Stephens: Official or not, CSU football has a starting QB

Nick Stevens and J.C. Robles were two of the last players to leave the CSU practice fields Saturday.

Before they got halfway to the gates, Stevens, a redshirt sophomore, stopped Robles, who had just completed his second practice as a college football player, mid conversation and told him to pay attention to his feet. Stevens clutched his hands to his chest, turned his body and took a condensed three-step drop.

When spring practice wrapped up in April, Colorado State University coach Mike Bobo told Stevens and Coleman Key the main thing he wanted them to work on over the summer was their footwork. Robles wasn’t around to hear that instruction, so Stevens took it upon himself to pass on the lessons he learned.

That leadership is what Bobo loves so much about Stevens. That knowledge is what draws praise from Key.

“He’s smarter than I am, that’s for sure,” Key said.

Key, a redshirt freshman also aiming to start for the Rams, could name one thing Stevens is better at than him — his smarts; Stevens countered with just as many areas his counterpart excelled in, and it’s a skill equally as important.

“He has a great arm. He has a quarterback’s body. He’s 6-5, 230. He has that arm strength that helps him out a lot,” Stevens said. “He has one of the better arms I’ve seen, and that means he can be a little bit later on the throws and I have to be right on time or else it’s going to be a pick or bad throw because it’s late.

“He’s on time for the most part, but if he’s late, he can just (laser sound) and bullet it in there.”

If the Rams could figure out a limb transplant that puts Key’s massive arms on Stevens’s body, they’d have a quarterback that could rival Chuckie Keeton for the Mountain West’s best. He’d look a bit odd, but, hey, collateral damage. Until then, they’ll have to settle with the next-best thing and that’s Stevens as himself.

Bobo isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback. He acknowledged a distinct difference between the Nos. 1 and 2 and said Stevens is taking most snaps with the first team while Key is getting his fair share of reps. Bobo wants the competition to continue, it’s good for the team if it does. And it will, at least through the first scrimmage Saturday at Hughes Stadium when the quarterbacks get their first opportunity to display how far they’ve come since the spring game.

Keeping the competition “open” is fine, but Key ousting Stevens before the Sept. 5 opener vs. Savannah State would be the comeback of the year. The sophomore is dominant in practice, and there’s no hidden message behind what Bobo has said about him.

“I’ve been impressed by Nick as a leader.”

“Nick has grown so much.”

“Nick is a little bit ahead right now.”

He’s a fan.

I get that Bobo doesn’t want Stevens to get complacent. For him to come out and name a starter so early would be a counter-productive. But the one thing you want in a quarterback above all else is leadership. A willingness to put the team first, even if that means taking time to teach a freshman, Robles (who Stevens admits is going to be a great QB), a few trade secrets that could lead to him eventually taking your job, so long as it benefits the name on the front of the jersey.

Is this honestly a two-player race?

“I’m not really sure. I know JC came in during the summer and did really well, and Craig (Leonard) has been working hard and has really good footwork,” Stevens said. “I don’t really know who’s in the race. In my eyes, we all have a shot because you never know what could happen.

“If you think that you’re not in the race, then you probably won’t try as hard.”

Stevens leads. He has a quick delivery. He has good footwork. He doesn’t stare down receivers. He’s accurate. He has the support of his teammates.

Let’s say what’s not being said.

Nick Stevens is the starting quarterback of the CSU Rams.

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.