Football takes a week off

The CSU football team returns to work after practicing only

twice last week because of the bye week. A bye week this late in

the season will prove either costly or beneficial to the Ram

team.

In one respect, the week off allows CSU’s banged-up players to

rest and not aggravate their respective injuries. In another, it

could stop the Rams from carrying their momentum from three

consecutive victories into another game.

It also has the potential to cause the players to lose focus

mentally and that can prove costly to a team with a good shot at

winning the Mountain West Conference. The Rams’ chances of going to

the Liberty Bowl dramatically improved after Utah lost to New

Mexico Saturday.

One player who is thankful for the rest is senior quarterback

Bradlee Van Pelt. He has been playing with a sore shoulder and used

the time off to rehabilitate it.

“It’s a bit banged up but I can play on it,” Van Pelt said.

“When you can give it a rest you do, in that respect (the bye week)

worked out for the best.”

There is some worry from the quarterback and head coach Sonny

Lubick about the players not being mentally in the game. To make

sure that they are ready they will have four vigorous workouts this

week in preparation for Saturday’s game at Wyoming.

“It’s up to us as coaches to get (the players) going,” Lubick

said after Friday’s practice. “We’re still pretty rusty but we’ll

get them out here and work them hard.”

Sophomore wide receiver David Anderson doesn’t think the bye

week will slow the team down. He believes they are on a roll since

a bad start and are finally clicking in all aspects of the

game.

“We got over that hump and now we’re a machine on both defense

and offense,” Anderson said.

Anderson is lighting up the conference, averaging 113.5

receiving yards per game and causing opposing defensive

coordinators to change game plans. Lubick is delighted with his

talent, ability and intelligence.

“He’s tough mentally and physically,” the head coach said. “He’s

a tenacious blocker down the field and he can run routes so

precisely.”

Anderson and the rest of the team must work hard to get back

into game mode if they are to do what many have said they can’t and

retain their crown as the best in the Mountain West.