Stephens: Nick Stevens is undeniably the Colorado State QB

A spring game is college football's equivalent of the NBA Summer League.

Fans wish they cared. They attempt to care. In the end, the only reason the only reason they pay attention is to keep up the illusion that they're a superfan, more dedicated than their friends because they love watching practice.

Spring games are valuable for teams — a program's barometer after 15 practices — for fans, it's a way to kill time on a Saturday afternoon before subjected to five months of bowl replays on ESPNU. Thank God for quarterback competitions, the only thing making the monotony of spring ball worthwhile, and Saturday, CSU found a winner.

The position has always been Nick Stevens to lose. Coleman Key, a freshman, closed the gap last week with his performance at the Denver scrimmage, but during Saturday's Green & Gold Game, Stevens displayed the value that comes with two seasons in the shadow of Garrett Grayson, the third-best quarterback in the 2015 NFL draft.

A week after he was consistently overthrowing receivers and completing passes to coaches on the sideline, Stevens listened to a few pointers from Grayson on Saturday. He loosened up and instead of worrying about making mistakes, he played backyard football, connecting on 27 of 41 attempts for 438 yards, four touchdowns and a two interceptions, missing on a Hail Mary as time expired.

Coach Mike Bobo doesn't plan to make any announcements about his quarterbacks until fall, but it was clear to the announced crowd of 4,000 at Hughes Stadium on Saturday that Stevens will be Colorado State University's quarterback next season.

"I can't speak for that, it's up to the coaches to decide, but I think I did a good job today of showing what I got. Coleman did a great job as well, he scored a lot of points out there," Stevens said. "Right now, I just have to focus on myself and getting better so (the starting job) will come.

"If you work hard and get better every day, eventually, there's nothing more they can do to not give you the job."

Saturday was the first of three spring scrimmages Stevens had better statistics than his competition, but he's always been the guy Bobo has awarded more praise, mainly for his ability to manage situations. Physically, Key is the better specimen standing 6-foot-4, 220 pounds and unquestionably has the advantage in arm strength with a deceptive running ability. But the offense CSU will run this fall will be dictated by a quarterback coaches trust to read defenses and call plays on their own based off a formation, and that's where Stevens has stood out.

Stevens admits he's not yet to a point where coaches trust him to shoulder the play-calling load — he's a sophomore in his first year under a new system — but he's the furthest along.

"Coleman makes plays every time we scrimmage and are in scrimmage situation, but a lot of times his eyes are in the wrong place, which gets him in trouble and the ball doesn't come out as quick as I'd like," Bobo said.

"(In spring exit interviews), I'm going to basically say what I've said to y'all. Where they're at, the pros and the cons, their strengths and their weaknesses of how they've played and what they need to improve on. Then I'm going to sit there and say, 'neither of you have arrived.' ... There's no job that's guaranteed, especially at the quarterback position."

Here's the thing: Stevens is well on his way to start under center next season; however, he's far from locking up a three-year job like Grayson had. The potential Bobo sees in Key is undeniable. If not flat-out saying Stevens is the man isn't proof, the first-year coach's body language when Key errors speaks volumes, never berating, always putting his arm around him to teach.

Key makes big plays, but less often converts the every-down play needed from a starting quarterback. Come 2016 with a year of working one-on-one with Bobo, Key has a real shot of being the better quarterback.

But not yet. The job belongs to Stevens.

For insight and analysis on athletics around Northern Colorado and the Mountain West, follow sports columnist Matt L. Stephens at twitter.com/mattstephens and facebook.com/stephensreporting.

CSU Spring QB Stats