Kentucky was not the only college football program to name a starting quarterback on Monday. Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo has named redshirt sophomore Nick Stevens the number one option for the 2015 season in Fort Collins.
“We met (Sunday) as a staff and watched the film and watched it with the players and met with the kids this morning, the two guys, and told them that Nick was going to be No. 1 and [redshirt freshman Coleman Key] No. 2,” Bobo said in a released statement.
Stevens appeared in five games last year for the Rams, backing up Mountain West Conference Offensive Player of the Year Garrett Grayson. In those five games Stevens attempted just 25 pass attempts, but he completed 15 of them for 136 yards and a touchdown. In spring and fall camp to date, Stevens proved to be the more consistent of the two passing options for the new head coach at Colorado State (Jim McElwain was hired by Florida in last season’s coaching carousel).
“The main thing is consistency,” Bobo said. “You need a guy who is going to be consistent every play and get us into the right play and be able to go to the right targets, and I thought over the 26 practices – 15 (in the spring) and 11 (so far in fall camp) – Nick was the most consistent guy.”
Colorado State’s new quarterback will rely heavily on his predecessor’s number one receiver, Rashard Higgins. Higgins is back after recording 1,750 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns. Stevens will make his Rams debut as a starter on September 5 when Colorado State hosts Savannah State, followed by a home game against the Big Ten’s Minnesota the following week leading into the annual rivalry game with the Pac-12’s Colorado.