Colorado State Rams 2026 Season Preview

New coordinator Pryce Tracy, who followed Mora from UConn after serving as the Huskies' passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, gets his first crack at calling plays. He wants to import the explosive attack he helped run, leaning on a dangerous outside-zone run game and featuring tight ends in the passing game. The biggest question is under center, where Oklahoma State transfer Hauss Hejny and UConn transfer K'saan Farrar are locked in a genuine battle for the No. 1 job. Hejny, a former four-star recruit, is lightning quick and a dangerous runner, and he sits atop the projected depth chart. Farrar counters with good mobility of his own and a strong arm. Both are inexperienced at this level but talented, and whoever wins the job will give this offense the dual-threat element it is built around.

A pair of returning wideouts anchors the group. Tommy Maher caught 32 passes for 358 yards a year ago, and Lavon Brown chipped in 22 grabs for 244 yards. They pair with a crowd of newcomers who offer plenty of options but no clear top target yet, leaving the pecking order to sort itself out in camp. Jordan Mosley and Terrence Smith Jr. round out a receiver room still looking for a go-to man. The tight end room, by contrast, projects as a genuine strength and could be dominant. Juice Vereen headlines a big, athletic group, with Dominic Toy giving the offense a second reliable target at the position. Expect both to be heavily involved in Tracy's design.

The backfield is deep and talented, a room built to carry the outside-zone concept. UConn transfer Mel Brown leads the way and doubles as a threat in the return game. Durell Robinson provides quality depth behind him, and the sheer volume of capable backs should let the Rams keep fresh legs churning against Pac-12 fronts.

Like much of the roster, the line has been rebuilt. Toriyan Johnson, a massive 6-8, 330-pound presence, is penciled in at left tackle, with Diego Rodriguez, center Phillip Ocon, Jayden Tuia and veteran Quinton Harris filling out the projected front. Cohesion up front will go a long way toward determining whether the run-first plan takes hold.

Mora retained Tyson Summers as defensive coordinator, pairing him with co-coordinator Kenny McClendon, who also came over from UConn. Summers, who took over as interim head coach after Norvell's dismissal, runs an aggressive, attacking scheme that injuries kept the Rams from executing last season. After finishing 2025 with virtually no healthy defensive linemen, the group should be bigger this fall in both numbers and overall size. Gabe Jones, Robby Harrison, Brandon Kelley and Mukendi Wa-Kalonji front the rotation, and there is real optimism about the unit's pass-rush potential.

The centerpiece is UConn transfer Oumar Diomande, who followed Mora west and is billed as a do-it-all linchpin. He piled up 116 tackles in 2025, including eight for loss and five sacks, and added five quarterback hurries, exactly the kind of disruptive playmaker Summers' plan is designed to unleash. Jaseim Mitchell and veteran Antarron Turner give the level experience alongside him.

The secondary carries some question marks, particularly at cornerback, where spring injuries clouded the picture. Caleb Presley and CJ Blocker are the projected starters on the outside. The back end looks steadier at safety, where Appalachian State transfer Elijah McCantos profiles as a key piece, with Tre'Shawn Moore beside him. For a defense that surrendered 40 or more points in three of its final four games, tightening the coverage is essential.

The special teams unit is effectively brand new. Colorado State struggled in the kicking game a year ago, but North Texas transfer Kali Nguma should steady it. He has converted 23 of 29 career field goal attempts with a long of 46. Cavan Craig handles the punting, and Mel Brown gives the return game a legitimate big-play threat on kickoffs.