FORT COLLINS — Jordan Fogal would like to make one thing clear — he is not the oldest player on the roster.

He may be the most well-traveled, having started at San Mateo Junior College before heading to Utah and then Colorado State, where he’s now entering his second season as a graduate transfer. But when Jamal Hicks started calling him, ‘Pops,’ Fogal did some checking.

“There’s this weird thing on this team that I’m just the oldest man alive,” Fogal said. “It’s kind of frustrating. I did find one other person, Caleb Smith — I hope he reads this – he’s 23 as well, and I think he’s a little older than me. I’m not the oldest on the team, so I can’t be called Pops. With Jamal, you get that all the time, so it’s in one ear and out the other.”

Fogal is not entirely true. Yes, Smith is 23 — hitting the mark in March — while Fogal will turn 24 this November. So, he is the oldest. And it’s not like it would make any difference to Hicks, anyway.

For Hicks, the number just makes it fun. The real truth behind the matter is he looks up to his safety partner, so it is said as much in respect as playfulness.

“I call him Pops sometimes. I mean, that’s my brother. That’s really my brother,” Hicks said. “We’re together all the time, 24/7, on the field, off the field. I just follow what he does, to be honest. He’s a good leader, so I just want to model him.

“It is very important. Jordan, he’s got a lot of experience playing football, so he knows what’s good for us, what’s bad for us. A lot of people look up to him. He’s older — a lot older than us. Him being out there, he’s effective. He rubs of on everybody.”

With all the instruction taking place for Colorado State’s defense this spring, Hicks said Fogal’s eternal optimism about everything is a definite plus. What hasn’t been, however, is the fact they’ve been unable to practice together in the new system.

Both are coming off injuries, so Fogal and Hicks have been standing on the sidelines for the most part, or behind their coaches, soaking in all they can. Hicks was cleared last week for individual and seven-on-seven work, but still no contact.

Fogal is happy for him, at least to the point where one would reach jealousy.

“I’m not happy at all. I was messing with him when we saw the doctor and he got cleared,” Fogal joked. “I might just give him a little push so he can stay out until I get back. Nah, I’m happy for him and all the guys coming back. He hasn’t played in a while, so he needs these reps.”

Those they can’t get physically must be gained mentally, and in that regard, safeties coach George Helow said they both have been spot on. When they are watching, he can hear them calling out the signals as if they were out on the field, an important step as they continue to build upon the chemistry they started to develop on the field last season.

In the meeting rooms, Helow’s safeties will get together with Eric Lewis’ corners, and when plays are being called out, the safeties are expected to make them.

“Communication is huge in the secondary and across the board, and it’s got to be something that you demand that they do,” Helow said. “Those two specifically have done a good job of doing that.”

There’s no question the Rams would prefer having them both on the field together in the spring, working in unison as defensive coordinator John Jancek discusses the finer points of the Rams’ new scheme.

It’s also undisputable the duo leans and learns on each other, no matter what the age gap might suggest. This summer, when they can finally pair up, it will play dividends in Helow’s mind.

“Jamal is very instinctive, and he picks up on things fast. We installed a red-zone coverage the other day, and he’s good at processing things as they happen. That’s something that’s not easy for everybody to do,” Helow said. “Jordan, I’ve talked to him before; you’ve played a lot of ball, you’re an older guy and Jamal is still a younger player. I’ve told him you have to put your arm around Jamal and make sure that he’s living right on and off the field, and he’s embraced that challenge and is doing a good job.”

Listening to Hicks, one can tell Fogal’s influence is starting to make inroads.

Hicks said he was getting antsy watching from the sideline, but now that he’s back to practice in a limited role, he plans to take full advantage of the reps he will receive.

“I feel like I’m going to learn way more being out there, actually participating,” he said. “A goal of mine is I want to know my position, but I want to know what everybody does on every play. That’s my goal.”

With Hicks on the field, Fogal will add to his list of what to watch. The key, he said, is having the right focus, keying in on the proper mental aspects of the defense, first at his position, then as a whole. He has to take it all in, then be able to critique his primary student.

It would be better to do it on the field, but that time is coming. It stinks, he said, but it will happen soon enough.

“It’s a whole other level when you’re on the field doing it, but it’s still good as long as you take the mental reps properly, you know what you’re looking at, you know what’s going on,” Fogal said. “At the same time, its nothing like being on the field with your partner.”

Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, mbrohard@reporter-herald.com and twitter.com/mbrohard