Keeler: CSU fans showed up vs. Hawaii. Too bad Rams, Jay Norvell’s offense didn’t

FORT COLLINS The dead cat was back The bounce was gone I really want to commend our fans and our administration for the amazing turnout CSU Rams coach Jay Norvell noted after a - Homecoming loss to Hawaii on Saturday Biggest crowd at Canvas Stadium and we need to do a better job and respond to that atmosphere as a football unit And me as a head coach Bingo So a multitude of eyeballs So several hands It was the competition plan It was the execution It was the adjustments It was the offense But it was the timing too Saturday saw the largest football crowd in Canvas young somewhat sad checkered history strong They left cold and confused Which sums up the Norvell Era so far as much as anything doesn t it A football project striving for the next level only to fall short on its biggest stages CSU has drawn crowds of or more at home times since Norvell s first campaign at the helm The Rams record in those games - and - this season The one domination Northern Colorado A moment that felt like anything but It s hard to build momentum among locals with that kind of performance It s hard for an athletic director to ask those who turn out the perennially disappointed for more money And harder still for a coach to ask for a contract extension Hawaii was giving up points per match Stanford ran for yards on the Rainbow Warriors Arizona ran for Utah State rambled for CSU four deep at tailback managed just for the evening Quarterback Jackson Brousseau of the Colorado State Rams is sacked in the second half of the tournament against Hawaii Saturday Oct at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins CSU lost the match - Photo by Daniel Brenner Special to The Denver Post Canvas Chaos Not this time Not with this passing battle Keep ahead of the Rams by at least points and you re home clear CSU quarterback Jackson Brosseau is a gamer A plugger He s also a plodder and when the pocket breaks down so does the play Oh there was chosen life in the dying embers Just far too little And far too late A Tahj Bullock dive out of the wildcat formation for a -yard amount got CSU to within - with left Yet rather than attempt an onside kick and gamble for a short field after the Rams exposed a few rare offensive sync Norvell elected to kick it into the end zone Chose to trust his defense Which it should be pointed out had to be fairly exhausted at that point Things came to a head with left at the CSU The Rams had forced a fourth-and- Hawaii quarterback Micah Alejando who had thrown it times to that point completing handed off to Cam Barfield on a dive Barfield squirted through the line for the first down and kept on trucking The CSU defense lost contain Hawaii went up - and whatever undergrads were left high-tailed it to Old Town Square We d call CSU s offense abysmal but that would be kind The Rams punted after three plays on their initial drive Of their first six offensive possessions three were three-and-out five ended in punts and one a promising jaunt to midfield late in the second quarter hit a wall when Jalen Dupree fumbled at the Hawaii after a -yard reception Related Articles Grading The Week Ex-Broncos RBs Audric Estime Javonte Williams would love to have J K Dobbins problems right now Keeler Where did Denver s World Cup bid go wrong Timing Money FIFA demands that went outside the lines Keeler Broncos offense would be so much more fun to watch with Cam Skattebo instead of RJ Harvey at RB Renck vs Keeler Bigger concern for Broncos offense the play-caller or the players Keeler CU Buffs Kaidon Salter Deion Sanders answer critics with gutsy call upset of No Iowa State For a half it was almost as if Fresno State had never happened The Rams opened the contest by going run pass pass punt The Warriors responded with cruel cold surgical precision CSU forced a third-and- at their own only for Barfield to find himself all alone in the middle of the field turning a short toss into a soul-crushing -yard gain Two plays and two flags later the Warriors were pushed back to a second-and-goal at the CSU With space Alejado dropped back and hurriedly spotted another wide-open target Nick Cenacle The receiver walked untouched into the end zone The last bit would become something of a theme CSU tailback Javion Kinnard s -yard punt return for a touchdown at the end of the first quarter gave the big crowd something to cling to It also seemed to delay the inevitable CSU trailed - at the half and was fortunate in hindsight to be within a touchdown The Rams could run laterally hash to hash with the Warriors Vertically Different story And it was only a matter of time before a tired CSU defense started to show signs of collective repeated wear It was tough enough that Alejado unlike E J Warner a week earlier could really throw But from the jump he also established save for a meager exceptions the ability to throw on the move and throw on the move with touch With left in the first half a flummoxed Rams defense lost track of another Hawaii wideout This time it was Jackson Harris who outran every horned helmet on a first-down toss for a -yard outcome and a - Warriors cushion pending the extra point The Rams response Run pass pass punt That s no way to win games Let alone hearts Head coach Jay Norvell of the Colorado State Rams after losing the challenge to Hawaii Saturday Oct at Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins CSU lost the match - Photo by Daniel Brenner Special to The Denver Post Want more sports news Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver s teams