Behind Enemy Lines
The Hawkeyes wrap up the non-conference portion of the schedule on Saturday when they host Colorado State. Let's get to know the Rams a bit more by going Behind Enemy Lines with beat writer Justin Michael from TheDNVR.com. We look at the Rams offense, defense, and how they could potentially pull an upset.
1. After losing the first two games at home, Colorado State went on the road and won at Toledo, who nearly beat Notre Dame in South Bend the week before. How surprising was that win and what went into it for what was a short-handed Rams squad?
MICHAEL: It’s safe to say that Saturday’s upset over Toledo was pretty shocking. The Rams were coming off a pair of disappointing showings to open the season, losing to South Dakota State and Vanderbilt at home. Missing a couple of defenders to injury or suspension, as well as the team’s top wide receiver, Dante Wright, nobody out here was predicting that CSU would go out on the road as 14.5 underdogs and beat a Toledo team that came close to topping Notre Dame in South Bend the week before. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means — CSU’s passing offense was almost completely ineffective — but a dominant defensive showing and a few timely plays on special teams allowed the Rams to control their own fate. With their backs against the wall, it was definitely a gritty performance.
2. Steve Addazio is in his second year at Colorado State and last year was certainly challenging taking over a program and dealing with Covid. How has Addazio done thus far? What are Rams fans saying about the job he has done?
MICHAEL: The fanbase as a whole is pretty frustrated at the moment. The Addazio hire was not very well received in the first place. A 2-5 start in his first seven games, including a 19 point home loss to an FCS team and blowing a very winnable matchup against ‘Vandy’ didn’t help his cause either. That said, he did lead CSU to a Border War victory over Wyoming in 2020. And last week’s road upset was certainly impressive. Considering CSU only got to play four games last year, we really need a bigger sample size before we can fairly assess his start as CSU’s head coach. But if he doesn’t turn things around fairly quickly, it could be an ugly scene by the end of the year.
3. What can you tell us about the style of offense that Colorado State runs? Are they pass heavy? Run heavy? Balanced? Who are the key players that Iowa fans should be aware of on Saturday?
MICHAEL: Colorado State actually threw quite a bit in the first two games but it’s no secret that Steve Addazio wants to rely on the run game. He has said that his ideal run to pass ratio would be about 60:40. The tricky part is CSU’s offensive line has been wildly inconsistent, so he hasn’t really established that dominant rushing attack despite bringing in running back David Bailey from Boston College this fall. Bailey has been solid in his first three games with the Rams and Hawkeye fans should expect to see a heavy dose of him on Saturday. They should also expect to see the Rams operate out of 12 personnel frequently, tight end is where the offense has the most depth. The star of the offense is Trey McBride (TE). As it currently stands McBride leads the FBS in total receptions (30) and catches per game (10). He’s top 15 in receiving yards as well. Really, he’s essentially been the entire offense outside of Bailey.
4. What can you tell us about the defense that the Rams run? Are they aggressive or bend, but don't break? Who are the key players to watch in the game?
MICHAEL: CSU likes to run a variety of defensive schemes but I wouldn’t expect to see very much dime, because the secondary is extremely thin. You’ll see CSU run some nickel, particularly in clear passing situations for the offense. The strength is absolutely in the front seven though. The Rams have one of the better defensive lines in the G5 and mike linebacker Dequan Jackson has been an absolute stud this season. CSU had 10 tackles for loss and six sacks at Toledo last week. They also held the Rockets to less than a yard per carry. This team is at its best when Scott Patchan (DE), Manny Jones (DE), Toby McBride (DT), Mohamed Kamara (LB) and Jackson (LB) are generating pressure and containing the run.
5. Iowa is a pretty heavy favorite. What are some of the keys for the Rams to be able to pull off a second straight upset on the road? How do you see this game playing out?
MICHAEL: Anything can happen in college football. However, I’d be lying if I said that I expect this to be a close game. CSU is too one dimensional on offense and if Iowa takes the run game away, I just don’t see how the Rams move the ball or score points. If the Rams are going to be competitive and/or potentially win the game, their best chance would be in a low scoring game like 13-10. It would take another stellar showing from the defense and CSU would probably need to force a few turnovers as well. If CSU can move the ball and dictate the pace a little bit, they have guys like Trey McBride that can hang with anyone in the country. But if Iowa gets up early, this just isn’t a CSU offense that’s built to be able to play from behind. 22 points is a pretty steep spread, so it wouldn’t shock me if Iowa failed to cover it. It also wouldn’t surprise me if they did it with ease. I’m just hoping for a competitive game that CSU can build off of as they enter conference play.