CSU Rams counting on revamped offensive line to turnaround offense in 2023

FORT COLLINS — For Colorado State to achieve its bowl dreams this year, the Rams are going to have to pass-block.

CSU gave up 59 sacks for 399 yards last year, with both marks the worst among 131 FBS teams, and quarterback Clay Millen was pummeled 55 times as the Rams’ leaky front allowed 4.92 sacks per game.

Thus, coach Jay Norvell and his staff made revamping the offensive line a top priority this offseason, with CSU turning to mostly new faces up front ahead of its season opener against Washington State on Sept. 2 at Canvas Stadium.

“If a program’s not winning, they’re usually not very good on the offensive line,” Norvell said. “Let’s be honest, that was the case here. We worked really hard to build that up and make it a competitive, solid group. We’re physical, mature, and that group’s consistency is a key to this season.”

Millen is expected to make a jump as in his second year as the Rams’ gunslinger. He’s surrounded by ample skill talent, including returning 1,000-yard receiver Tory Horton, flashy transfer tight end Dallin Holker and a stable of running backs.

But Norvell knows none of that skill talent will matter much — and the pass-run balance will be hard to come by — if the Rams can’t give Millen more time in the pocket.

“We’re going to have to hang our hat on those (linemen),” Norvell said. “We’re going to go as they go. Our skill players can match up with anybody on our schedule. The difference is going to be in the trenches.”

Senior Jacob Gardner is the lone returning starter up front for CSU. Gardner played the first two games at center in ’22 before injures forced the Rams to move him to left tackle, where he’d previously played for two years at Nevada. But Gardner will be back at center this year, flanked by transfers.

“Jacob being at center now, he has the knowledge to redirect at the line, and whenever I get pressured so far in camp, there’s always a solid base in the pocket to step up into,” Clay Millen said. “That’s something I didn’t have a lot of last year, and it’s going to make my job a lot easier.”

Saveyon Henderson (Lane College) is the starting left tackle, Oliver Jervis (Monmouth) is left guard and Drew Moss (Lamar) is right tackle. The starting right guard spot is still up for grabs, with Andrew Cannon (grad transfer from Nevada) and Teivis Tuioti (converted from CSU’s defensive line) currently splitting reps. And Brian Crespo-Jaquez, the lone offensive player left on the roster from before Norvell arrived, is in the backup tackle mix as the Poudre product returns from a knee injury that wiped out most of his ’22 season.

Norvell pointed out that while the transfer offensive linemen may be new to Fort Collins, they aren’t new to playing college football. He hopes a sturdier, experienced offensive front will jump-start an offense that ranked third-to-last in FBS at 13.2 points per game last year as the Rams finished 3-9.

“The four new starters on the offensive line all played over 600 snaps last year,” Norvell said. “That gives me a lot of encouragement as a coach that we have guys who have been through the fire up front. … and I believe that will translate to more consistent play offensively.”

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