FORT COLLINS — Week by week, Colorado State’s roster is feeling a bit more spry and looking less colorful.

Only three players were sporting red jerseys at football practice Thursday — running back Dalyn Dawkins, defensive lineman Terry Jackson and offensive lineman Blake Nowland, who hasn’t been able to play all year because of injury.

“I’d say we are a lot healthier,” coach Mike Bobo said. “We were a little bit sluggish today, but we got off the practice field last night at 9:15 or 9:20, so it was a quick turnaround. The guy who really looks a lot healthier to me is Kivon Cartwright. He looks more like he did in camp. As the season went along, he got a little banged up and beat up. I told him he moved around like me a little bit, an old guy. But he looked fresh yesterday.”

Another key component to the CSU offense is also looking better, and that’s wideout Rashard Higgins. He dealt with a leg ailment in the middle of the season, one that caused him to miss the Minnesota game and a bunch of practice time in the middle of the season, and Bobo said he can tell Higgins is getting his speed and strength back.

In addition, fellow receivers Jordon Vaden and Xavier Williams — both in red last week — were back on the field without restriction. Williams missed the final three games with an injury, while Vaden sat out the Fresno State game at the end.

“I feel like I’m 100 percent,” Higgins said. “At practice we’re going hard, and just how we’re running our routes, we’re looking decent. Not only me, but my teammates as well. Injuries have come a long way this year, but I feel like we’re overcoming them.”

Colorado State will practice two more days before breaking for Christmas, with the team regathering on Christmas Day to head to Tucson for the Arizona Bowl.

Roster additions — Colorado State picked up two verbal commitments on Wednesday with junior college defensive back Toyous Avery (Coffeyville CC, Kans.), and high school defensive end Anthony Smith (Desert Pines HS, Las Vegas) announcing their intentions on Twitter. Smith missed this season with a knee injury, but still had offers from Pac-12 schools. Rivals.com has Smith ranked as a three-star recruit, Avery a two-star.

They also signed three players for next year, junior college additions Houston Haynes, A’Keitheon Whitner and high school player Domonique Williams. All three are defensive backs.

Bobo feels the chance to acclimate to the new surroundings will help beef up the competition down the road, which is crucial since the Rams lose six players in the back end.

“To me, when a guy’s in the spring and he’s a first-year guy, whether he’s a JC or a high school, they’re trying to feel their way,” Bobo said. “On the football field, in the classroom, in the community. It’s kind of an adjustment period for them to learn, and hopefully that can carry over, they can build in the summer and come ready to compete in the fall.”

Ticket update — CSU’s Paul Kirk, the associate athletic director for communications, said Thursday ticket sales had surpassed 1,200, with a hair above 100 for student-ticket sales. The school was given 5,000 to distribute for the Arizona Bowl.

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