Colorado State Rams Preview 2014 Record: 10-3 Click Here for the Latest Odds

Mike Bobo has high expectations to meet in his first season guiding the Colorado State Rams.

Overview: The Rams have plenty of returning pieces to build on last seasons ten wins but the loss of Garrett Grayson and Dee Hart are huge. Bobo gets tasked with replacing two dynamite players while keeping the wins rolling in.

Offense: The first order of business is replacing 4,000 yard passer Garrett Grayson. Unproven Nick Stevens has 25 passes to his credit and probably gets an opportunity. If Stevens can throw, the receivers will catch it with top man Rashard Higgins leading the receiving corps with 96 catches for 1,750 yards. Joe Hansley, Xavier Williams and the return of Kivon Cartwright give the team another 1,500 yards. The second order of business is replacing Dee Hart’s 1,275 rushing yards. Treyous Jarrells averaged 5.2 yards and Jasen Oden Jr. went for six yards per touch so are they up to a bigger role? The line gets back three starters with five players having starting experience. Defense: The run defense wasn’t very good so with six of the top seven returning on the defensive line that could be a good or bad thing. Terry Jackson and Joe Kawulok combined for 10.5 TFL and five sacks with no other lineman recording a sack. Cory James leads a veteran corps of linebackers with 8.5 TFL and a team high 6.5 sacks but Aaron Davis and his 90 stops will be missed. A veteran secondary returns virtually everyone which is great news considering this group defended the pass well even though the front seven struggled to supply pressure. Special Teams: Punter Hayden Hunt returns with a strong leg that averaged 43.8 yards on 51 punts. Place kicker Jared Roberts is gone after a 12-20 effort on field goals while Deionte Gaines averaged 25 yards on 27 kick returns. Outlook:I can see the Rams being a bit worse offensively without Hart and Grayson but I also think there is too much talent to fall off too far. If Colorado State gets a bit more help defensively I think this team will be in the upper half of the MWC.

The pick in this article is the opinion of the writer, not a Sports Chat Place site consensus.