2001 Record: Overall 7-5
2001 Mountain West Conference Record: 5-2 (2nd)
Dubious Distinctions: The Rams were 0-4 last season when the opponent had a 100-yard rusher.
Stellar Stats: During Coach Sonny Lubick's tenure the Rams are 34-17 on the road.
Game Preview:
For the third time in five years, the University of Virginia Cavaliers will encounter a team from the Mountain West Conference. In 1998 and 1999 the Hoos faced off against the BYU Cougars, this season they'll host the Colorado State Rams in the Jim Thorp Classic at Scott Stadium. This is an intriguing "preseason" matchup and should give both 2nd year Virginia head football coach Al Groh and Colorado State's 4-Time Conference Coach of the Year Sonny Lubick an early read on their 2002 prospects. This is the second consecutive year the Hoos have played in a preseason contest, losing in the Eddie Robinson Classic last season 26-17 at Wisconsin. This is the first time the Rams have faced a current Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
Colorado State got off to a rocky start in 2001, losing 4 of their first six games; three by a touchdown or less. Four wins in the final five games of the season got the Rams over the .500 mark, placing them second in the Mountain West Conference and landing the Rams in the New Orleans Bowl against a 5-6 North Texas team. The Rams won 45-20 to end the season at 7-5. Considering Virginia posted a 5-7 record, criticizing a team that ended 2001 with a winning mark may seem a little "bush" but we'll do it anyway.
First, give the Rams credit for the fact they won most of the games they were supposed to win and lost the games they were supposed to lose. CSU lost a heart breaker in overtime to then undefeated Fresno State (11-2) 25-22 at home. They lost big in Denver to a Colorado (10-3) team that contended for the "mythical" national championship, lost to a quality Louisville (11-2) team by 5 and a solid BYU (12-2) team by 24, both on the road. Their lone ugly loss was a 14-7 defeat by a 3-8 San Diego State team at home. The seven Ram wins came over teams with a combined 37-39 record, with only two victories coming against teams with a winning record. What has to concern Ram fans further is the fact that even with a winning record, the Rams were still out scored (23.1 to 23.0), and they gave up more yards passing (216.4 to 153.6) and rushing (211.1 to 190.4) than they accumulated.
The 2002 Rams return 6 starters and on both sides of the ball and 2 additional players that saw action as starters, one on offense and one defense along with two kicking specialist. Coach Lubick also returns for his 10th season at the helm of the Colorado State program during which he has posted a 74-34 record, including three straight trips to post season play and six overall.
Offense
The Colorado State offense is led by Michigan State transfer, quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt (Jr. 6-3 220). Van Pelt, the son of former New York Giant All-Pro Brad Van Pelt, finished 2001 completing 94 of 194 passes for 1247 yards and 8 touchdowns. His 546 (5.5 ypc) yards rushing and 4 touchdowns were good enough to make Van pelt the third leading rusher on the team. He started the final nine games of 2001 and was named honorable mention All-MWC.
An early indication of how well the season may go for the Rams is how well Van Pelts inexperienced receivers develop. The Rams bid farewell to Pete Rebstock and Dallas Davis, two key ingredients to the string of three consecutive bowl game appearances. Now Rebstock and Davis look to become parts of their respective teams' success in the NFL. Rebstock signed a two-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, while Davis signed a three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The duo accounted for 50 receptions (40% of the teams' 2001 total), 792 yards (46%) and 5 touchdowns (45%). Of the six players who will be vying for playing time at the wide receiver and tight end positions, they collectively own three career starts among them and accounted for 20 catches and 352 yards last season. Joey Cuppari (Sr. 6-1, 175) will likely get the starting nod at one wideout. Cuppari finished 4th on the team in 1999 with 20 catches for 308 yards, third in 2000 with 31 receptions for 438 yards and was expected to be one of the go to guys in 2001. His season was plagued by injuries and he finished the year with 6 catches for 151 yards. We look for Cuppari to return to his sophomore and junior year form in 2002. Chris Pittman (Jr. 6-1 182) should be penciled in at the other starting wide receiver spot for the Rams. He finished 2001 with 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. Pittman has excellent speed and the Rams like to use him on reverses. Also competing for playing time will be juniors Eric Hill (6-0 185, 4 catches for 58 yards in 2001) and Russell Sprague (Jr 6-4, 210). Sprague served as a reserve wideout and special teams player for Colorado State in 2001 and is coming off knee surgery. Both James Sondrup (Jr. 6-6 251) and Matt Baldischwiler (So. 6-3 235) are reserve tight ends with limited game experience.
The lone starter in the receiving corps for Colorado State is Joel Dreessen (So. 6-6 235). Dreessen mans the H-Back position in the Colorado offense and accounted for 22 receptions last season for 205 yards. He is the Rams leading returning receiver.
The force of the Colorado State offense is the running game. Not only is Van Pelt a serious threat to run, but also the Rams return a stable of solid running backs. State returns their leading rushers from 2001, Henri Childs (Sr. 6-2, 217) and 2000, Cecil Sapp (Jr. 6-1, 225), who sat out last season after having a benign tumor removed from his heel. Sapp was back in top form though his duty was limited in the annual Gold-Green spring game. He rushed twice for five yards and caught one pass for a 29-yard gain. Ram head coach Sonny Lubick said, "Cecil looked good. He looks strong, and showed a bit of speed." Sapp was a 1st Team All Conference performer in 2000 accounting for 841 yards and 10 touchdowns. The versatile Childs carried the ball 166 times a year ago gaining 841 yards (5.1 ypc, 4 tds), he caught 13 passes for 117 yards (1 td), and was 2 for 2 on halfback option passes, accounting for a touchdown as well. His 87 yards per game average was good enough for 2nd on the team in all purpose yards. Also returning from an injury riddled 2001 season is Rahsaan Sanders (Jr. 6-0, 212). Sanders has started 8 games over his career and was 2nd on the team in rushing in 2000 carrying 131 times for 524 yards and 4 touchdowns. With a very inexperienced defensive backfield, Sanders spent most of the spring working out at free safety and will in all likelihood be moved to the other side of the ball with the running back position firmly secure with the likes of Childs and Sapp. Even without Sanders, offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt has a strong 1-2 punch in the backfield.
While there are no questions about the potential of the Ram backfield, the same cannot be said for the Colorado State offensive line. While center Mark Dreyer (Jr. 6-4 281) and 2001 All-MWC honorable mention guard Morgan Pears (Sr. 6-8 309) accounted for 24 starts last season, the rest of the offensive line two-deep includes 8 players that have a combined 7 starts between them. Four of those starts belong to weak side tackle Aaron Green (Sr. 6-5 275) who is likely to return as a starter at that position in 2002. Look for massive Terrell Gardner (Jr. 6-6 347) and Kelly Wall (Jr. 6-4 300) to via for the open position at strong side guard. Erik Pears (So. 6-8 310 - Morgan's brother), who logged three starts last season and the undersized Zeke Hacker (Jr. 6-3 280) will fight it out for the start at the strong side tackle position.
2001 Mountain West Conference Record: 5-2 (2nd)
Dubious Distinctions: The Rams were 0-4 last season when the opponent had a 100-yard rusher.
Stellar Stats: During Coach Sonny Lubick's tenure the Rams are 34-17 on the road.
Game Preview:
For the third time in five years, the University of Virginia Cavaliers will encounter a team from the Mountain West Conference. In 1998 and 1999 the Hoos faced off against the BYU Cougars, this season they'll host the Colorado State Rams in the Jim Thorp Classic at Scott Stadium. This is an intriguing "preseason" matchup and should give both 2nd year Virginia head football coach Al Groh and Colorado State's 4-Time Conference Coach of the Year Sonny Lubick an early read on their 2002 prospects. This is the second consecutive year the Hoos have played in a preseason contest, losing in the Eddie Robinson Classic last season 26-17 at Wisconsin. This is the first time the Rams have faced a current Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
Colorado State got off to a rocky start in 2001, losing 4 of their first six games; three by a touchdown or less. Four wins in the final five games of the season got the Rams over the .500 mark, placing them second in the Mountain West Conference and landing the Rams in the New Orleans Bowl against a 5-6 North Texas team. The Rams won 45-20 to end the season at 7-5. Considering Virginia posted a 5-7 record, criticizing a team that ended 2001 with a winning mark may seem a little "bush" but we'll do it anyway.
First, give the Rams credit for the fact they won most of the games they were supposed to win and lost the games they were supposed to lose. CSU lost a heart breaker in overtime to then undefeated Fresno State (11-2) 25-22 at home. They lost big in Denver to a Colorado (10-3) team that contended for the "mythical" national championship, lost to a quality Louisville (11-2) team by 5 and a solid BYU (12-2) team by 24, both on the road. Their lone ugly loss was a 14-7 defeat by a 3-8 San Diego State team at home. The seven Ram wins came over teams with a combined 37-39 record, with only two victories coming against teams with a winning record. What has to concern Ram fans further is the fact that even with a winning record, the Rams were still out scored (23.1 to 23.0), and they gave up more yards passing (216.4 to 153.6) and rushing (211.1 to 190.4) than they accumulated.
The 2002 Rams return 6 starters and on both sides of the ball and 2 additional players that saw action as starters, one on offense and one defense along with two kicking specialist. Coach Lubick also returns for his 10th season at the helm of the Colorado State program during which he has posted a 74-34 record, including three straight trips to post season play and six overall.
Offense
The Colorado State offense is led by Michigan State transfer, quarterback Bradlee Van Pelt (Jr. 6-3 220). Van Pelt, the son of former New York Giant All-Pro Brad Van Pelt, finished 2001 completing 94 of 194 passes for 1247 yards and 8 touchdowns. His 546 (5.5 ypc) yards rushing and 4 touchdowns were good enough to make Van pelt the third leading rusher on the team. He started the final nine games of 2001 and was named honorable mention All-MWC.
An early indication of how well the season may go for the Rams is how well Van Pelts inexperienced receivers develop. The Rams bid farewell to Pete Rebstock and Dallas Davis, two key ingredients to the string of three consecutive bowl game appearances. Now Rebstock and Davis look to become parts of their respective teams' success in the NFL. Rebstock signed a two-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, while Davis signed a three-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The duo accounted for 50 receptions (40% of the teams' 2001 total), 792 yards (46%) and 5 touchdowns (45%). Of the six players who will be vying for playing time at the wide receiver and tight end positions, they collectively own three career starts among them and accounted for 20 catches and 352 yards last season. Joey Cuppari (Sr. 6-1, 175) will likely get the starting nod at one wideout. Cuppari finished 4th on the team in 1999 with 20 catches for 308 yards, third in 2000 with 31 receptions for 438 yards and was expected to be one of the go to guys in 2001. His season was plagued by injuries and he finished the year with 6 catches for 151 yards. We look for Cuppari to return to his sophomore and junior year form in 2002. Chris Pittman (Jr. 6-1 182) should be penciled in at the other starting wide receiver spot for the Rams. He finished 2001 with 10 catches for 143 yards and a touchdown. Pittman has excellent speed and the Rams like to use him on reverses. Also competing for playing time will be juniors Eric Hill (6-0 185, 4 catches for 58 yards in 2001) and Russell Sprague (Jr 6-4, 210). Sprague served as a reserve wideout and special teams player for Colorado State in 2001 and is coming off knee surgery. Both James Sondrup (Jr. 6-6 251) and Matt Baldischwiler (So. 6-3 235) are reserve tight ends with limited game experience.
The lone starter in the receiving corps for Colorado State is Joel Dreessen (So. 6-6 235). Dreessen mans the H-Back position in the Colorado offense and accounted for 22 receptions last season for 205 yards. He is the Rams leading returning receiver.
The force of the Colorado State offense is the running game. Not only is Van Pelt a serious threat to run, but also the Rams return a stable of solid running backs. State returns their leading rushers from 2001, Henri Childs (Sr. 6-2, 217) and 2000, Cecil Sapp (Jr. 6-1, 225), who sat out last season after having a benign tumor removed from his heel. Sapp was back in top form though his duty was limited in the annual Gold-Green spring game. He rushed twice for five yards and caught one pass for a 29-yard gain. Ram head coach Sonny Lubick said, "Cecil looked good. He looks strong, and showed a bit of speed." Sapp was a 1st Team All Conference performer in 2000 accounting for 841 yards and 10 touchdowns. The versatile Childs carried the ball 166 times a year ago gaining 841 yards (5.1 ypc, 4 tds), he caught 13 passes for 117 yards (1 td), and was 2 for 2 on halfback option passes, accounting for a touchdown as well. His 87 yards per game average was good enough for 2nd on the team in all purpose yards. Also returning from an injury riddled 2001 season is Rahsaan Sanders (Jr. 6-0, 212). Sanders has started 8 games over his career and was 2nd on the team in rushing in 2000 carrying 131 times for 524 yards and 4 touchdowns. With a very inexperienced defensive backfield, Sanders spent most of the spring working out at free safety and will in all likelihood be moved to the other side of the ball with the running back position firmly secure with the likes of Childs and Sapp. Even without Sanders, offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt has a strong 1-2 punch in the backfield.
While there are no questions about the potential of the Ram backfield, the same cannot be said for the Colorado State offensive line. While center Mark Dreyer (Jr. 6-4 281) and 2001 All-MWC honorable mention guard Morgan Pears (Sr. 6-8 309) accounted for 24 starts last season, the rest of the offensive line two-deep includes 8 players that have a combined 7 starts between them. Four of those starts belong to weak side tackle Aaron Green (Sr. 6-5 275) who is likely to return as a starter at that position in 2002. Look for massive Terrell Gardner (Jr. 6-6 347) and Kelly Wall (Jr. 6-4 300) to via for the open position at strong side guard. Erik Pears (So. 6-8 310 - Morgan's brother), who logged three starts last season and the undersized Zeke Hacker (Jr. 6-3 280) will fight it out for the start at the strong side tackle position.
