Monday Presser: Nevada Passing Game Comes in Fully Loaded

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Oct 3

8:30 PM

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at San Diego State

Oct 10

7:00 PM

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5:00 PM

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12-Days

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vs UNLV

Colorado State (3-8, 2-5) vs. Nevada (7-4, 4-3)
Canvas Stadium | Fort Collins, Colo.
Saturday, Nov. 27, 7 p.m.

GAME LINKS

Watch | Listen | CSU Stats | UNR Stats

Nevada Passing Game Comes in Fully Loaded

GAME RECOGNITIONS

Cannoneer: Diana Wall, University Distinguished Professor and Director, School of Global

Bell Ringer: Wade Troxell, Appreciation for service as Fort Collins Mayor

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Nevada hasn't run the ball very well, and the Wolf Pack hasn't made any secret about how they try to move the ball offensively.

They Strong arm it – literally.

Carson Strong has thrown 501 passes through 11 games this year, clear and away the most attempts of any quarterback in the Mountain West this season and the third most in the country this season. On the flip side, only one other team in the nation (Mississippi State) has fewer rushing attempts than the Wolf Pack's 271.

His numbers are impressive, having thrown for 3,887 yards and 32 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. All of it looks great, not just on paper, but it's his ability to stand in the pocket, go down and get back up which strikes CSU head coach Steve Addazio most.

"He's tough as hell, just watching him," he said at his Monday press conference. "He get whacked a fair amount, but he's tough, he's resilient, he throws the ball extremely accurately. He's a big, physical looking guy. It looks like he has a lot of confidence, he carries himself very well. I'm very impressed with him."

Nevada has given up a lot of sacks this year – 34 in total – and Strong has been hit on numerous other occasions. But given time, he's is accurate (he's completed 69.6 percent of his passes) and will stretch a defense.

He has outstanding targets, too. Romeo Doubs, who has had big outings against the Rams in the past, leads the team with 75 catches for 1,012 yards and nine touchdowns. Tight end Cole Turner, who lines up wide nearly all the time, has 60 receptions for 672 yards and 10 scores.

The Wolf Pack has had 16 different players record a catch, nine of them a scoring catch and six of the eight with double-digit receptions average better than 10 yards a catch.

"They make plays. They made some great plays against Air Force," Addazio said. "That was an unbelievable game. I thought Air Force was going to take off a little bit at one point, but not so fast, and they got after the quarterback, but he made some unbelievable throws. Those guys, you can tell, they're just ballers. That's a real challenge right there."

Back in the Groove

The trip to Hawaii was long, so the Rams planned to try to lessen the effects. That isn't the case with the return trip, and it was as much of a concern for Addazio. The team plane landed at the Fort Collins/Loveland airport around noon on Sunday, and while the team had the day off, the coaches went into the office and went to work. Addazio had dealt with the flu, and when he was over it, picked up a cold during the trip.

The coaches are tired, and so is the team, he said, but they did plan to ease into the week and started to do so on Monday.

"(Monday) was kind of a run-through day, stretch day," he said. "We watched the tape together. We went through all the stats of the game and had a lift. We didn't overdo any practice; it was very light out there.

"The experts in that field say that's what you need to do though, to sort of get the jet lag out of you a little bit, break a sweat, and that will help us have a better day tomorrow. They were great out there today."

Thanksgiving Here and There

On Wednesday, either in the late afternoon or early evening, the team will have a Thanksgiving dinner together. Thursday, the Rams will practice early to allow players who are close to home or have family visiting the chance to spend time with them. And generally, players with no place to go either end up at a coach's house or with one of their teammates and their families. "If there's a chance to be around family and friends, I think that's important," Addazio said. … Colorado State has won just one home game this year. The last time that happened was in 2011.

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