basic.

The Colorado State Rams football team finished dead last in the Mountain West Conference this year. Even behind New Mexico, arguably the worst team in college football. Still, CSU head coach Steve Fairchild stays committed, not only to the Rams, but to the conference as well.

Where do I get this inference from?

Why, Fairchild's Twitter page, of course.

While only recent updates make reference to the BCS and the Mountain West Conference, they really say a lot about how committed he is and how much promise Fairchild has when thinking about the future.

His latest updates read (I didn't edit any grammar or spelling):

Dec. 22, 2009: "Outstanding job by Coach Mendenhall and BYU, embarrassing a ranked Pac 10 team in Vegas Bowl. BCS can't continue to keep us out! rediculous!"

Dec. 31, 2009: "Just heard Coach Holtz after AF makes us 4-0 in bowls: "If the BCS continues to keep the MWC out, they're doing a disservice to college FB."

(ESPN's Pardon the Interruption picked up Fairchild's Dec. 22 Tweet).

To me, that's really a testament to the brotherhood that is Mountain West Conference football programs—something you don't see a lot of these days. Fairchild wants the MWC to not only be one of the "big boys" (since they already are), but be recognized as one as well. It also shows that he thinks the Rams could soon be a championship caliber program.

Hopefully TCU can win tonight in the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State to help the MWC's case.

Author's note: This post also appeared on CollegianSports.com .

The Colorado State Rams (3-5, 0-4 MWC) came ready to play Saturday against the San Diego State Aztecs (3-4, 1-2 MWC) on a sunny but windy day in Fort Collins. And CSU started strong, jumping out to a 21-7 lead at half, but were outscored 21-7 in the second half and ultimately lost their fifth straight game 42-28.

The Rams first score was put in by running back John Mosure as he capped off a short drive with an electrifying run to the left, and the exclamation was a leap into three Aztecs as he reached the ball over the plane of the goal line. CSU was up 7-0 with 6:34 left in the first quarter.

On the next drive, after CSU forced a three and out, Michael Kawulok was injured on a hard block to his leg. He couldn’t put any weight on the leg and it was a big blow since the linebacking corps for the Rams is hurt by injuries and missing Ricky Brewer who was suspended by the team.

The next CSU drive showcased Grant Stucker’s arm. On one play, Stucker forced a ball into Rashaun Greer , who was surrounded by three SDSU defensive backs. A few plays later, on a third and seven, Stucker tossed a beautiful ball to Tyson Liggett who had to make a one-handed reception. After making the catch, Liggett quickly turned up the field and streaked to the end zone. CSU led 14-0 with 3:48 remaining in the first quarter.

To finish reading the piece, click here .