Bobo releases depth chart for CSU football season opener

Sophomore Deionte Gaines was listed as a starting receiver, and three true freshman were listed as second-stringers Monday, when CSU football coach Mike Bobo released the depth chart for the season opener.

Gaines, Bobo said, is the kind of game-changing player the Rams have to use in whatever way they can. He was listed as the starting slot receiver for Saturday’s 2 p.m. game against Savannah State at Hughes Stadium.

“He’s a guy, when I talk about explosive, that can make an explosive play; he’s that type of guy,” Bobo said at his weekly news conference. “He’s probably not ready to line up as an outside receiver right now, and he might be a little bit more of a specialty player. But when he touches the ball, he’s got a chance to take it to the house, and that’s what we’re looking for.”

Gaines was one of the nation’s top kick returners last season, averaging 24.9 yards on 27 returns for the Rams.

Whether or not Gaines, a 5-foot-8, 180-pounder from Orlando, Florida, actually does start, will depend on what formation the Rams start out in. They listed 12 offensive positions, with two running backs, three receivers and a tight end to go along with the quarterback and five offensive linemen.

Junior Rashard Higgins and senior Joe Hansley are the starters at the outside receiver spots.

Senior Nu’uvali Fa’apito, a converted linebacker, was listed as the starting fullback, backed up by another former linebacker, junior Danny Nwosu.

Senior Kivon Cartwright, who suffered a season-ending injury in last year’s season-opener, was listed No. 1 at tight end, with senior Steven Walker, a first-team All-Mountain West selection last year, and junior Nolan Peralta listed as co-No. 2s.

Bisi Johnson, a true freshman out of Bear Creek High School in Lakewood, was listed as the backup to Gaines at the slot receiver position. Colby Meeks, a true freshman out of the same high school in Orlando (Dr. Phillips) as Gaines, was listed as the backup center, and Braylin Scott, a true freshman from Bakersfield, California, was listed No. 2 at one of the two cornerback positions.

Bobo said he plans to play Izzy Matthews, a true freshman running back out of Redding, California, this season, too. Matthews and Deron Thompson, he said, are locked in a battle for the No. 3 running back behind sophomore Dalyn Dawkins and senior Jasen Oden, who he said are co-No. 1s while senior Treyous Jarrells recovers from minor knee surgery.

TWO QBS: Bobo said he plans to play backup quarterback Coleman Key for at least one series Saturday and in every other game Colorado State University plays this season.

“It doesn’t matter if we were playing Savannah State or the New England Patriots, we’re going to play the second quarterback this week,” Bobo said. “Hopefully, a series in the first half — we haven’t decided what series — and I’d like to do that throughout the season. … If he prepares and does the things he’s supposed to do, we’ll give him that opportunity.”

Key, a redshirt freshman, lost a two-man battle for the starting job with sophomore Nick Stevens.

HIGGINS HEALTHY: Bobo said Higgins, a consensus All-American and one of three finalists for the Biletnikoff Award in 2014, is practicing without restrictions after missing some time during fall camp with a hamstring injury.

INJURY UPDATE: Cartwright, who missed spring practices and was held out of contact for most of fall camp, has been cleared for full participation, too, the coach said.

Senior safety Trent Matthews is still somewhat limited in practice because of an unspecified injury but should be cleared in time to play in the opener, Bobo said.

NOT-SO-FAMILIAR FOE: Despite spending most of his life in Georgia, where Savannah State is located, Bobo said he doesn’t know all that much about the Tigers, a Football Championship Subdivision program.

Bobo said he’s been friends with Savannah State linebackers coach Tony Pierce and his family since the two worked together on coach Mark Richt’s staff at Georgia. Pierce was a running backs coach, while Bobo coached the quarterbacks for six years before moving up to offensive coordinator.

Many of the names on the roster, Bobo said, are familiar, too, from the time he spent recruiting the state during his 14 seasons as an assistant at Georgia.

Follow reporter Kelly Lyell at twitter.com/KellyLyell and facebook.com/KellyLyell.news.

CSU depth chart

Offense

QB – Nick Stevens, So.

Coleman Key, R-Fr.

RB – Dalyn Dawkins, So.

Jasen Oden, Sr.

FB – Nu’uvali Fa’apito, Sr.

Danny Nwosu, Jr.

WR – Rashard Higgins, Jr.

Jordon Vaden, Jr.

WR – Joe Hansley, Sr.

Xavier Williams, So.

WR – Deionte Gaines, So.

Bisi Johnson, Fr.

TE – Kivon Cartwright, Sr.

Nolan Peralta, Jr.

OR Steven Walker, Sr.

LT – Zack Golditch, So.

Trae Moxley, So.

LG – Jake Bennett, So.

Trae Moxley, So.

C – Kevin O’Brien, Sr.

Colby Meeks, Fr.

RG – Fred Zerblis, Jr.

Christian Montes, Jr.

RT – Sam Carlson, Sr.

Nick Callender, Jr.

Defense

LDE – Martavius Foster, Sr.

Josh Lovingood, So.

DT – Justin Hansen, Sr.

Jakob Buys, So.

NT – Terry Jackson, Sr.

Colton Foster, R-Fr.

RDE – Joe Kawulok, Sr.

SteveO Michel, Sr.

SLB – Kiel Robinson, So.

Tre Thomas, R-Fr.

MLB – Cory James, Sr.

Josh Watson, R-Fr.

WLB – Kevin Davis, Jr.

Deonte Clyburn, Jr.

LCB – DeAndre Elliott, Sr.

Braylin Scott, Fr.

RCB – Preston Hodges, Jr.

Tyree Simmons, Jr.

SS – Trent Matthews, Sr.

Jake Schlager, So.

FS – Kevin Pierre-Louis, Sr.

Nick Januska, Sr.

Specialists

PR – Joe Hansley, Sr.

KR – Deionte Gaines, So.

LS – Trent Sieg, So.

H – Joe Hansley, Sr.

P – Hayden Hunt, Jr.

K – Wyatt Bryan, R-Fr.