Setting the Stage: Different Becomes the Standard

Unique is now the norm.

As Jim Mora prepared his team for Saturday's game with Southern Utah, he noted what the Thunderbirds do offensively is different from last week. And will likely be different than what the Rams see down the road.

"We plan the same every week, which is just play our best on every play. You know, we can't dictate what they do on offense. We can't dictate the pace that they go at, but we can dictate the way that we play against them. What they do offensively is, you know, which is kind of common in college football is every week it's a different proposition. When you're in the NFL, there's so many similarities throughout schemes.

"When you're in college, there's so many variables every week. And so now, you know, we're playing a team that they're going to run some option game, they've got a quarterback that's active. Sometimes they'll slow it down. Sometimes they'll go fast. They're going to give us unusual formations. When you play a team like that, the most important thing you can stress is just follow your rules."

SUU is averaging better than 300 yards per game on the ground and just a shade over 38 minutes in time of possession, a high number thanks 43 minutes the first week. The Thunderbirds have also created a handful of explosive scores.

CSU counters with a defense which forced four turnovers and didn't allow a third-down conversion in the opener. And if SUU is holding onto the ball, Mora said the offensive possessions will have to count for the Rams.

"It's really a common theme in college football defensively, is follow your rules. And then if there are limited possessions for our offense, we have to capitalize," he said. "We have to make sure that we're putting points on the board when we do get our possessions."

Taking Advantage

The 40,000-plus fans at Canvas Stadium were a first for Mora in somewhile as a college head coach. At UConn, with the stadium so far away, the Huskies rarely drew 30,000 or more. He understood it, but what he witnessed Saturday hit him.

He said he had goosebumps, and that's coming from a guy who has been in the game for quite a while, played in multiple big stadiums and meaningful games.

Before the season, he and his wife, Kathy, walked around campus and town and talked to students, asking them what could make game day a better experience. He also what it would take to keep them in the stands longer.

"I said, 'we need you guys to stay around longer in the fourth quarter.' I said, 'what would do that?'" Mora said. "And they said, 'well, if you could lower the beer prices' …. Well, we don't dictate that, right? Other people do, but at least you give them the opportunity to say that.

"I'd heard, hey, the students sometimes leave early. They didn't leave early, and that's what we want to do as a football team is make sure that we're creating an environment on the field where they want to stay and watch us play. You know, they go, 'hey, we can get to the bar later, let's watch this fun team play football.' And that's what we did in the fourth quarter."

Asked what the administration said to lowering prices, Mora quipped: "Ask them. They're right there."

"I said this after the game about John (Weber, Director of Athletics) specifically, and it's about Scott (Sidwell, Assistant AD) as well, because usually I run everything through Scott before it goes to John. There are people that look for a reason to say no, and there are people that look for a reason to say yes, even if they know it's going to be hard. What we have here between Amy (Parsons, CSU President) and John and Scott and a lot of other people are people who are looking for ways to say yes, even when it may be a very big challenge. That's exciting."

Keeping the Focus

In his first two games at Colorado State, Mora has prepared his team while a lot of other things are happening surrounding the game. First, the biggest rival, then Ag Day, which honors the land-grant and agricultural legacies of the university. He's enjoyed learning about it all, but his main task is to win games and keep his team locked in on what's important.

"I do think it's significant to our players, but we want to focus on the game," Mora said. "So far we've had two good days of practice. I've been impressed with the maturity they came back to work with after a big game and that's what I expect of these guys, and that's what we're going to demand, and they've delivered.

"Just continue to prepare for Southern Utah and go out there Saturday and show the improvement that they were making on the practice field and show it in the game."

It had been 10 seasons since the Rams won their season opener. It's been since 2011 they started a season 2-0. Mora would be the first head coach since Bob Davis in 1947 to start his tenure with a 2-0 start.

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