Colorado State pushing for capacity crowd

Colorado State said Thursday it only has about 2,000 seats remaining for Saturday's game with Minnesota at Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium, giving it a chance to prove Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson wrong.

That figure is based on all student tickets being picked up.

"Anticipating students pick up their entire allotment of tickets, there are 30,000 tickets out," said CSU's Ben Lorenzen, the senior associate athletic director in charge of external operations. "With a couple thousand more to sell and a large anticipated walk-up we are encouraging fans to go online to CSURams.com or call 1-800-491-RAMS before Saturday to purchase a ticket."

Thompson told the Minnesota Star-Tribune this week he didn't expect a sellout for the game, but a crowd in the high 20,000's, maybe even 30,000. Historically, he'd be correct, as Colorado State broke a long dry spell last year with back-to-back sellouts against Utah State and Wyoming (both at 32,529). The Mountain West office noted Thompson would be more than happy to be wrong about his prediction.

FORT COLLINS — No matter what game Sonny Lubick watches these days, he looks at the defense first, and in doing so, works from back to front.

Naturally. With more than 30 years of coaching experience, the former Colorado State football coach developed a reputation as an excellent educator of secondary players.

"I did that watching Urban (Meyer's Ohio State) team (Monday night)," Lubick said. "How they're lining up, what they're doing. That's easier for me, because that's all I've ever done for 30 years. I always start from the back."

This Saturday when Colorado State hosts Minnesota at the field named after him (Lubick Field at Hughes Stadium, 1:30 p.m.; CBS Sports Network), he just may see a little something he recognizes, because in the past two years, he's spent time talking defense with both staffs.

When it comes to former Colorado State football coach Sonny Lubick, new coach Mike Bobo said there is always an open door. Bobo has also asked Lubick to be
When it comes to former Colorado State football coach Sonny Lubick, new coach Mike Bobo said there is always an open door. Bobo has also asked Lubick to be an honorary captain at a game this year and speak to the team. (Andy Cross / THE DENVER POST)

When Lubick was let go at Colorado State, Jerry Kill's name was rumored as a replacement. Kill, who left Southern Illinois and went to Northern Illinois first, then to Minnesota in 2010, said he was never offered the job. He did make an offer to Lubick, however.

"Sonny came out and visited with us — I don't know what it was, you'd have to ask Sonny — a couple of years ago," Kill said this week. "He met with the defensive side of the ball and spent some time with us, so I hope he don't remember too much."

This summer, after Mike Bobo and his staff became settled in Lubick's former place of work, Lubick spent some time talking defense with CSU defensive coordinator Tyson Summers. Then again, when it comes to Lubick, Bobo said an open-door policy always exists.

"He's been great. He was one of the first guys I reached out to when I got the job here," Bobo said. "I didn't want to put a lot of pressure on him; just say 'hey, open door, I want you around.' He's going to be an honorary captain for us this year and speak to the team. I'm excited about that.

"I know he's talked to Marty (English, linebackers coach) a couple of times, almost every week, I think, about defense. Then Tyson wanted to seek him out and they've met a couple of times. He's been great."

Those offers are appreciated, no matter where the request comes from.

"It's always an honor and a humbling experience when a coach flies you out for two days to talk football with them, and I love doing that," Lubick said.

At Minnesota, Lubick said he met with the Gophers' defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys and his staff and talked football for nine hours a day for two days straight.

No matter how much the game has changed — Lubick remembers when the current 3-4 sets were called 5-2s — the basic principles remain very much the same.

"We just talked to them about what we did here, the entire thing," said Lubick, whose teams went 108-74 and won or shared six conference championships. "We talked about every position. You get in a room there for nine hours, it's here's our basic thoughts and our basic schemes, here's what we did and how we evolved over several years.

"I always tell anybody when I go out and talk, my expertise is not the front. I know the overall picture, but I do get into detail with the secondary, because I've coached that for over 30 years, so we go over more detail with that."

The sharing of ideas is as old as the game itself, and Lubick noted the idea of constantly evolving can sometimes lead to trouble. Like the early years at CSU, when the Rams had little trouble stopping Air Force's option. Then they tried to get better and actually ran into problems.

That led to Lubick and his staff bringing in Monte Kiffin for a visit and order was restored for awhile.

The talks he had with Minnesota were very much the same talks he had with Summers, a younger coach with whom Lubick came away very impressed with his mind and his desire to continue to learn.

But as for giving away the specific team secrets Kill joked about, well, those stay put, Lubick said.

"I don't tell anybody," Lubick said. "That's one thing, you don't ever want to be considered a double agent. (Kill) was nice enough to ask me up there two years ago, and I enjoyed it. Like all coaches, they follow people, and if you see something, they want to find out what they're doing. Coaches try to turn every stone. You know how that goes."

It's just that this Saturday, Lubick will actually get to see if the teams are employing any of his ideas.

Mike Brohard: 970-635-3633, mbrohard@reporter-herald.com and twitter.com/mbrohard