Matt L. Stephens

matthewstephens@coloradoan.com

SAN DIEGO — This is the quarterback Nick Stevens has always been. CSU linebacker Evan Colorito swears by it.

He’s watched Stevens for four years and what the redshirt junior from Southern California has become isn’t much different than what he’s watched on the practice field since the two were true freshman together.

It just took a swift kick in the rear to remind Stevens of it.

This quarterback. The one who threw for 200 yards and four touchdowns in the first half of Saturday’s 63-31 win at San Diego State. The one who’s thrown for 1,414 yards and 12 touchdowns since Oct. 15. The one whose only mistake in the past month and a half is spell his last name incorrectly. He's good; the best in the Mountain West, even. Sorry, Brett Rypien. Sorry, Josh Allen. You’ll earn all-conference honors, but right now, you’re taking a back seat.

For three fleeting quarters back in September, though, he wasn't this quarterback. Not the one we've watched play almost flawlessly through his last six starts. He was the quarterback critics expected him to be. Six of 20 passing for 31 yards and two interceptions in a season-opening 44-7 loss to the University of Colorado; the same Buffaloes team that’s now ranked 9th and won the Pac-12 Sorth on Saturday night.

Go back and watch that game. Against the Buffs, he was a statue in the pocket and his throws were erratic. He looked like a freshman taking his first collegiate snaps.

Now look at him. Watch his eyes scan back and forth like a typewriter making a line break. Watch him throw on the run like Tulo from deep short. And watch him win. And win. And win.

But because for three quarters in September he was that quarterback instead of this one, he lost his starting job. First to Faton Bauta, the graduate transfer from Georgia, then to Collin Hill, who looked as good as any true freshman ever has under center. And had it not been for Hill tearing his ACL during a non-contact play against Utah State, Stevens wouldn’t have ever been able to prove which quarterback he is.

“I did learn a lot from those days about myself and about hard work and perseverance. I’m really happy with the way I handled it and I was able to come back and have success,” Stevens said.

He couldn’t have handled it better. After Saturday's game, Colorado State University coach Mike Bobo said Stevens is performing better at this point than any quarterback he’s ever coached, and that’s a list that includes Matt Stafford and Aaron Murray.

So if CSU has a quarterback that, even speaking tongue-in-cheek, is superior to Stafford — who’s started the past seven seasons for the Detroit Lions — will he be the starter as a senior in 2017?

The regular season is over, and there will be a bowl, but that’s a dilemma for Bobo that’s not as clear-cut as it looks, even when comparing their numbers head-to-head:

Stevens, RS junior : 108 of 165 (65 percent) passing for 1,491 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. Thirteen carries for 48 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Nine games played, seven starts.

: 108 of 165 (65 percent) passing for 1,491 yards, 14 touchdowns and three interceptions. Thirteen carries for 48 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Nine games played, seven starts. Hill, freshman: 75 of 129 (58.1 percent) passing for 1,096 yards, eight touchdowns, two interceptions. Twenty six carries for 49 yards and one rushing touchdown. Five games played, four starts.

Stevens’ performances since reclaiming his starting job seven games into the season have been more efficient than Hill’s, even if the veteran’s stats per start lack in comparison. He’s evolved himself into a running threat, effectively operates the zone read and doesn't turn the ball over, throwing just one interception since his Week 1 debacle in Denver.

All signs point to him leading the Rams (7-5, 5-3 MW) into what has the potential to be a marquee 2017 campaign, but need everyone be reminded of what Stevens did as a sophomore, throwing for 2,679 yards and 21 touchdowns en route being named second-team All-Mountain West? That wasn’t good enough for Bobo — particularly the 12 interceptions — and he brought three graduate transfers in on recruiting visits before settling on Bauta as the guy to try and poach the starting quarterback spot.

For the past six weeks, Stevens has been auditioning for a job that’s already his. He’ll do it again in the bowl, and no matter how well he plays, he can’t feel comfortable about his opportunity to hold onto the position for his senior year.

Bobo has already gone away from Stevens twice this season, giving two vastly less proven quarterbacks the nod before eventually returning to his first option. Nothing is keeping him from repeating the pattern next season. After all, if Hill became the full-time backup as a sophomore, his opportunity for rapid development would be stunted.

That’s unfortunate for Hill, who will undoubtedly leave CSU as one of its all-time great QBs, but his time to reign isn’t here yet.

Stevens has proven which quarterback he is, and Bobo should never take from him.

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