FORT COLLINS >> Colorado State sophomore quarterback Clay Millen is a year older and a year wiser after taking his lumps as a freshman starter last season.

The Washington native and Nevada transfer has shown glimpses this spring of how much he has improved, and he put his progression on display Saturday in CSU’s annual Green and Gold Game at Canvas Stadium to conclude spring practices.

The game’s format of “1s vs. The World” started with Millen and the rest of CSU’s starters behind by 21 points. By halftime, the 1s had made up the deficit and led 27-24.

They went on to win, 34-24.

Millen, one of the national leaders in completion percentage last year, completed 11 of 16 passes for more than 180 yards. Among his highlights was a screen pass to Justus Ross-Simmons that the sophomore receiver took more than 65 yards down to the 1-yard line.

That set up the first touchdown by the 1s, a short run by running back Vann Schield.

Millen’s best throw came a few series later when he dropped one over the shoulder of sophomore receiver Louis Brown at the 4. Brown’s momentum carried him into the end zone for a touchdown.

“I think we started out super hot,” Millen said. “We scored really quickly on the first two drives. Kind of in the middle, we had some delay of games, a couple of things we’d like to clean up. Overall, I think it was a good day. Going into today’s scrimmage I wanted to score on every possession. We didn’t do that so that is something that will be a focus. But overall, I think it was a good day.”

It was a good day all-around for the Rams’ offense as they scored four first-half touchdowns and added one late in the fourth quarter.

Most of the focus this spring has been forming a consistent, cohesive offensive line. That line was on full display Saturday, only allowing Millen to be sacked once while giving him protection to complete passes and open holes for Schield.

Schield, a former walk-on, continued to take advantage of his opportunity at running back, scoring three touchdowns in the game. With returning starter Avery Morrow out of spring practice and a highly anticipated group of recruits coming in, Schield could see his role relegated to special teams.

But he proved Saturday he can break long runs and muscle his way through the middle as he finished the game with over 100 yards on the ground.

“I’ve just been real pleased all spring with our offensive line,” CSU head coach Jay Norvell said. “I think we’ve improved there tremendously. I think we’ve got a core of guys that are really accountable, that work every day and try to do the things that we have been able to do. We’ve been able to run the ball consistently all spring, and it starts there.

“I thought Clay has shown a lot of progress this spring. I think Clay has grown up, too. Just his ability to get the ball out and understand pressure. Our young receivers are growing up. Louis Brown and Justus Ross-Simmons, they have had really strong springs. I thought Vann ran really hard today, too.”

Defensively, the Rams’ 1s allowed only a field goal to the backups. That came on their first drive of the game. The defensive 1s, despite having several players held out of the game, shut out the backups for more than three and a half quarters.

For returners like defensive back Jack Howell, that was a good sign.

“We started a little slow, but we started picking it up and got in a little bit of a rhythm,” Howell said. “We went into this focusing on not letting them score any points and we fell short on that today, but we talked good and we are having a big emphasis on tackling with a lower pad level and I think that showed up. I think our corners played really good, took away the fade ball, so I was happy with how everyone played.”

Players on both sides have benefitted from this being the second spring and having a full season under Norvell behind them as they maneuver through the offseason to spring practice and eventually to fall camp before next season.

But Norvell continues to point out that the team on the field Saturday is only a fraction of what the squad will look like once the end of the summer rolls around. More than 40 players are scheduled to arrive from the Rams’ latest recruiting class and there are a few more the team still plans to sign.

Saturday was about progress and building the foundation for a better season next fall after the Rams went 3-9 last season. And while there are more players coming, most will be backups, with the likely exception of a starting running back.

“I was really just pleased with how we finished today,” Norvell said. “I thought guys were focused and sharp and we put a good day’s work in. We’re going to add a whole bunch of guys in this summer. I think we’ve got 43 scheduled to come in right now and will probably add about a half dozen to that.”