FORT COLLINS — From Mike Bobo, there was no hesitation Monday.

After losing to Boise State 41-10 and having backup Coleman Key play a bit more than starter Nick Stevens for the first time this season, there seemed to be some question postgame when asked about the quarterback situation, responding he and the coaches would look at the film and make a determination.

For a sixth straight week, that will be Nick Stevens when the Rams host Air Force this week for homecoming Saturday (1:30 p.m.; CBS Sports Network) and backup Coleman Key will get the third series if he earns it in practice.

Outside of the second week of the season, when Stevens opened up with a five-touchdown performance against Savannah State, Bobo is still answering questions about who will be guiding the offense, which isn’t the ideal scenario.

“We’ve played some talented defensive football teams, and a first-year starter with a new system, there’s growing pains,” Bobo said at his Monday press conference. “It’s more growing pains than I would like and I’m sure our fan base would like, but that’s part of it. We’ll get it right, and we’ll have consistent quarterback play, I guarantee you that.”

The Rams’ offense has struggled the past two weeks against the two best scoring defenses in the Mountain West, and as a reward, the Rams face the third best statistically in the Falcons.

Last week, Stevens threw one pass (it was a bit behind and also dropped in Bobo’s assessment), then gave way to Key for the rest of the first half and part of the third quarter. Key led the Rams on their lone touchdown drive, one that consisted mostly of run plays but was capped by a 13-yard pass from Key to Joe Hansley. But overall, he was just 4-of-15 for 56 yards and two interceptions. Stevens finished 8-of-10, but for only 60 yards.

This season, Stevens has played more and put up the better numbers. He’s completed 98-of-171 throws for 1,190 yards with 10 touchdowns against five interceptions. Key, who has played in five games, has hit on 21-of-42 throws for 251 yards, his touchdowns and interceptions both at three.

While the position will always draw the spotlight — and Bobo acknowledges both of them have to play better — he pointed out early in fall camp the development there would greatly be enhanced by the people who surround them, and that part of the game hasn’t been consistent, either.

The Rams have nine fumbles this year, eight of them coming on offense, two in the past week from running back Dalyn Dawkins. The run game has lost some sting, the offense as a whole has not been consistent and the defense has been prone to yielding big plays.

Bobo includes himself in the equation, saying he has to call better plays and the Rams have to find a way to get back to being more explosive.

Tight end Kivon Cartwright said he has no doubts about either of his quarterbacks, or in the idea the players around them can do more to make them look better.

“It takes the whole team to win a ball game,” he said. “We’ve been working really hard, and we’ve just got to stay the course and keep going.”

Which could still mean two quarterbacks seeing time in a given week and make progress. Bobo said both of them have to throw better deep balls, as each has the tendency to put them too far inside. In particular for Stevens, Bobo said it is on the sophomore to be more decisive in reacting to his reads, anticipating his throws and being strong with them.

“There’s a lot more issues than just the quarterback,” Bobo said.

Bad stretch — Colorado State and Air Force play for the Ram-Falcon Trophy, but the Falcons have come darn close to giving it permanent residence lately, winning eight of the past nine meetings. The Rams won in a blowout two years ago, a game that ended a seven-game slide. Overall, Air Force leads the series 32-20-1 and even the portion at Hughes — 13-9.

Deep-seeded respect — Mike Bobo’s father George was a highly respected high school coach in Georgia who ran the wishbone and won three state titles at two schools until the day came when he inherited a “slow, white kid that was going to be the quarterback” — “that was me,” Bobo said. Naturally, the CSU coach has a true respect for option teams like Air Force.

“My dad’s whole background is option,” Mike said. “Him and his coaches came and visited Air Force and Fisher DeBerry back in the day, took a week out here. Clay Hendrix (the Falcons’ offensive line coach), my dad coach Clay Hendricks in high school. So this is my dad’s kind of ball right here.”

George Bobo is still in town, leading his son to say he’s going to lean on some of that expertise.

“He’s going to be a consultant with (defensive coordinator) Coach (Tyson) Summers this week,” Mike said.

Good and bad — Of the Rams’ nine fumbles, four have come from running back Dalyn Dawkins. He had two in the Minnesota game, including one on the first play of overtime, but had gone two weeks without one before losing one in successive games. Bobo said the top rule for a running back is ball security, and while the junior is struggling, he’s not getting tossed to the side.

“We can’t continue to keep fumbling the ball,” he said. “Now, does that mean Dalyn, we’re going to put on the shelf? No, we’re going to keep working him and he’ll continue to get opportunities, but Izzy (Matthews) and Deron (Thompson), who was about to go in the other night, and it just didn’t happen, will continue to get more looks.”

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