Colorado State Homecoming Weekend Special Edition

Special Homecoming Weekend Edition

Friday, October 16, 2015 Volume 124, No. 46 • collegian.com

Coming Home Former Ram Albert Bimper returns home as professor, administrator PAGE 14 & 15

Up to the Task

CSU’s struggling defense says it’s ready for Air Force rushing attack PAGE 6

Who’s the QB?

Shuffling quarterbacks causing trouble for CSU offense PAGE 4

PHOTO BY ELLIOTT FOUST COLLEGIAN

Go Rams!

Welcome parents, family, and alumni!

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Staff picks: Colorado State vs. Air Force Members of the Collegian sports staff weigh in on Colorado State's homecoming football game against in-state rival Air Force, and offer their predictions for who will return home with the Ram-Falcon Trophy:

Emmett McCarthy

rushing attack. The key word there was “beatable”. CSU’s last two match ups against Utah State and Boise State never really felt winnable. This one does, but the Rams will need to control the ball and avoid dumb penalties. Feed Jasen Oden Jr., just throw it in Rashard Higgins’ general direction whenever AF loads the box, don’t get called for holding 107 times, and the Rams should be able to notch their first conference win.

Sports Editor

Score: 24-20 Colorado State Prediction: I’m scared to pick this game, because I'm still not sure what to make of Air Force’s season thus far. The fight it gave No. 4 Michigan State was impressive, and San Jose State is no pushover either. Still, this just isn’t the 10-win Falcons team that upset the Rams late last season. Maybe the Falcons are exactly who they’ve always been: a tough but beatable oldschool football team who can give any Mountain West team fits with their triple-option

Brett Kennedy CTV Sports Anchor

Now Air Force comes to town, and I really hate to be a Debbie Downer on all the school spirit of this week...but I don’t see the Rams getting a W in this game either. CSU’s run defense has continued to struggle and now instead of focusing on one main running back like last week, it gets more difficult as Air Force uses multiple backs in its triple option offense. The Rams struggled stopping the triple-option in last year’s upset loss to the Falcons and I see that continuing on Saturday. It seems like it’s a revolving door situation for the CSU quarterbacks. Mike Bobo can’t make up his mind on who should play, as neither Nick Stevens nor Coleman Key have truly been impressive these past few games.

Stevens will start, but like last week, who knows how long he’ll play.

Score: 27-17 Air Force Prediction: Ah yes, the homecoming game. The Rams are coming off a game last week where they got absolutely drubbed by Boise State in all three phases of the game.

Sam Lounsberry Assistant Sports Editor

Score: 24-21 Colorado State Prediction: The Rams are hungry this week. They know they need to bounce back to maintain some morale for the rest of the season.

Furthermore, it’s homecoming, and Air Force was the team that upset CSU in its final regular season game last year. Desire for some revenge will force the Rams to get it together this week and run the ball hard into Air Force’s grill. As questionable as CSU’s passing game has been lately, establishing the run might let its quarterbacks gain some confidence and let loose a couple of times on some deep throws to this studly receiving corp.

Perhaps after seeing how much work they have cut out for them if they want to lead a winning offense against a team like Boise State, Nick Stevens and Coleman Key will be sharp and start paying attention to the details. One of them has to step up and understand that it’s possible to learn quickly while still in the learning process, and why not against an in-state rival?

Keegan Pope Football Reporter

Score: 21-17 Colorado State

Prediction: This is a defining moment for CSU’s season if there ever was one. Though just about everyone expected a drop-off from last season, I don’t think anyone predicted CSU being 2-4 at this point. Another loss, at home, would drop the Rams to 0-3 in conference and crush the confidence of a young team. But luckily for CSU, the Falcons are beatable. The Rams will need to find Rashard Higgins early and often, and they will have to avoid the mistakes that have plagued them all year. Hughes should be a near-sellout, if not completely full, so you know the atmosphere will be rocking. Last year Air Force ruined CSU’s hopes of making a New Year’s Day Bowl, so there has to be a little revenge on the minds of CSU players. Expect a close one, but CSU will make just enough plays to win this one late.

Sports Desk can be reached by email at sports@collegian.com.

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 16, 2015

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Team Comparison: Colorado State vs. Air Force Offensive and Defensive Yard Comparison 411.2 165.23 2468 126.61

Scoring Offense

409.8 20.8 9 33.8

Scoring Offense

Total Defense

28.3

400.8

32.6

300.6

Rushing Defense

194.31

Scoring Defense

206.51

1.8

8.2 Sacks Allowed 1.7

Tackles for Loss

DESIGN BY MARIAH WENZEL COLLEGIAN

Scoring Defense

Passing Defense

28

Sacks

33

21.6

67.7

3.6 Tackles for Loss 6.8 Sacks Allowed 0 Sacks

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Coping with the quarterback situation

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

Being a Division-I quarterback is no easy task. Neither is being an NCAA head football coach. Everything looks simpler from the couch. But the criticisms are rolling in for a reason.

Colorado State’s 2-4 start has fans pointing fingers assigning blame.

Maybe it’s premature – the front half of the Rams’ schedule was loaded with opponents that they weren’t necessarily supposed to beat.

Maybe it’s just downright unfair – did anyone really think this team would have no trouble replacing the greatest passer in school history? There were bound to be growing pains, and it wouldn’t be fair to put all of the blame on the passing.

“That’s what we all want to talk about, but there’s a lot more issues than just the quarterback,” CSU head coach Mike Bobo said.

There is no denying it though: the two-quarterback system has been as disappointing as it has been confusing.

Nick Stevens is officially the starter. But he’s been replaced on multiple occasions by Coleman Key – sometimes because of performance, sometimes by design.

Against Minnesota, Stevens was benched and Key finished the game. A week later, Key didn’t take a single snap as Stevens played the entire game against the University of Colorado. Last week, Key checked in for Stevens once again, but it was after the starter had thrown just one pass.

Bobo said it was the plan all along for Key to enter the game on the third drive. Stevens came back in during the third quarter to replace Key, who had gone 5-for-19 with two interceptions.

“Your job as a quarterback is to go out there and play,” Bobo said. “I think I’ve made it abundantly clear to Nick that we’ve got confidence. He’s had lots of opportunities, and the other guy deserved an opportunity too.”

And to be fair, Bobo really had made it clear before the season that Key would see some reps.

We just didn’t know how many, or how soon. Still, what seems at times like a lack of commitment to the starter is puzzling from a spectator’s perspective.

Bobo’s not just talking from a coach’s perspective himself though. He started at quarterback for the University of Georgia for two years, was named MVP of the 1998 Outback Bowl

and still holds the school’s single-season completion percentage record. He knows a thing or two about the position.

“I’ve been where we played two quarterbacks before, I’ve been where we played just one,” Bobo said. “Nick’s got to get ready to play and when his number’s called he’s got to go out there and perform.”

Stevens refused to blame any struggles he has had on the murky situation at quarterback.

He’s more concerned with correcting and limiting his own mistakes.

Bobo said he wants quarterbacks to do a better job anticipating throws. Don’t even worry about making those mistakes.

But isn’t that a bit tougher when you know one poor decision could be the end of your day?

“I don’t feel like I’ve had a short leash at all,” Stevens said.

Despite all of the uncertainty, Stevens said he has always felt confident about his role this season, and understands why things are the way they are.

“I definitely have felt like the starter,” Stevens said. “There’s just been a couple of games where I wasn’t bringing it, and Coleman brought a spark that we needed on offense. I’ve just got to work on my own consistency, and being able to move the offense down the field on every drive to prevent that from happening.”

Bobo said Tuesday that it was Stevens who responded well with a solid two days of moving the offense in practice.

Stevens will get another opportunity Saturday, and no matter what he does with it, Key will probably get another opportunity as well.

Maybe this time around, it will go better for both. Boise State, Utah State and Minnesota are the best defenses CSU will face this season, and all three games are in the history books.

Or maybe the two-quarterback system will continue to underwhelm, and Rams fans will have to trust the process, even if that process is not always clear.

“We’ve played some talented defensive football teams,” Bobo said. “First-year starter with a new system. There’s growing pains. It’s more growing pains than I would like and this fanbase would like, but that’s part of it. We’ll get it right and we’ll have consistent quarterback play, I guarantee you that.”

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

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Friday, October 16, 2015 • Page 6

“There’s a little something extra this week because they are an in state rival, it’s a conference game, and they have had the upper hand recently and that just puts a little more on this game.”

NICK STEVENS QUARTERBACK

Rams locking in mentally for Air Force rivalry

By Geoff Huebner @Huebnermedia93

Coming off of two conference losses, Saturday’s game at Hughes Stadium against the Air Force Falcons (3-2, 2-0 Mountain West) is pivotal for the Rams (2-4, 0-2 MW).

The Falcons are unblemished thus far in conference play, but have gone 0-2 on the road this season. If Colorado State can hand the Falcons a third road loss, it still has a chance to resurrect the season.

“We’re not getting the results we want right now but we know that (Coach Mike) Bobo’s plan is going to work and we plan on running the tables these last six games,” senior running back

Jasen Oden, Jr. said.

Air Force leads the all-time series overall, 32-20-1, and has won eight of the last nine matchups. The opportunity Saturday to turn the season around and get another tally in the win column has the Rams locked in mentally.

One of those players is quarterback Nick Stevens, who Bobo indicated will remain the starter at quarterback.

“Nick has great mental preparations,” senior offensive lineman Sam Carlson said. “(Nick Stevens and Coleman Key) are both great quarterbacks and they both have the things that kind of set them apart, but in my opinion Nick has great mental preparation.”

Stevens knows this is a big opportunity. He wants to be a part of the team that puts an end to the Falcons’ recent domination in the series.

“There’s a little something extra this week because they are an in-state rival, it’s a conference game, and they have had the upper hand recently and that just puts a little more on this game,” Stevens said.

Stevens splits time with redshirt freshman Coleman Key, and is happy to do so when it works out for the team, but he would of course like to establish himself as the full-time starter.

“I think I’ve just come out this week and I’m just trying to give them what they are looking for from me,” Stevens said. “I’ve just been more confident this

week. I think this has been my best week of practice so far.”

Bobo has made it clear this season that the players around his young quarterbacks need to help out too. A big one of these players – both literally and figuratively – is six-foot-four, 245-pound senior tight end Kivon Cartwright.

“It’s the guys around the quarterback that have to do our job every play … it doesn’t matter what play is called, what personnel we have, who is in, we’ve just got to execute,” Cartwright said.

The tight end’s size and athleticism make him a constant threat to defenses. He’s one of the playmakers Bobo would like to see become more involved in the offense. Stevens

also had plenty to say about the Pueblo, Colorado native’s athletic ability.

“He’s also a huge target, got a big wingspan, he can go up and get a ball if it’s not a perfect ball or if you put it up for him,” Stevens said. “He’s going to bring it down.”

Both quarterbacks for the Rams have had their struggles at times this season, but their teammates say they still believe in them.

Just ask Cartwright; is there any doubt in the two quarterbacks?

“No, never, we’ve just got to keep on doing what we’re doing, but there’s no doubt in anybody’s mind,” Cartwright said.

Geoff Huebner can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

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Quick history: an in-state affair

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

The Colorado State-Air Force rivalry dates back to 1957, when CSU got the series going with a 20-7 win on the road in Colorado Springs. AF won the next meeting in 1958, and CSU has not led the series since.

Overall, the Academy owns a 32-20-1 advantage all time in the rivalry. A 31-0 blowout win for the Falcons in 1968 was the first game ever played at Hughes Stadium in Fort Collins.

In 1980, the Ram-Falcon Trophy came to be. Former CSU ROTC commander Shelly Godkin is credited with the idea of creating the trophy to represent the rivalry. The winner of the game takes the trophy home

until the next year’s matchup.

Since the trophy was brought about, AF leads the series 21-14.

The Ram-Falcon Trophy has not spent much time in Fort Collins recently, as the Falcons have won eight of the last nine matchups. A 58-13 CSU win in 2013 snapped a streak of seven consecutive losses to the Falcons, and made the Rams bowl eligible for the first time since 2008.

Last year, AF ended thenNo. 21 CSU’s conference championship hopes with a 27-24 upset to snap the Rams’ ninegame win streak, and bring the Ram-Falcon Trophy back to the Academy.

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 16, 2015

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CSU’s offense still searching for what they do well

By Geoff Huebner @Huebnermedia93

Colorado State has started the season 2-4, and 0-2 in the Mountain West, and a significant part of that has been the offenses inability to put up big numbers against tough defenses.

In their four losses this season, the Rams are averaging just 18 points per game. Head coach Mike Bobo isn’t hiding the fact that his offense is still searching for consistency.

“No question, I’d say were really kind of a mixed bag right now,” Bobo said referring to his offense.

Bobo, as head coach and the playcaller for the offense makes no bones about his role in a sometimes-sputtering offense.

“In all areas we’re not being consistent enough,” Bobo said. “…That’s me included, as a play caller on offense, (I’ve) got to call better plays to give us a chance to be more successful.”

The Rams welcome the Air Force Falcons (3-2, 2-0 MW) into Hughes Stadium this upcoming Saturday, and they will need to work out some kinks offensively if they want to find that consistency and have a positive outcome.

Coming into the game, the Falcons rank in the top 50 in the nation in scoring defense, rushing defense and total yards per game (300.6).

For an offense that is already struggling to find ways to create explosive plays, Saturday will likely be another grueling test.

“If you look at explosive plays of 10-plus yards, we’ve made a lot of those, but the ones that are 20 and 30, we haven’t made a lot in the past few weeks,” Bobo said.

He even joked about starting his star wide receiver, Rashard

“Hollywood” Higgins at quarterback to squeeze some big plays out of his team.

“We might start Rashard at quarterback this week … pull out the wildcat, do something,” Bobo joked.

It doesn’t matter what offense it is, as Bobo points out, “It’s hard for any play caller when you’re not getting explosive plays.”

These big plays do not always need to come in the form of a 50-yard bomb to a receiver in the end zone either.

“Explosive does not have to be a pass scheme, it can be fitting up on the right guys on the run against the right look … it’s doing the little things that gets you explosive plays,” Bobo said.

Senior running back Jason Oden, Jr. has been a productive player so far for the Rams this season. On 106 carries, Oden, Jr. has 434 yards and two touchdowns. He is aware that the offense has not had enough big plays and that he plays a part in that.

“When you watch film it’s not three or four guys doing something wrong, it’s one guy missing a block or me not reading my holes right or passes not being accurate, receivers not getting great depth with their routes, it’s just the little things,” Oden Jr. said.

Air Force also has the fifthranked rushing offense in the nation, averaging 320.8 yards per game, which will surely take away a few possessions from the Rams come Saturday.

“We definitely have to execute our game plan because of the way they run their offense, we are going to have limited possessions,” quarterback Nick Stevens said. “We are not going to get the ball as much because that clock’s going to be running when

PHOTO BY ABBIE PARR COLLEGIAN

they are running the ball.”

In order to try to move the ball consistently and put points up on the board on Saturday Bobo is tightening the leash on his offense a little bit.

“I said it last week, we’re honing down a little bit and we’re honing down a little more this week,” Bobo said. “I feel

good about the plan right now but ultimately we’ve got to go out and execute on Saturday.”

This weekend will also be the homecoming game for the Rams, who hope the home crowd will do their part on Saturday as well.

“The home crowd is huge,” senior offensive lineman Sam

Carlson said. “Home field advantage is everything. When they get up and down on third down for the defense it’s great, and it’s good for us when they are quiet out there for us, so it’s huge and we need them for sure.”

Geoff Huebner can be reached at sports@collegian.com.

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Struggling CSU defense faces new test against Air Force ByKeegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Facing a triple option team will be a homecoming of its own for CSU head coach Mike Bobo. PHOTO BY ABBIE PARR COLLEGIAN

Air Force’s option football brings back memories for Mike Bobo

By Emmett McCarthy @emccarthy22

An in-state rival running the option is nothing new for Mike Bobo. He saw plenty of it during his time at the University of Georgia when the Bulldogs would play option-oriented Georgia Tech.

But that’s not the only coincidence about the Colorado State-Air Force rivalry as it pertains to CSU’s first-year head coach.

Triple-option football is not all that common at the collegiate level. Air Force is one of the few teams that faithfully employs it. Mike Bobo was raised on it.

“This is my dad’s kind of ball right here,” he said.

In fact, Air Force’s offensive line coach Clay Hendrix once played for Mike’s father, George Bobo.

George also worked as an assistant football coach at West Rome High School in Georgia when the school won two state championships running the

wishbone offense.

He later won another state championship at Thomasville High School, this time as head coach. George had brought the wishbone with him and had continued to run the option at Thomasville.

Until...

“Then there’s this slow white kid who was supposed to play quarterback,” Mike Bobo recalled. “It was me.”

George Bobo had to restructure his offense.

“I couldn’t run,” Mike said.

“We changed to a more prostyle deal, but my dad’s whole background is option.”

George once spent a week visiting Air Force and former head coach Fisher DeBarry, one of the most revered option football coaches in college history. Of the high school players George coached, Mike said many went on to play at Georgia Southern under Erk Russell, who was well known for his use of the double slot triple option.

Mike said he has all the

respect in the world for Air Force’s style of play; he’s been around it his whole life.

With the elder Bobo in town for the week, Mike actually hinted that his father would lend a hand in preparation.

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

He laughed, but he wasn’t really joking. When asked again after practice Tuesday, he said he was surprised to see George keeping more of an eye on the offense.

Mike didn’t sound concerned though. He knows that his father will be impossible to please this week.

“Every south Georgia or old-school Georgia coach is option background, and it really doesn’t matter how you play it, they always think you should have played it this way,” Mike said.

Emmett McCarthy can be reached by email at sports@ collegian.com.

No one on Colorado State’s defense can put their finger on what has gone wrong the past few weeks.

Was it their own mistakes that allowed the Rams’ last three opponents to gauge them for 259 yards per game?

Or was it just that Boise State, Utah State and Texas-San Antonio’s offenses were that good? Maybe a combination of the two?

“I think it’s more on us than anything,” linebacker Kiel Robinson said of the Rams’ struggles. “We just have to be more physical, be in our correct gaps and be assignment-sound. With this game especially, playing in the right spot is a big thing because once you lose your assignment, they’re going to gash you for a big run.”

Whether it’s either of those things or a combination of the two, things won’t get any easier when Air Force comes to Hughes Stadium Saturday with a chance to take home the Ram-Falcon Trophy for the ninth time in the past 10 years. The Falcons are one of the few teams in college football who still runs the triple-option, but it has given defenses from all over the country fits over the last few decades. CSU senior defensive end SteveO Michel, who has faced the Falcons every year since he’s been at CSU, knows it all too well.

Michel reiterated what CSU defenders have been saying all week about facing the Falcons.

“With the triple-option, you just have to play assignment football,” Michel said Tuesday. “Everybody has a job, and if one person doesn’t do their job the play can go for 40, 50, 60 yards and a touchdown.

Wherever you are on the field, if you don’t do what you’re supposed to, it can go for a touchdown. The main thing

we have to do is execute and stay disciplined.”

In the Falcons 27-24 win over then-No. 21 CSU last year in the final game of the regular season. Air Force’s rushing numbers weren’t particularly impressive, but they were able to keep drives alive and keep CSU’s explosive offense off of the field. AFA converted nine of its 18 third-downs, and held the ball for more than 30 minutes. Their yards per rush numbers aren’t gaudy by any means, but the Falcons move the chains and hit defenses with big plays when they least expect it. Those don’t often come in the passing game, but the threat is always there, especially after running the ball 10 or 15 times in a row.

“It’s tough to keep your eyes disciplined,” cornerback Preston Hodges said. “But it’s something that we have to do if we’re going to be successful against them. We’ve really been focusing in on that this week during practice.”

Discipline, in and of itself, has been a struggle for the Rams on both sides of the ball this season, but especially on defense. They’ve had opportunities to get off the field on third down and have either allowed a big play or committed a costly penalty to give away a first down. The Falcons, on the other hand, are one of the best in the country at avoiding those pesky yellow flags, and head coach Mike Bobo knows avoiding those mistakes will be more important this week than any other.

“Last week we did a good job of avoiding penalties, but our turnovers were poor,” Bobo said. “We’re not just better than anybody to where we can walk on the field and afford to make those mistakes and overcome them. We have to win playing smart football and until we do that, it’s going to be a challenge to win ball games.”

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian. com.

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Albert Bimper, the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Diversity and Inclusion, lectures to his African-Americans in Sport class Tuesday. Bimper, a former Colorado State football player, returned the University and has become a mentor to student-athletes. PHOTO BY CAIO PEREIRA COLLEGIAN

HOME AWAY FROM HOME

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Albert Bimper was 18 years old when he walked onto the main campus at Colorado State. To say it was a culture shock for the young, African-American boy who spent his entire life in Arlington, Texas, would be an understatement.

He was in a town he didn’t know, away from his family for the first time, attending classes and playing Division I football.

He didn’t look like the majority of his classmates, afro and all, and he immediately felt homesick, missing the comfort of his hometown. That was nearly 15 years ago.

At Arlington Bowie High School, Bimper was a standout on the football field, on the

track and in the classroom. He compiled a 3.9 grade-point average and was a member of the National Honor Society while earning honors as a threeyear letterman in football and a two-time letterman in track and field. Bimper was twice chosen team captain in football and earned all-city and allstate honors as a junior and senior, as well as team offensive MVP and best lineman.

As his high school career was coming to a close, Bimper worried about what was next.

“I just didn’t know what to do after high school,” Bimper said in 2013 news release at Kansas State. “We weren’t a winning program. I didn’t have any guidance on how to get to college except for playing ball. I wasn’t highly recruited, and no one was sending out tapes for

me. I didn’t have that level of advocacy. Interestingly, I was late to the meeting with a Colorado State recruiter because I was putting in an application at UPS.”

Even though he was late for the meeting, Colorado State eventually offered him a full scholarship, and he was on his way out of the state of Texas for the first time in his life.

He excelled in his classes during high school, but Bimper found himself a bit overwhelmed when he entered college, trying to balance a social life, schoolwork and dozens of hours on the practice field and in the film room each week.

“It was just a complete eye-opener,” Bimper said.

“Things came pretty easily to me back in high school, includ-

ing school and sports, so facing the challenges I did in college kind of shocked me at first.”

Bimper found mentors in former University president Albert Yates and faculty member Jeffrey Shears, who took Bimper under his wing.

“He made me realize there were other things I wanted and needed to do,” Bimper said.

“He had an open-door policy and was just there for me. He started telling me about graduate school. He told me to get into grad school I had to improve my GPA and be just as committed to my success off the field as I was on the field.”

Bimper joined numerous student organizations, finally beginning to find himself while he became “culturally bilingual.” Unlike many of his Cau-

casian peers, who fit in with the campus and Fort Collins community, Bimper believed he had to try to fit in while also remembering his roots back in Arlington.

On the field, he excelled though. Bimper was a fouryear starter at CSU (2002-05), and helped lead CSU to three bowl games in his career. As a redshirt sophomore in 2002, Bimper started 11 of the team's 14 games, including the Liberty Bowl vs. TCU, as the Rams went 10-4 and claimed the Mountain West championship.

In his career Bimper played in 39 games and started 37, earning honorable mention All-Mountain West recognition in 2004, when he started all 11 games for CSU. After graduation, Bimper moved to Purdue, Indiana, to

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finish his Master’s degree. At the same time, he was training with Purdue’s coaching staff ahead of the NFL Combine. He assisted the strength and conditioning coaches with their offseason workouts and even found time to “pay it forward” by mentoring a few players on the Purdue football team.

“Looking back, those coaches (at Purdue) offered me a terrific opportunity to train for a possible career in the NFL,” Bimper said. “But I had to take advantage of that and complete my degree.”

Bimper went undrafted in the 2006 NFL Draft, but was signed after training camp by the Indianapolis Colts for the 2006 season. That year, with Bimper serving as a member of the Colts’ practice squad, Indianapolis went on to win the Super Bowl.

However, he faced a new challenge when he was released from the team and went unsigned by anyone else. Like many of his peers, he was jobless, and unsure of what was next.

He contacted both Yates and Shears, and they recommended that he pursue his Ph.D. at the University of Texas. He agreed and went on to complete his Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in Cultural Studies in Education.

Along with his Bachelor’s degree from Colorado State, Bimper held a Master of Science degree in Sport Psychology from Purdue and his newly-minted doctorate from UT. After only knowing two jobs his entire life, football and school, Bimper was now tasked with finding a job, and a place that fit his growing young family. After much research, he happened upon Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. In August 2012, he joined the staff as an assistant professor in the department of special education, counseling and student affairs, with a focus in student services in intercollegiate athletics.

“Albert brings a unique blend of personal experience and academic background to this position as he prepares master’s-level professionals to work with college student athletes,” Ken Hughey, the department’s chair, said in a press release at the time.

Around the same time at Colorado State, the athletic department had come under fire for comments made by head football coach Jim McElwain and then-athletic director Jack Graham at a meeting between department staff, administrators and African-American student-athlete alumni on April 19, 2013.

In response to the issues

raised by attendees at the meeting, CSU appointed former black student-athletes to the Ram Athlete Alumni Association board, which makes recommendations for Hall of Fame inductions. And on May 31, 2014, the University announced the hiring of Bimper — who was in attendance at that April meeting — to split time between being a professor and an athletics administrator overseeing diversity and inclusion.

Bimper was appointed as a full-time assistant professor in the Ethnic Studies department and was named the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Diversity and Inclusion, a new position within the department.

“I love this place, is there much more to say?” Bimper said. “The opportunity to come back to my alma mater and have the chance to make a difference in the lives of our student-athletes is really special to me. It's interesting to see things come full circle since I graduated a few years ago. When I was here, I had the opportunity to represent our school as a student-athlete and now I am able return to the university with a similar blend of responsibilities as a professor and athletic administrator.

Today, Bimper interacts with hundreds of CSU’s student-athletes, including a number of African-American stu-

Purdue, Indiana

Manhattan, Kansas

Arlington, Texas

Austin, Texas

Albert Bimper’s life path took him all over the country before he eventually resettled in Fort Collins. DESIGN BY MARIAH WENZEL COLLEGIAN

pushed her to apply for.

“Dr. Bimper has just been a huge part of my development as a person and a student-athlete here at Colorado State,” Newton said. “Before I got to CSU two years ago, I had never even thought about going to grad school, but after taking Dr. Bimper’s African-Americans in Sport

“The influence he’s had on my life, and the lives of so many other African-American student-athletes is almost immeasurable.”

AJ NEWTON FORMER CSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER

dent-athletes who have found a mentor in him, the same way he did more than a decade ago with Jeffrey Shears. One of his favorite students, which he will admit, was A.J. Newton, a sociology major and a two-year starter on the CSU women’s basketball team. Newton was a member of CSU’s RAMbition group, an organization through the CSU athletic department that unites female student-athletes and offers monthly meetings to raise awareness and support for women’s sports at the University.

Newton and Bimper have developed a close bond through the African-Americans in Sport course he teaches, with Bimper insisting that Newton at least apply to a graduate school program at the University of Texas, one of his alma maters. She was accepted, and even received a $7,500 post-graduate scholarship this month, which of course, Bimper

Indianapolis, Indiana

Fort Collins, Colorado

course, I was really inspired to pursue a career in which I could help minority athletes in an administrative role.”

Newton said she hopes to follow a similar path to Bimper, possibly teaching courses while working as an administrator at a major Division I university. For now, she just hopes he can give her some good restaurant recommendations as she moves to Austin, Texas, a town he is very familiar with.

“The influence he’s had on my life, and the lives of so many other African-American student-athletes is almost immeasurable,” Newton said. “He is one of my absolute favorite people, and he has been a blessing to this University.”

Athletes regularly visit him in his office at the McGraw Athletic Center, and he has become a fixture in the CSU athletics community. More than any-

thing he's done, though, Bimper relishes the opportunity to instruct and educate students in his class on the trials and pitfalls African-American athletes have faced during the past 100plus years. The class has been an eye-opener to many of them, though, helping them to realize the daily struggles the growing African-American demographic in sports faces.

"I like the class a lot, but sometimes it's tough because it informs me a lot about the sports that I'm playing," CSU cornerback Preston Hodges said. "It's a great class, and I love it. I wish they had more of it because it's just informative about a lot of stuff I didn't know."

Bimper still holds a special place in his heart for football players, many of whom have taken his class, but also see him as a mentor and a friend. He often travels to away football games and is on the sideline for nearly every home game.

"I feel like I can talk to Dr. Bimper about anything," Hodges said. "He shows his face on the football field a lot, and he's always there to help us in the classroom, too. He's just someone we can go to get advice on for just about everything."

Under Bimper’s guidance, CSU has improved its efforts in diversity and inclusion, winning the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association’s Award for Diversity.

According to the NCAA, the award, first presented two years ago, “celebrates colleges or athletics conferences that embrace diversity and inclusion initiatives in ways that may include

hiring practices, programming activities, professional development and community service.

Initiatives can involve specific departments or offices on campus, or center on a university’s or athletics conference’s efforts as a whole.”

Bimper takes pride in the steps the CSU athletic department has made, but still realizes there is a long way to go in the fields of diversity and inclusion.

“Diversity and inclusion is very real to these students,” Bimper said. “It’s very real to come here and not see many people of color through the administration or through their coaching staffs. I believe the people who are brought to this campus because of their skills, but in certain pockets of the community, they don’t exactly mirror the student body they represent. That doesn’t make it wrong here, it just gives us another challenge. I think it’s an opportunity to get an education at a great institution, compete at a high level and play for great coaches. It will challenge them, likely more than they’ve ever been challenged before in that area, but it prepares them for situations that they don’t know are out there yet.”

The 18-year-old boy who came into a town and situation he didn’t know existed, is now assisting athletes just like he was when he walked onto CSU’s campus as “the only person in the town with an afro,” according to him. Kind of fitting, right?

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.

16 Friday, October 16, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 16, 2015

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Friday, October 16, 2015 Volume 124, No. 46 • collegian.com

PHOTO BY ABBIE PARR COLLEGIAN

Collectible Poster 5 of 8 Colorado State vs. Minnesota

| 2 | Deionte Gaines | WR | Sophomore |

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Friday, October 16, 2015 • Page 19

Colorado State University’s lost traditions

By Jake Schwebach @jschway

We identify ourselves as Colorado State University students through the traditions we follow.

But traditions are not everlasting, and CSU traditions are not immune to the rule. Here are some of CSU’s lost, forgotten and almost-were traditions identified

by Gordon “Hap” Hazard at the Archives and Special Collections desk of Morgan Library.

Tubbing Class ranking defined one’s University experiences in the early 1900s. If a freshman strolling the Oval failed to recite the fight song or the football team’s next opponent to a confronting senior, they were dragged and “tubbed” head first into the leaky, mosquito-infected pond on campus. The pond was eventually removed, but horse troughs were still common and “tubbing” continued.

We can be grateful this tradition sank in the 1930s when Dean Floyd Cross, who likely participated as a student, found its immaturity to be less than charming.

Knights of blue and gold Before CSU had school colors, they had a football team.

That team was on its way to play an academy in Longmont, but they did not have uniforms.

They stopped at a drugstore and purchased identifiers: green and orange ribbons, thus conceiving our University’s colors. In the early 1900s, green was a hard dye to manufacture. It was also toxic and not ideal for a sport that exposes open wounds. There was a push in 1910 to change the color to blue, but it never stuck. As early as 1929, gold began to replace orange, perceived as out-of-fashion, on the home uniforms. That is how CSU almost became the knights of blue and gold.

Who is Sam the Ram? 1977. CSU's little-known second mascot, Sam the Ram, butts the head of a tackling dummy held by owner, Gerald Rice at Hughes Stadium.

Colorado State University's little-known second mascot, Sam the Ram, butts the head of a tackling dummy held by owner, Gerald Rice at Hughes Stadium in 1977. CSU football had a second mascot for a few seasons. From 1977 to 1979, CSU employee Gerald Rice’s Coriscan sheep, Sam, would rile the home crowd by butting his head against a blocking dummy, which undoubtedly made Cam very jealous.

Bottles around Hughes CSU hosts Cans Around the Oval every year. But you probably never heard of Bottles around Hughes. It’s a lost tradition (of sorts) that pays homage to CSU’s historically disastrous

football teams. So much alcohol was consumed prior to home games that bottles of hard liquor and beer were placed end-zoneto-end-zone around the walls of Hughes Stadium. When the season Hughes opened in 1968, CSU didn’t win a single game. Hughes Stadium began selling beer in 1976 to curb the rampant alcohol consumption. Let’s hope the new on-campus stadium brings about the kind of tradition we do not need to drink to forget.

Go Oilers In the 1920s, areas around Northern Colorado experienced a small oil boom. There was a push to change the name “Aggies” to “Oilers,” a name that today would be ironic considering CSU’s commitment to sustainability.

Meathead the Ram The ram became the official mascot of CSU in 1945, but it was not always Cam. The first ram

was a fellow named Buck, gifted in 1946 by the “Senators,” a men’s pep club on campus. In 1948, the Collegian announced the winner of a ballot vote to officially name the mascot … “Meathead.” Graciously, it is a name the Collegian did not adopt despite its democratically elected rite. In 1954, a naming contest was held by the Collegian, birthing our beloved Cam (for Colorado Agriculture and Mining). From 1945 all the way through the late 1960s, CSU was the “Aggie Rams,” a tradition resurrected today during orange-out games.

Teddy the bear The University went through four mascots spanning three species prior to World War II, including a human boy. In 1909, Peanuts the Bulldog was our mascot until shipped with CSU's National Guard unit, Battery A, to the East Coast. see TRADITIONS on page 28 >>

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Friday, October 16, 2015 • Page 20

Three Keys with Keegs: Air Force at Colorado State

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Rivalry week is upon the Colorado State football team. For the second time this year, CSU will face an in-state rival when the Air Force Falcons roll into Hughes Stadium Saturday. After suffering a 41-10 blowout loss to No. 21 Boise State at home last weekend, CSU will look to get back on track and avoid losing its third game in a row. The Falcons (3-3) bring one of the nation’s top rushing attacks against a CSU defense that has struggled mightily against the run over the last three weeks. The Rams (2-4) face a critical juncture of their season, with their shot at bowl eligibility dwindling with each loss. A win would bring a level of confidence back to Fort Collins, and could serve as a turning point for the Rams heading into their one and only bye week.

Here are three keys to a CSU victory when the Rams and Falcons face off Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Stay disciplined on defense

The Falcons triple-option offense has given defenses fits for years, and CSU has been no exception. Air Force’s rushing offense ranks in the top-five nationally, averaging 320.8 yards

per game. In the early part of the season, CSU’s rush defense was among the best in the country, but the Rams have been gashed

by Texas-San Antonio, Utah State and Boise State in consecutive weeks. The Rams rank 97th out of 124 FBS teams, and they will face a steep challenge trying to slow down quarterback Karson Roberts, fullback DJ Johnson and a host of running backs.

Playing against the triple-option requires eye discipline, something the Rams have struggled with against zone-read offenses.

Find your playmakers

Surprisingly, CSU’s passing offense ranks third in the Mountain West, despite the constant shuffling of quarterbacks and a drastic drop in star receiver Rashard Higgins’ stats from a year ago. After facing one of the best rush defenses in the country against Boise State last week, the Rams will face an elite pass defense when they take on the Falcons. Led by ball-hawking safeties Weston Steelhammer and Brodie Hicks, the Falcons have been able to limit their opponents to just 167 passing yards per game through the first half of the season. If CSU wants to have success and open up its running game, the Rams will have to find Higgins, Joe Hansley, and tight

COLLEGIAN FILE PHOTO

ends Kivon Cartwright and Steven Walker. The Rams have really struggled to get the ball to their playmakers so far this year, but they’ll need to take advantage of their opportunities against an Air Force team that doesn’t give its opponents many opportunities to score.

Eliminate the mistakes

More than anything else this

year, mistakes, turnovers and penalties have cost the Rams in their four losses. This has been a key for CSU in every game this year, but it will be crucial against the Falcons. Air Force hasn’t been particularly great in avoiding turnovers, ranking in the bottom half of the country in turnover margin. But they rarely ever incur costly penalties, averaging just over four per game.

CSU has been on the opposite end of the spectrum, becoming one of the most penalized teams in the country, while ranking at the bottom of the FBS in turnover margin. Against the Falcons’ ball-control scheme, CSU will only get so many chances, and it can’t squander them with unforced errors and penalties.

Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.

collegian.com

The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 16, 2015

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When the Rams are on defense...

Colorado State

Air Force

9 - Martavius Foster, LDE, 6-4, 270, Senior

16 - Karson Roberts, QB, 6-0, 190, Senior

68 - Justin Hansen, DT, 6-5, 305, Senior

5 - Devin Rushing, RB, 5-10, 185, Senior

93 - Terry Jackson, DT, 6-1, 295, Senior

28- Jacobi Owens, RB, 5-10, 202, Junior

90 - Joe Kawulok, RDE, 6-6, 250, Senior

3- DJ Johnson, FB, 5-9, 227, Junior

15 - Kiel Robinson, SLB, 6-2, 225, Sophomore

9 - Jalen Robinette, WR, 6-4, 215, Junior

31 - Cory James, MLB, 6-0, 245, Senior

7- Garrett Brown, WR, 5-9, 175, Senior

33 - Kevin Davis, WLB, 6-3, 240, Junior

74 - Sevrin Remmo, RT, 6-3, 240, Senior

13 - DeAndre Elliott, LCB, 6-1, 185, Senior

58 - A.J. Ruechel, RG, 6-1, 260, Senior

16 - Trent Matthews, SS, 6-3, 210, Senior

67 - Dylan Vail, C, 6-2, 280, Junior

26 - Kevin Pierre-Louis, FS, 6-1, 215, Senior

56 - Colin Sandor, LG, 6-2, 275, Junior

24 - Preston Hodges, RCB, 5-11, 200, Junior

72- Matt Rochell, RT, 6-3, 270, Senior

When the Rams are on offense...

Colorado State

Air Force

7 - Nick Stevens, QB, 6-3, 205, Sophomore

93- Samuel Byers, DT, 6-5, 257, Junior

6 - Jasen Oden Jr., RB, 5-11, 220, Senior

54- Lochlin Deeks, NT, 6-4, 265, Junior

82 - Rashard Higgins, WR, 6-2, 190, Junior

87- Alex Hansen, DE, 6-3, 260, Senior

25 - Joe Hansley, WR, 5-10, 180, Senior

40- Ryan Watson, OLB, 6-3, 240, Junior

2 - Deionte Gaines, WR, 5-8, 180, Sophomore

41- Patrick Healy, ILB, 6-0, 225, Junior

86 - Kivon Cartwright, TE, 6-4, 245, Senior

47- Claude Alexander, ILB, 6-1, 220, Sophomore

71 - Sam Carlson, RT, 6-4, 295, Senior

5- Dexter Walker, OLB, 6-0, 205, Senior

54 - Fred Zerblis, RG, 6-3, 295, Junior

4- Kalon Baker, CB, 6-0, 180, Senior

77 - Jake Bennett, C, 6-3, 295, Sophomore

8- Weston Steelhammer, SS, 6-2, 200, Sophomore

61 - Zack Golditch, LG, 6-6, 290, Sophomore

18- Brodie Hicks, FS, 6-2, 200, Junior

76 - Nick Callender, LT, 6-6. 315, Junior

25- Roland Ladipo, CB, 5-10, 185, Junior KEEGAN POPE COLLEGIAN

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Friday, October 16, 2015 • Page 24

First-year students guide What to expect from this year’s Homecoming Parade to homecoming week

By Randi Mattox @randimattox

By Randi Mattox @randimattox

Homecoming is a time for students and alumni to celebrate their journey at Colorado State University.

But as a new student who has never participated in CSU’s homecoming week, it is difficult to decide what events to prioritize.

It is important to become engaged in the CSU community, and homecoming week is a perfect way to do that. Here is a list of events that are first-year student appropriate:

Festival on the Oval

When: Friday Time: 3:30 p.m.

Where: The Oval Enjoy live music, activities for kids and food trucks before the Homecoming Parade at the Festival on the Oval. This is a great way for students to

engage in the CSU community.

Homecoming Parade

When: Friday Time: 4:30 p.m.

Where: The Oval The Homecoming Parade starts at the intersection of Howes and Oak and ends at the West Lawn. The parade will feature floats, candy and the CSU Marching Band.

Friday Night Lights

When: Friday Time: 6 p.m.

Where: West Lawn Attend Friday Night Lights and enjoy a pep rally, a bonfire, fireworks and the lighting of the A. This will be an exciting event for students to meet new friends and become part of a CSU tradition.

Homecoming Family Weekend Tailgate

When: Saturday Time: 10:30 a.m.

Where: Hughes Stadium Celebrate with friends and family and enjoy food and live music at the Homecoming and Family Weekend Tailgate before the homecoming football game.

Purchase your tailgate tickets from CSU Athletics.

Homecoming Football Game

When: Saturday Time: 1:30 p.m.

Where: Sonny Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium Show your pride and support the CSU Rams at the homecoming football game. Purchase your game tickets from CSU Athletics.

Randi Mattox can be reached at entertainment@ collegian.com.

Colorado State University’s homecoming week is going to be packed with events and activities, but a must-see celebration is the CSU Homecoming Parade.

The parade will take place Friday, starting at the corner of Oak and Howes streets at 4:30 p.m.

This year’s Homecoming Parade theme, “This is Our Time,” is sure to spark some creative juices. In addition to the usual excitement and energy, one of the showstoppers is traditionally the float from the construction management department, which has received first-place votes for the overall sweepstakes or CSU division for the past decade.

This year, attendees can look forward to participation from the marching band and the spirit squads, and to the numerous student organizations on campus, academic programs, sports organizations and fraternities and sororities.

Junior Jamie Hampton remembers past homecoming parades.

“I am looking forward to seeing floats from the cheerleaders and Greek

organizations,” Hampton said. “They are entertaining to see. They usually have music.”

From members of the community, local businesses and nonprofit organizations, the parade will offer a wide variety of diversity.Leeann Harris, a freshman, said she is looking forward to her first CSU Homecoming Parade.

“I am excited to see awesome float designs with enthusiastic people on them,” Harris said.

This year for the first time the festivities can be seen via a live feed.

So if you can’t be at the parade in person, you can still feel a part of the excitement by logging on at source. colostate.edu. The live stream will be available beginning at 4:45 p.m. on Friday.

CSU sophomore Emily Topham said she is excited to take advantage of this oppurtunity, hoping to watch the different ways in which spirit is displayed.

“I am looking forward to seeing how our campus displays the variety of organizations that make up CSU,” Tophman said.

Randi Mattox can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

collegian.com

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Friday, October 16, 2015 • Page 26

Homecoming parade road closures, parking

By Christina Vessa @ChrissyVessa

Streets and parking along the parade route for the 90-minute Homecoming parade Friday will be impacted.

The parade will begin at 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Oak and Howes streets in Old Town.

The parade route will head south on Howes Street, circling around The Oval, through the Lory Student Center Plaza, concluding at Meridian Avenue and University Avenue adjacent to the West Lawn.

Colorado State University is advising the community to utilize alternative transportation all day Friday.

Parade Road Closures Map Streets in the staging area will be closed starting Friday at 10 a.m., and the parade route will close at 3:30 p.m.

The closed streets include:

•

Howes Street – Mountain Avenue to Oak Street • Oak Street – between Howes and Sherwood streets • Sherwood Street to Mountain Avenue to Oak Street, including the Oak Street intersection • The intersections of Oak and Meldrum streets, Oak and Howes streets, and Oak and Sherwood streets • On campus, west-bound Old Main Drive from Rembrandt to the Oval also will be closed.

Any cars parked in the staging area will be towed starting at noon; there will be "No Parking" signs around the area.

The University is advising drivers to utilize Mason and Loomis streets for northsouth travel, and Mountain and Laporte avenues for east-west travel.

East of Howes Street, Oak Street will remain open for Larimer County Courthouse traffic.

Streets will begin to reopen as the area clears out around 5:30 p.m. Howes Street south of Mountain Avenue will not be accessible until the parade ends.

The parade route includes: • Howes Street, south of Oak Street through Laurel Street, to the CSU Oval • Oval Drive • Amy Van Dyken Way • University Avenue, west of, and including, Amy Van Dyken Way to Meridian East-west streets along the parade route also will be closed at 3:30 p.m.

Friday. These streets include: • Olive Street • Magnolia Street • Mulberry Street • Myrtle Street • Laurel Street Only emergency access to Meridian Avenue from South Drive and Pitkin Street will be allowed.

In order to avoid the parade

route, traffic traveling east-west should use Prospect Road or Mountain Avenue. Traffic traveling north-south is advised to use College Avenue or Shields Street.

Visit http://homecoming. colostate.edu/maps/ for more information about road closures and parade routes.

Once the parade ends at 6 p.m. Friday, all streets will reopen.

Those whose vehicles get towed Friday should contact Fort Collins Parking Services at (970) 221-6617. Starting at noon, vehicles that are towed will be transported to a lot on the northeast corner of Mason Street and Cherry Street.

Bus services, Transfort and MAX, will be detoured from standard stops during the parade, beginning at 1 p.m. Around the Horn will be detouring all day.

Bus routes impacted by the parade: • Route 2

• • • • • •

Route 6 Route 7 Route 10 Route 19 Route 32 The Horn Additional details about routes impacted by the parade are available at ridetransfort. com/ridealerts.

Friday morning the following parking closures will go into effect: • West side of the Oval Drive • Amy Van Dyken Way Parts of the Oval lawn will be closed to pedestrian and bicycle traffic throughout the day as well.

There will be a homecoming pep rally starting at 6 p.m. on the west side of the Lory Student Center.

Several details from this article were pulled from SOURCE. Christina Vessa can be reached online at news@collegian.com.

Homecoming events show gratitude to alumni, donors

By Caroline Kozak @carolinee_00

This year, the 10.4 percent alumni participation rate makes Colorado State University's 2015 Homecoming Week even more special.

Homecoming week is a great time to show the pride alumnae have for their alma mater, said Kristi Bohlender, director of the CSU Alumni Association. Bohlender and her staff at the Alumni Association have been working hard to plan events that show the CSU community's gratitude to alumni and donors.

The first event, a Distinguished Alumni Award Dinner, is Thursday in the Lory Student Center Main Ballroom at 5:30 p.m. Many distinguished alumni will be at this dinner, and several of them will be receiving awards. Among the guests will be a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet from the College of Liberal Arts.

“Alumni can really really enhance the experience of our current students when they act as mentors or when they hire our graduated students,” Bohlender said. “Right now, we have the highest alumni participation rate that Colorado State has ever had.”

Also happening this weekend is the 50 Year Club Luncheon, scheduled for 11 a.m. Friday at the Hilton Fort Collins.

To be invited to this event, an alumni must have graduated at least 50 years ago, or longer.

At that time, the University was much smaller, therefore many of the alumnae know each other well, Bohlender said.

Two alumni are being honored by CSU for their work after graduation, as voted on by the 50 Year Club committee.

In addition to these two events, there is an Alumni Tailgate Saturday at Hughes Stadium, at which over 1,000 people

“Alumni can really really enhance the experience of our current students when they act as mentors or when they hire our graduated students.”

KRISTI BOHLENDER DIRECTOR OF CSU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

are expected to attend.

There are over 200 events happening this week in every

college here at CSU. Several clubs and organizations are hosting events, including an Associated Students of Colorado State University reunion, a Student Leadership Involvement and Community Engagement reunion. There will even be a band reunion, among other events.

It is crucial to keep alumni involved in life here at CSU, Bohlender said.

“It is a fantastic celebration of all of the really great things going on at Colorado State."

Caroline Kozak can be reached online at news@collegian.com.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Ask Aunt Aggie: Parents and Homecoming Dear Aunt Aggie, My parents are coming up for the homecoming weekend, and I am freaked out of my mind. My room is a mess, my friends are crazy and I don't know what to do with having this adult influence re-enter my life. I am used to being independent, and homecoming is a way for me to celebrate MY school, not theirs. Why do they have to come and what should I do?

Please help, Complaining Child

Dear Complaining Child, We tend to think of homecoming as a time to celebrate our wonderful University, welcome each other to campus and engage with the community.

For many students, however, this time is also full of drunken debauchery that parents tend to dislike. Indeed, after a crazy semester and midterms finally being over, this seems like a must-needed break.

Alas, parents may seem to ruin all of this. So how can you make the best of this?

1. Clean your room Even if your house and your roommates are messy, simply cleaning up your living space will help your parents feel comfortable about you. Never mind that your week has been stressful. Get rid of potential stress from parents by making your bed, folding your clothes (or at least hiding them in your closet) and vacuuming. These little things will take you 15 minutes and will make your living environment look exponentially beter.

2. Introduce your parents to good people You have most likely (and hopefully) made some wonderful friends while attending CSU. Celebrating those people is what Homecoming is all about. Why not include your family in this celebration, and introduce your family to your friends?

3. Show your parents campus Instead of allowing your family to feel overwhelmed by the University, take them around yourself, especially if they haven't seen the place before. From traditional spots like the Oval to the more unique ones like your favorite classrooms, there are plenty of places to show off to your parents.

Plus, if you're over 21, they might enjoy the Skellar.

4. Tell your parents the ups and downs of your semester If your parents are willing to visit you, then they love you enough to want to know the details of your life. Share with them what's been hard and great about this semester. Not only will it be nice for you to get some outside perspective, they will appreciate understanding what's going on with you.

That's about it. Ultimately, it's up to you to have a good attitude about the festivities. Enjoy and Go Rams!

Have a question to share with Aunt Aggie? Email the Collegian at entertainment@collegian.com.

Friday, October 16, 2015 • Page 27

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>> TRADITION from page 19 Peanuts was shipped home when Battery A joined the fighting in World War I in France, but was fatally poisoned weeks later.

In 1919, a live sweater-wearing black bear cub named Teddy was adopted for a season, but didn’t reappear in 1920. For roughly a decade, Billy Hughes, son of coach Harry Hughes, posed as the University mascot in team photographs. In 1936, Olympic

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Friday, October 16, 2015 • Page 28

gold-medalist and CSU alum Glenn Morris donated a bulldog similar to Peanuts named Gallant Defender. Any hopes of the bulldog being the official mascot went out with the football hiatus during World War II. Where’s Old Main?

Before the French 75mm cannon “Comatose” was firing celebratory blanks at Hughes Stadium (causing many a dropped hot dog), football

victories were celebrated by ringing the bell on top of Old Main – a building on campus that burned to the ground in 1970. The freshmen rang the bell a bit too enthusiastically and it cracked in 1919. It was stolen some years later.

1920 ushered in the tradition of "Comatose" opening and closing home football games.

Today, the closest thing to the Old Main bell is the jingling of keys during kickoffs.

Will you sign my yearbook?

One of CSU’s oldest running traditions was its yearbook, the Silver Spruce. Named after a tree native to Colorado, the Silver Spruce was staffed by the junior classes and ran from 1895 until it got the axe in 2003. -- The Colle-

gian is a CSU tradition still running, along with the painting of the “A,” firing of the cannon and the Bronze Boot trophy awarded at the annual Border War football game.

Jake Schwebach can be reached at entertainment@collegian.com.

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 16, 2015

Colorado State facing turning point after being handled by Boise State

By Keegan Pope @ByKeeganPope

Mike Bobo didn't mince words after Saturday's 41-10 thrashing at the hands of Boise State.

The first-year coach is tired of his team making mistakes. But he's also tired of hearing about where the Rams could or should be had they made one or two extra plays to help them win.

"We're 2-4, that's what we are and we need to realize that," Bobo said after Saturday's game.

"We could keep saying, 'We could of, would of, should of," -- but we didn't. We're 2-4, we've got to back to work and worry about this week, to try to get this win, instead of talking about what we could have done or should have done."

In two losses, CSU was within a play or two of beating Minnesota and Colorado. Against Utah State, the Rams were more than a few plays away in their 33-18 loss, but still had a chance to win in the fourth quarter. Saturday

night, the Rams were smacked around from the opening kickoff.

The Broncos, who re-entered the Top 25 this week, showed why they are considered the class of not only the Mountain West, but the entire Group of Five.

After suffering just two losses during the 2014 regular season, the Rams have lost four of their first six this year, and are very possibly staring their first losing season since 2012 in the face. Things don't get much easier against Air Force, which boasts one of the best rushing attacks in the country, but as quarterback Nick Stevens said postgame, if there's a time to turn things around, it's now.

"I think we definitely need to jump on this quick and get more disciplined as a team," Stevens said. "If it's going to be any time, it should be now because we can't really afford to have any more games like this."

Growing pains were expected with a new coaching staff, along

with having to replace a number of key players. But Colorado State has beat itself each week, players say. Turnovers, penalties and allowing explosive plays have been the culprit most often, and all three hurt CSU Saturday night.

The Rams turned the ball over three times, allowed three touchdowns of 50 yards or more and were penalized nine times for 93 yards. Seniors, like safety Kevin Pierre-Louis, realize their window of games is dwindling, but haven't given up hope on this season.

"I don't think this season is gone -- it's definitely not lost yet," Pierre-Louis said. "We're going to continue working and continue doing what we're doing. We've got a lot of football left, and as a senior, I think I have a lot of football left, and as as a team, I believe in this group and I believe we're going to do good things this year."

Reporter Keegan Pope can be reached at kpope@collegian.com.

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29

Daily Horoscope Nancy Black

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY

(10/16/15). Good fortune this year comes through thoughtful planning and getting true to your spirit. Writing, publishing and broadcasting pay off. Put love into your work and it takes off next spring, provoking personal discovery.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (March 21-April 19)

— 8 — Get what you need. Call ahead to avoid running all over town. Save money by doing your research. Find simple ways to make home more comfortable.

Draw strength from your roots.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) — 9 — Figure out your money today and tomorrow. Store provisions for the future. The completion of a difficult project opens up time for something more fun.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) — 8 — Develop and strengthen partnerships over the next two days. Work out who will do what.

Schedule deadlines. Negotiate terms. Craft a budget and stick to it.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) — 9 — The pace is picking up. Keep costs down. Aim for balance... physically, mentally and spiritually. Focus on providing excellent service, while maintaining your health. Take time for food and rest.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) — 9 — Go play over the next two days.

Follow the rules, and use them to win. Get the best ideas from children.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — 8 — Domestic projects call to you today and tomorrow. Find ways to make your home more comfortable. You can get whatever you need.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — 9 — Get the word out today and tomorrow. Polish the presentation. Gather information, and organize your thoughts. Share what you’re learning. Listen carefully. Play by the rules.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — 8 — Your ideas are attracting attention. Bring in the money for the next two days. Have faith in your own imagination.

It’s potentially quite profitable.

Provide leadership.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — 9 — Romance and passion occupy your thoughts. Imagine a relaxing rendezvous. A quick getaway could invigorate. Today and tomorrow you’re in the power zone, strong and creative.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — 7 — Rest and recuperate today and tomorrow. Exercise and eat well. Plan your next moves.

Avoid distractions and extra costs. Settle into your private sanctuary and recharge.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — 9 — Friends provide what you need over the next few days.

Quick action makes a difference.

In a disagreement about priorities, listen more than speaking.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) — 9 — Put in the extra effort.

Career matters demand your attention today and tomorrow.

Sticking to high standards pays off. Act quickly and make a good impression.

30 Friday, October 16, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

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Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Across 1 Type of hippo 6 59-Down product 9 Color guard accessory 14 Child on TV for decades 15 Virgo preceder 16 “I’m here” 17 Hummingbird feature?

19 Enjoyed Vegas 20 Valley 21 Place to live in Spain 23 Sore feeling 24 Purported ancestor of Ragnar Lothbrok on TV’s “Vikings” 26 Foothills?

29 Crazy scene 30 Call-day link 31 Value 32 Did a cobbler’s job 34 Stain 37 Hot Wheels Volkswagen?

41 Hoedown move 42 Taking place 44 Is in store for 47 Pine product 49 Maker of the GreenSaver Produce Keeper 50 Potty-training tool?

53 Absolut rival

54 Explosive letters 55 Collector’s __ 56 Reveals in an unwelcome way 58 Naming 60 Mouthpiece for a Lilliputian horse?

64 Nursery supply 65 Psyche component 66 Hiding __ 67 No longer an item 68 Oversaw 69 Teamed (with) Down 1 Jams 2 Good remark?

3 Plants with sword-shaped leaves 4 Lombardy’s capital 5 Everyone in Mississippi?

6 Big ring name 7 AT&T, for short 8 Grinder 9 1969 hit with the line “You are my candy girl” 10 Botanist Gray 11 Candy heart words 12 Show one’s face 13 Make amends for 18 Outdo

RAMMIES LUKE MEACHAM

BREWSTER ROCKIT TIM RICKARD

22 Volume measure 24 Abbr. on some cans 25 Hardly a happy ending 27 Where the Santa Maria sank, nowadays 28 Dined on, biblically 30 Dash warning 33 “I suggest you move on” 35 Pie makeup?

36 Stock 38 Plus 39 Doesn’t exactly help one’s reputation 40 Stunning or cunning 43 One under a tree, maybe 44 Nissan sedan 45 Start of a pitch 46 Fifth-century Roman Empire enemy 48 In a little while 51 1996 A.L. Rookie of the Year 52 Psi follower 53 Needles 57 Org. whose logo features an eagle head 59 6-Across maker 61 Awfully long time 62 Rocks in a bucket 63 “Ideas worth spreading” acronym65 Anti-leather gp.

Yesterday’s solution

SUDOKU

Yesterday’s solution 66 Sweetie

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The Rocky Mountain Collegian | Friday, October 16, 2015

31

32 Friday, October 16, 2015 | The Rocky Mountain Collegian

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