Projecting Colorado State football offense: Who joins QB Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi in attack
The countdown to Aug. 31 is on.
That's when the Colorado State football team opens the 2024 season with a game at Texas against a team that will be a popular preseason pick to make the College Football Playoff.
The Rams are through spring practices and the transfer window for players exiting the program to hit the portal has closed. CSU will still bring in a few additions via transfer but the core of the 2024 roster is set.
With that in mind, here's a look at an early projection for CSU's offense in the fall.
Note: A preview of the defense will be published on Coloradoan.com early next week.
Quarterback
Starter: Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi
Notable: Fowler-Nicolosi, known affectionately as "BFN" by fans, took over in Game 1 a year ago and didn't look back in what turned into a wild ride of a 2023. He was electric at times, throwing for 3,460 yards, which was good for 15th in the nation and first among freshmen. He had 22 passing touchdowns and opened up the offense. But he also threw 16 interceptions, which was second-most in FBS. It's not over-dramatic to say that his level of growth and consistency as a redshirt sophomore could be the difference in this team being a bowl team or not.
Depth: Fowler-Nicolosi took all the No. 1 reps in spring, making it clear there is no debate heading into Week 1. Redshirt freshman Jackson Brousseau is the backup and showcases natural throwing ability and perhaps the best deep-ball accuracy of the group. Giles Pooler is the veteran backup who will likely serve as the No. 3. Highly ranked recruit Darius Curry will join in the summer.
Receivers
Starters: Tory Horton, Donovan Ollie, Dylan Goffney
Notable: CSU lost three of its top four producers in receiving yards from a year ago. Tight end Dallin Holker is off to the NFL (more on his position below) and Justus Ross-Simmons (Syracuse) and Louis Brown (San Diego State) have transferred. It was a boon for CSU to have Horton return and delay his entry into the NFL. He's arguably the best offensive player in the Mountain West and had 96 catches for 1,136 yards last season. He's the focal point. But the Rams need others to step up. The 6-foot-3 Ollie transfers in from Cincinnati and brings a physical receiver to the room. Goffney will man the slot and had 298 yards and two touchdowns last season. CSU will look for him to take a step up.
Depth: Behind Horton, the battle is on for playing time and receptions. Ollie and Goffney get the nods here due to veteran status, but a group of young players are in the mix as well. Caleb Goodie and Jamari Person were frequently highlighted by coaches as having a strong spring. Lavon Brown could get into the mix as well. It's also quite possible CSU could add another transfer receiver (former Baylor wideout Armani Winfield, who recently visited Fort Collins on a recruiting trip, is a target).
Tight end
Starter: Jaxxon Warren
Notable: It's a bit of a leap of faith to name a player who isn't even on campus yet as the starter, but those are the signals out of the CSU camp of what could be coming. Warren has committed out of Navarro College and the 6-foot-7 player has brought mention of traits similar to former Nevada star (under Jay Norvell) Cole Turner. It's a 767-yard, six-touchdown hole left in the wake of Holker's departure the the NFL and none of the tight ends in the room grabbed the spot in spring. Warren will have the chance to win the job early.
Depth: The three tight ends for CSU in spring were Vince Brown, Jordan Williams and Mason Muaau. Williams and Muaau both were unavailable for parts of spring. The group is limited in FBS experience. They each have valuable and different skills and could still contend for significant playing time. It is a position group to watch in fall camp.
Running back
Starter: Justin Marshall
Notable: Marshall burst onto the scene late in 2023, rushing for 311 yards (5.5 yards per carry) and two touchdowns in the only three games he played. The 5-foot-11, 175-pound redshirt freshman is explosive and reads the field well. It's a deep room, but how he impacted the offense late in 2023 can't be overlooked.
Depth: There are a lot of players capable of earning carries and a diverse skillset among them. Damian Henderson, another redshirt freshman, had a snippet of time last year with 12 carries and is a physical runner. Veteran Kobe Johnson was going to be the main man a year ago until he was sidelined with injury. The former North Dakota State back has more than 2,000 career rush yards and he returned a kick for a TD last year. He's likely the No. 2 or could even be in the mix as a co-No. 1. Avery Morrow had 866 yards two seasons ago. The sleeper is Keegan Holles, who is back from an ACL injury and had a strong spring. There won't be enough carries for everyone and fall camp will be an interesting battle to see who emerges as the top group.
Offensive line
Starters: Saveyon Henderson (LT), Alex Foster (LG), Jacob Gardner (C), Drew Moss (RG) and Aaron Karas (RT)
Notable: Henderson and Gardner were stalwarts in their spots last year. Moss was, too, but at right tackle and now he's likely to move inside to guard. Foster joins as an experienced player from Utah Tech. Karas grew his role during 2023 and now has a chance to start in 2024 as a redshirt sophomore. It's a huge group. Those five average 6-foot-5, 300 pounds.
Depth: CSU built the last couple of seasons via transfer on the line, but now young players are growing up and into bigger roles. Tanner Morley, the 6-foot-7, 320-pound redshirt freshman, is making a serious push for playing time. Fellow redshirt freshman Aitor Urionabarrenechea (6-foot-5, 330) and Christian Martin (6-foot-6, 270) are also in the mix. Keegan Hamilton remains as Gardner's understudy at center. The Rams may look to add one more depth piece via the portal but it looks to be a bigger and deeper group than in years past.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on X and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado State football 2024 offense depth chart
