FORT COLLINS — Everybody was curious.

The coaches, who mostly were working with a new group of players and installing new systems at Colorado State. The players, too, who after a month’s worth of meetings were put to the test to see what they learned and if they could apply it physically on the field.

Even for first-year coach Mike Bobo, who stuck close to his offensive roots as a coordinator and quarterbacks coach his first day as the guy in charge. The differences were abundant, but the adaptation started just fine.

“I was most curious just to see how the practice would go, how it was run,” senior receiver Joe Hansley said. “We got an idea looking at the script and stuff, but you never really know exactly how the coaches are going to want the periods done.

“Coming out, I think I was just anxious to see how practice would run and how everything would go, but I was very pleased and had a very good time.”

For the most part, so was Bobo. He was encouraged by the tempo and the energy of the session, which lasted more than 2 hours on a warm spring day. But after all of those meetings, his standards were still set fairly high.

“We got everything installed. We’ve been working on installation for a couple of weeks,” he said. “There were probably a little more missed assignments than I thought there’d be for as much as we had meeting time. The tempo was good. We’ve got to do a better job of getting lined up faster at the skill positions, locating the signal guy. I thought it was a decent job.”

The report from defensive coordinator Tyson Summers to Bobo was much the same — pretty good overall, but a couple of mis-alignments and fits. What it granted Bobo was talking points in meetings the next couple of days, as whether to go forward with the install as scheduled or shift down a gear. As he said repeatedly, the film will lead him to a conclusion.

Tempo will be important from here on out as the Rams move toward a no-huddle offense. Bobo said he likes the system because it allows a unit to run more plays, thus generating more scoring opportunities.

It’s new to the Rams in general, but a varied approach especially for the new quarterback who will run the system. Bobo felt Nick Stevens had the best grasp, but quickly added all three — including Coleman Key and Craig Leonard — have improvements to make as they learn to read and adapt instead of think about what they see.

In general, Hansley sees the offense being well suited for the personnel on the field.

“I like it, just because you can get up the line, the coaches can see the D,” he said. “I like it because it’s fast tempo and you can catch the defense off-guard. The DBs and linebackers can’t really get set up once you get going with it, so I like it a lot.”

Defensively, the Rams have adjustments to worry about, going from a 3-4 system to a 4-3. The players and returning coach Marty English have said it really won’t be that drastic of a switch considering the personnel groupings the Rams used last year, but there are changes.

Kevin Davis, vying for one of the vacant linebacking spots, said meeting time was spent watching film of what Summers ran last year at Central Florida. He joked that in watching film, you hoped the guy you were keyed on was doing his job right.

“It’s not too much of a difference,” he said. “I think the biggest things are learning the words and terms, the different fits and coverages. I think it’s something to get used to. We had a bunch of different groups and personnel and coverages last year. It’s going to take a couple of practices, but we’ll be alright.”

Change takes time, and Tuesday was just the first step. Thursday offers another opportunity, then next week, with the team off, offers a chance to digest before returning on March 24.

“It was a great day,” lineman Fred Zerblis said. “We’re out there throwing ‘bows, out there having a good time, having fun. Enthusiasm. It was a good day. I think the type of practice we’re having — high tempo — is going to better us in the long run, just because we’re going to be better conditioned. In the fourth-quarter program, it’s all about tempo.”

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