Kelly Lyell

kellylyell@coloradoan.com

Nobody is going to win or lose a starting job during CSU’s 15 spring practices.

Second-year coach Mike Bobo has said as much.

But there are several players who need to make an impact this spring if they hope to be a factor in the fall.

Although coaches review video of every drill in every practice every day, the three scrimmages are particularly important. And the first of those three scrimmages, closed to the media and public, will be held Saturday at Hughes Stadium

Here are five players who need to make their mark this spring:

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1. Faton Bauta. The senior transfer from Georgia reiterated this week his desire to win the starting quarterback job from incumbent Nick Stevens, who guided the Rams to a 7-6 record and bowl appearance while throwing for 2,679 yards and 21 touchdowns with 12 interceptions.

In his only start at Georgia, Bauta threw four interceptions while completing 15 of 33 passes for 154 yards and no touchdowns in a 27-3 loss last season to Florida.

To have any chance of becoming the starter, Bauta has to show a mastery of the offense that he spent three years, including a redshirt season, running under Bobo at Georgia and earn the respect and trust of his teammates.

“The most important thing is I’ve got to be the best teammate I can be every day, just come out and support my team, show them that I genuinely do care, which I do, about what we’re doing here,” Bauta said. “Just try to be another one of the guys; don’t try to be something I’m not.

“And the other thing, as far as an offensive standpoint, obviously being able to show coach that I can run the offense successfully. Do it well; do it the best.”

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2. Xavier Williams. The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder is the heir apparent to replace 2014 All-American Rashard Higgins as the Rams’ leading receiver. e caught 19 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns as the No. 3 receiver behind Higgins and graduating senior Joe Hansley last year.

Coaches are holding Elroy Masters, another talented junior, out of contact drills this spring while he recovers from a broken collarbone that cut short his 2015 season. Senior Jordon Vaden has moved to cornerback, so there is a huge void to fill at the receiver position.

“Coach Whitted (Alvis, the Rams’ receivers coach) harps on it every day in meetings, every day in practice,” Williams said. “He’s like, ‘We don’t have Rashard, we don’t have Joe. I need you guys to be leaders and step up, and this is the perfect time to do so.’ ”

Asked which players need to make their mark the most this spring, Williams and fellow receiver Deionte Gaines, also a junior, were the first two players Bobo mentioned.

“We need more consistency out of those two guys, and they know it,” Bobo said.

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3. Tyree Simmons. The lone returning starter in a defensive secondary that was decimated by graduation losses has to show what he’s learned playing cornerback for the Rams over the past three seasons and use that to stay ahead of the competition.

The Rams brought in a junior-college transfer, A’Keitheon Whitner, to compete for a spot this spring and they have two more cornerbacks – one from a California JUCO and one out of high school – arriving this summer. They also moved Vaden over from receiver to cornerback in an effort to step up the competition.

Simmons, who was in on 30 tackles and led the Rams in pass breakups last season with eight, said he needs to adjust to a leadership role without letting it affect his playing ability. He also has to bring energy, he said, to get his teammates as excited about practicing and play as he is.

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4. Danny Nwosu. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior has lined up as a defensive end, linebacker and fullback for the Rams. Now, he’s trying to nail down a spot as the No. 2 tight end, behind senior Nolan Peralta.

Nwosu has been a significant contributor on special teams for the Rams the past three seasons and showed some ability as a receiver last year, catching two passes out of the backfield for 20 yards.

The competition is a bit limited in the spring, with sophomore Mitch Parsons the only other significant contender for playing time at tight end. But with JUCO transfers Dalton Fackrell and Darneail Jenkins arriving this summer, Nwosu needs to prove himself now to make sure both don’t pass him by during fall camp.

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5. Jordon Vaden. The converted receiver has impressed Bobo and cornerbacks coach Terry Fair with his athletic ability this spring but needs to learn the finer points of playing his new position if he wants to remain there in the fall.

“Anybody can go over there and do it with your athletic ability, but we want to see if he gets better in technique,” Bobo said. “Jordon’s locked in and practicing very well. I like what he’s doing.”

Vaden is a senior, so this is really his one and only chance to make a move that he believes will enhance his chances of playing professionally.

So it’s now or never, with Bobo even saying he’ll move Vaden back to receiver if the 6-3, 185-pounder isn’t able to show the kind of improvement the Rams are hoping for this spring.

Follow reporter Kelly Lyell at twitter.com/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news