Colorado State hasn’t traded its Air Raid offense for a ground-and-pound approach, but the first two games of the 2024 season have shown that the Rams have significantly improved their running game.

In head coach Jay Norvell’s first season in 2022, the Rams averaged 89 rushing yards per contest. That number improved slightly, to 92.8 yards, last season. In two games this year, the Rams are averaging 171 yards on the ground, thanks in large part to the 224 yards they ran for last week against Northern Colorado.

“We’re serious about improving this team,” Norvell said. “We really are. We want our weaknesses to become our strengths. We’re not ready to be ground-and-pound, but I think we are getting better.

“I feel like we were in a position last year to finish games and run the football. We have to learn how to do that. Being able to run the football and hold onto the football when we have to, is something that we have to learn to do.”

It hasn’t just been end-of-game situations where the CSU run game has shined, although being able to hold the ball for four minutes and score a late touchdown to secure last week’s victory against Northern Colorado was exactly what Norvell has been looking for.

In the Rams’ season-opening loss at Texas, Justin Marshall continued what he started last year when he had at least 94 yards in three straight games, including his first 100-yard game against San Diego State.

Against the Longhorns in Austin, he had his second career 100-yard game, with 106 on 25 carries.

Last week against Northern Colorado, Marshall ran for 67 yards on 10 carries, but the Rams were able to show off their diversity and depth at running back against the Bears. Seven different CSU players toted the ball, with the most yardage coming from Keegan Holles, who had 89 yards on 10 carries and also scored the first touchdown of his collegiate career.

The redshirt sophomore from Cherry Creek didn’t play last year because of knee surgery following his second ACL tear, but he has shown in practice that he can be a productive piece in CSU’s offense. He proved that against Northern Colorado.

“You pull for those guys,” Norvell said. “We play a tough sport. Injuries happen, people get hurt, and when you have an injury like that, you’re out for months and months. It takes a long time for your body to recover.

“I’m just proud of him. He’s a tough kid. I don’t think he gets enough credit for how physical he is and how tough he runs, especially coming off that injury. I think before he got injured he was just thought of as a fast guy, but now he really has a lot of respect from his teammates as a physical runner.”

Other Rams who added to the ground total against the Bears were Damian Henderson, who ran for 38 yards on eight carries, and Avery Morrow, who added 27 on five carries.

The graduate Morrow, who came with Norvell from Nevada before the 2022 season, has seen his contributions drop because of off-field issues and other players coming in. But when he carried multiple defenders with him into the end zone with 43 seconds left on Saturday to extend the Rams’ lead to 38-17, it was a special moment for Norvell.

“I was so proud of Avery,” Norvell said. “Avery has been a starter. He’s not a starter right now. But boy did he run the ball hard at the end of the game, and I was proud of that and I was so proud that he got into the end zone at the end of the game.”

Norvell isn’t the only one excited about the resurgence in the Rams’ running game.

The offensive line opening the holes and bullying defenders in front of them has played a role in the team’s success on the ground as well.

That line includes three starters and two newcomers, and seeing the backs run down the field in front of them has been engaging.

“We’re happy about it, but we’re not satisfied,” lineman Saveyon Henderson said. “We know we got a big game coming up and we need to do a lot better. But we are definitely excited.”

As the Rams turn their attention to Colorado this week, Norvell and the players haven’t needed to be reminded that their struggles running the ball played a part in their loss last year in Boulder.

The Rams wanted to run the clock out and seal their victory when they were ahead 28-20, but they couldn’t sustain a drive and gave the ball back to the Buffs with 2:06 remaining. With 36 seconds on the clock, CU not only scored a touchdown, but got a two-point conversion to send the game to overtime.

Norvell has mentioned multiple times this week how not being able to convert first downs on that final offensive possession led to the loss and thus made end-game situations running the ball a priority leading up to this season.

So far, his team has responded, and the Rams hope to continue their ground success Saturday at home against CU and beyond.