FORT COLLINS — Mike Bobo made the comment in all seriousness, because that’s just how he’s wired.
There was good and bad for his Colorado State football team in non-conference play, coming out of the four-game set at breakeven, 2-2. He wanted more. A lot more.
But he also likes his team as Mountain West play begins after a bye.
“I feel good of where we are. We’re 2-2. We didn’t want to be 2-2,” Bobo said after his team lost to No. 1 Alabama 41-23 on Saturday. “I say this with a straight face — we wanted to be 4-0. That’s how we prepared, that’s how we worked, but we’re not. We’re 2-2. But I like where we are as a football team (and) the way we fight. The fight to this football team is different than any fight we’ve had the first two years.”
The Rams will have a week to regroup, heal and correct what ails them.
As a team, slow starts have doomed them in their two losses, falling behind Colorado and Alabama 17-0 in a blink. While the offense has shown it can be explosive, it hasn’t been consistent and taking better care of the ball will help. Defensively, giving up explosive scoring plays has been an issue for an unit that overall looks greatly improved.
“I think if we keep playing the way we do and keep approaching each week like we want to get better, I think the sky is the limit for this team,” center Jake Bennett said.
That was Bobo’s message to them after the loss, the focus being on the word work. He didn’t learn anything new in the way they tried to rally against the Tide, but fight won’t get it done alone.
The Rams have some work in front of them, to be sure.
Alabama scored three times in the game from outside the red zone. Oregon State did it three times. Colorado did it once. That’s seven this year, after allowing nine all of last season.
For linebacker Josh Watson, who has led or tied for the team lead in tackles in all four games this season, that has to become priority one.
“Absolutely. It’s just guys not doing their job,” Watson said. “Other than that, we’re going to get those fixed. We’re going to get the guys in there that’s going to get the job done and we’ll make corrections. A lot of guys are doing a lot of good things. We’ve got to continue to roll and continue to be positive about this game.”
The Alabama game was the first time the Rams didn’t produce a turnover, but the nine takeaways they have to this point are only five short of their total from a year ago.
Offensively, the signs are still there the Rams can be the group that was so efficient and electric down the stretch in 2016. Receiver Michael Gallup is still making plays, and so too are Bisi Johnson and Detrich Clark, taking pressure off of the all-conference target.
The run game really has yet to get fully on track, with the one big output coming against FCS Abilene Christian. Yet as the game wore on with Alabama, some things started to develop for Dalyn Dawkins and Izzy Matthews behind a banged-up line.
Be that as it may, quarterback Nick Stevens wasn’t sacked. Still, he is critical of his performance as conference play looms, having thrown six interceptions in four games against eight touchdowns passes. As the team went on its run last year, he only threw three.
“I’m feeling really, really good about where the team is right now. We’re 2-2, so not where we wanted to be, but I think we’re looking good heading into conference,” Stevens said. “We have this bye week where it’s gonna start on Monday, our preparation day, to run the conference. That’s our goal, and that’s been our goal this whole time. Our goal is to win every game we play, but that didn’t happen, so we’re looking to make that our new goal.
“I think we have a defense that can hold conference opponents to small numbers, few points. I think this offense is really something special. I’ve just got to limit my turnovers, and I think we have the tools to do something special.”
Colorado State has been on the field since fall camp started July 23, so the bye week comes at a great time. Bobo said the coaches have earned a day off Sunday, and Monday will be light, with two of the coaches headed west to recruit.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are practice days, Friday a day to lift, then the weekend off before getting prepared for Hawaii.
There will be a little install for the Rainbow Warriors, but not much considering they’ll be at Wyoming on Saturday, providing another game to scan.
Bobo has confidence in the group, and he knows the players do too. Again, that won’t be enough to reach the established goals.
“My message tonight was what I learned from our football team is what I’ve known the first three weeks. We’ve got a tough group that fights their tail off and plays hard,” he said. “We’ve got some limitations on offense and defense and the kicking game a little bit, but they play extremely hard.
“What I told them was, I know we play hard, but what does a championship football team do? They continue to work. They do not think because they played hard and scored some points that they’ve arrived. We’ve got to work. There’s going to be no patting on the backs. We’re going to be addressing things that didn’t get done in this game. There were some opportunities that slipped away.”
Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, mbrohard@reporter-herald.com
