SPORTS: Howell and Blackburn anchor CSU football’s defensive foundation

DEFENSIVE DUO

Howell and Blackburn anchor CSU football’s defensive foundation

By Kaden Porter

@kqporter5

In a Colorado State University football locker room that saw more than 50 new additions for the 2022 season, safety duo Jack Howell and Henry Blackburn has become established as a defensive anchor for the team to build around.

“Those dudes are program guys,” said Freddie Banks, defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach. “I love coaching them; they’re tough dudes. They’re exactly what we’re looking for, and they’ll lead us into playing really good football in the future.”

Blackburn became a Ram in 2020, coming out of high school as a three-star recruit. He started the second half of his freshman season, playing two of just four games CSU competed in due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on college athletics.

Howell arrived at CSU in 2021 as a three-star recruit as well. He quickly proved himself as a starter, making his first start in week three, and was named the Mountain West Freshman of the Week for his performance in his first start. By the end of the season, Howell was named a Freshman AllAmerican by the Football Writers Association of America.

The duo’s connection to CSU and each other goes beyond their CSU playing days. The pair are both homegrown Colorado kids; they even played for rival high schools — Valor Christian High School and Fairview High School — before Howell finished his high school career at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona.

“We’re trying to put our name on the map, and being from Colorado means a lot,” Blackburn said. “That’s why I came here; I wanted to represent where I was from.”

Howell’s connection to Colorado State goes even beyond being a homegrown recruit. His father, John Howell, also played safety for CSU before playing professionally and winning the 2002 Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“Every time I put on my jersey, I play for my last name,” Howell said. “I’m the player who I am because of him, so it means a lot.”

This season, the duo continues to grow. Through their game against San Jose State University, Howell leads the team with 88 total tackles and three interceptions. In the Boise State University game, Blackburn and Howell both hit career highs in tackles.

“We’re getting more comfortable in the defense,” Blackburn said. “We’ve had some tough games, and all you can really do is learn from those mistakes. ... I think we’re headed in the right direction; we just need to clean some things up.” Howell was also named as a part of the 2022 Pro Football Focus Midseason College Football AllAmerica Team. At the time of being chosen, he ranked as the fifth-best coverage safety with a 87.8 grade and the fourth-best pass-rush safety with a 89.8 grade.

“I love Jack (Howell’s) attitude,” head coach Jay Norvell said. “He loves the game, he loves practicing the game, he loves studying the game. ... I just think that’s so important at his position; you kind of have to be the quarterback of the defense when you’re a safety.”

Though the roster was in turmoil earlier in the season as numerous players departed the program, staying at Colorado State was never in question for the duo.

“I know we’re all Rams until we die, so we’re going to be here, and we’re just going to keep getting better and just keep building the chemistry,” Howell said. “We want to be one of the best (defensive back) units in the country.”

Due to the NCAA granting an extra year of eligibility for athletes who competed during the 2020 pandemic season, the duo has the same remaining eligibility at CSU.

“I think we’re building a foundation on defense of how to play,” Norvell said. “We’re not going to lose that many guys next year, so that’s what’s really exciting. ... I just think they’re really buying in. I think the personality of our defense has really been greatly affected by those two guys.”

But for now, the team and duo are focused on their next game: the Border War rivalry game against the University of Wyoming Nov. 12.

“Winning the (Bronze Boot) in 2020 was real fun,” Blackburn said. “Obviously, winning is the best feeling ever; you can’t find that anywhere else. I’m just trying to feel that a lot more, and we’re doing everything that we can to get more of those moments together.”

Reach Kaden Porter at sports@ collegian.com.

“I just think they’re really buying in. I think the personality of our defense has really been greatly affected by those two guys.”

JAY NORVELL

CSU FOOTBALL HEAD COACH

MOBY MADNESS

Rams basketball wins season opener on last shot of game

By Braidon Nourse

@braidonnourse

Isaiah Rivera pulled off every basketball player’s dream Nov. 7 against Gardner-Webb University. Tied 63-63 with just over seven seconds to go, he motioned left, dribbled right and put up a mid-range shot.

Ball game.

“It actually was drawn up for (Rivera),” Colorado State men’s basketball head coach Niko Medved said. “It’s a play we work on a little bit; he did a great job.”

The win took some cobwebs being brushed off from the first half, in which the Rams were outscored by 11 points. But a physical, more inspired second half of basketball saw the Rams come back and win with a final score of 65-63.

Medved said the plan early on was to limit the Bulldogs’ opportunities in the paint to a minimum. But the physicality of Gardner-Webb hindered the Rams’ efforts, and they scored nine easy layups in the first half alone. The Rams couldn’t seem to get anything going on the offensive end either due to the Bulldogs’ defensive strategies.

“They come out and open up in a 2-3 zone, and I thought their changing defenses early really kind of threw us out of rhythm,” Medved said.

The script was flipped in the second half, as the Rams were able to get much more physical on both sides of the ball. Down 11 points to start the second half, something had to give.

Then came the 3-pointers.

Senior guard John Tonje got into his rhythm, hitting two 3-pointers to cut the deficit to two points. Not long after, senior guard Joe Palmer, as he often does, provided the spark that gave the Rams their first lead and ultimately got the Rams up by 11.

By tossing a wild bank shot 3-point attempt and subsequently making a tough second-chance layup with a foul, Palmer brought the madness back to Moby Arena.

But the Bulldogs had no quit in them. Down 61-50 with more than three minutes left in the game, Gardner-Webb slowly chipped away at the lead until a controversial foul was called on Jalen Lake on a 3-point attempt that would have tied the game at 63. The shot missed, but Julien Soumaoro calmly hit all three free throws to tie the game.

Then the heroics of Rivera sent Moby into a frenzy.

Rivera finished the game with 11 points, seven rebounds and two assists to help seal the win for the Rams. Tonje finished with a game-high 16 points and four rebounds of his own.

Guard John Tonje (1) pushes past a Gardner-Webb University player Nov. 7. Tonje was the highest scorer of either team, scoring 16 of Colorado State University’s 65 points. PHOTO BY AVERY COATES THE COLLEGIAN

The 1-0 Rams will face Southeastern Louisiana University at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11 in Moby Arena.

Reach Braidon Nourse at sports@ collegian.com.