Colorado State University Athletics
Setting the Stage: Relying on the Experience in the Room
10/14/2026 2:00:00 PM | Football
Diomande taking on more of a leadership role
When a team is in a bit of a funk – as Colorado State currently finds itself in defensively – the leaders in the room take a little more on their shoulders. Watching it happen can bring a smile to a coach's face.
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It does for Jim Mora when it comes to linebacker Oumar Diomande.
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"I think that's one of the great things about coaching college football is you get these guys when they're just kids, and maybe they have a lack of confidence or uncertainty, and they all have different backgrounds," Mora said when he met with the press Monday. "And then you get to play a part in helping them grow up. And then when you see it happening in front of your eyes, it's really fun.
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"You know, I've had a lot of players who early on in their career, you're like, I don't know. I don't know if this guy's going to be able to handle the load here. And then all of a sudden, they're just flourishing, and that makes it really rewarding."
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Diomande was one of the nation's leading tacklers a season ago at UConn, and he's back at it this season as a Ram. He ranks 12th nationally at 9.4 tackles per game with 47 total stops, 22 of them solo. The numbers lead the team and rank second in the Pac-12.
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He's made splash plays along the way, recording 1.5 tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery. As the defense looks to reverse course and become better at stopping the run and limiting explosive plays, Mora said the linebacker's role as a leader becomes more valuable, and one he's taken on as Diomande has grown as a person over time.
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"He knows our standard. He knows how we want things done," Mora said. "You know, all those kids that came from UConn do, and they're all making an impact. But it's good to see Oumar exerting himself a little bit more. In terms of a leadership role, that's not always comfortable for him. He's kind of a soft-spoken guy. But he's in a position here where he has to do that, and he's stepping up."
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Similar Paths
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Colorado State and Texas State enter the game with some similarities. Both dropped their Pac-12 opener. Both are scoring at a decent clip (CSU 37.4, TSU 34.8) and both have allowed more points than desired (38.6-33.2).
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The Bobcats are averaging better than 500 yards a game in total offense, and they've achieved the number with balance – 1,340 passing yards, 1,318 rushing yards. Their 531.6 leads the Pac-12.
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For a CSU defense challenged to improve, the upcoming challenge is clear.
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"They're balanced, and they score points, and they get a lot of yards, which seems to be a theme in college football nowadays," Mora said. "It's not unusual to see these 556-yard games anymore, which is, for a guy with a defensive background, a little bit hard to accept at times. It really is.
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"I think that GJ (Kinne, the Texas State head coach) does a great job with them. He's developing a really good program down there. I got a chance to meet him at the Pac-12 head coach's conference, and he's just a very impressive coach, and he was a damn good football player in his own right, and so he understands offense, and he understands how to put you in predicaments."
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Torrance Burgess Jr., leads the Bobcats' two-pronged rushing tandem, averaging 122.8 yards per game and 7.31 a rush, while Davian Jackson has scored five touchdowns. Quarterback Brad Jackosn has throwing for 1,26 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, his 245.2 yards per game is second in the league. He has spread the ball around with a trio of Bobcats in the top 10 of receiving yards in the league.
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CSU and Texas State are the only two offenses in the Pac-12 with two rushers in the top 10 in the league.
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Been a Long Time
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This will mark the first Thursday game the Rams have played in almost six years, dating back to the 2020 season when they played in three. It was also the Covid-shortened season when the team only played four games.
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Thursday games were a staple of the early years of the Mountain West, a chance to get on national television and expand the brand. From 1999Â through 2006, Colorado State played in 16 such games and had success, winning 11 of those contests. Then the league switched priorities in scheduling, and since then, the Rams have only appeared in five Thursday games, doing so once in 2016 and once in 2018.
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In 2020, Colorado State went 1-2 on Thursday, beating Wyoming at home to claim the Bronze Boot.
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It does for Jim Mora when it comes to linebacker Oumar Diomande.
Â
"I think that's one of the great things about coaching college football is you get these guys when they're just kids, and maybe they have a lack of confidence or uncertainty, and they all have different backgrounds," Mora said when he met with the press Monday. "And then you get to play a part in helping them grow up. And then when you see it happening in front of your eyes, it's really fun.
Â
"You know, I've had a lot of players who early on in their career, you're like, I don't know. I don't know if this guy's going to be able to handle the load here. And then all of a sudden, they're just flourishing, and that makes it really rewarding."
Â
Diomande was one of the nation's leading tacklers a season ago at UConn, and he's back at it this season as a Ram. He ranks 12th nationally at 9.4 tackles per game with 47 total stops, 22 of them solo. The numbers lead the team and rank second in the Pac-12.
Â
He's made splash plays along the way, recording 1.5 tackles for loss, a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery. As the defense looks to reverse course and become better at stopping the run and limiting explosive plays, Mora said the linebacker's role as a leader becomes more valuable, and one he's taken on as Diomande has grown as a person over time.
Â
"He knows our standard. He knows how we want things done," Mora said. "You know, all those kids that came from UConn do, and they're all making an impact. But it's good to see Oumar exerting himself a little bit more. In terms of a leadership role, that's not always comfortable for him. He's kind of a soft-spoken guy. But he's in a position here where he has to do that, and he's stepping up."
Â
Similar Paths
Â
Colorado State and Texas State enter the game with some similarities. Both dropped their Pac-12 opener. Both are scoring at a decent clip (CSU 37.4, TSU 34.8) and both have allowed more points than desired (38.6-33.2).
Â
The Bobcats are averaging better than 500 yards a game in total offense, and they've achieved the number with balance – 1,340 passing yards, 1,318 rushing yards. Their 531.6 leads the Pac-12.
Â
For a CSU defense challenged to improve, the upcoming challenge is clear.
Â
"They're balanced, and they score points, and they get a lot of yards, which seems to be a theme in college football nowadays," Mora said. "It's not unusual to see these 556-yard games anymore, which is, for a guy with a defensive background, a little bit hard to accept at times. It really is.
Â
"I think that GJ (Kinne, the Texas State head coach) does a great job with them. He's developing a really good program down there. I got a chance to meet him at the Pac-12 head coach's conference, and he's just a very impressive coach, and he was a damn good football player in his own right, and so he understands offense, and he understands how to put you in predicaments."
Â
Torrance Burgess Jr., leads the Bobcats' two-pronged rushing tandem, averaging 122.8 yards per game and 7.31 a rush, while Davian Jackson has scored five touchdowns. Quarterback Brad Jackosn has throwing for 1,26 yards with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, his 245.2 yards per game is second in the league. He has spread the ball around with a trio of Bobcats in the top 10 of receiving yards in the league.
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CSU and Texas State are the only two offenses in the Pac-12 with two rushers in the top 10 in the league.
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Been a Long Time
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This will mark the first Thursday game the Rams have played in almost six years, dating back to the 2020 season when they played in three. It was also the Covid-shortened season when the team only played four games.
Â
Thursday games were a staple of the early years of the Mountain West, a chance to get on national television and expand the brand. From 1999Â through 2006, Colorado State played in 16 such games and had success, winning 11 of those contests. Then the league switched priorities in scheduling, and since then, the Rams have only appeared in five Thursday games, doing so once in 2016 and once in 2018.
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In 2020, Colorado State went 1-2 on Thursday, beating Wyoming at home to claim the Bronze Boot.
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Players Mentioned
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