FORT COLLINS — The proudest person inside Canvas Stadium last Friday night was running backs coach Jeremy Moses.

In the Rams’ 49-21 win over Fresno State that Jay Norvell hopes is the breakthrough for his team following a 1-4 start, Moses got to watch all five of the scholarship players in his room make an impact — with four getting into the end zone.

In all, the CSU running back quartet totaled 261 yards of offense and four touchdowns as the group has once again become the standout of the Rams offense. 

“It was unique, as a position coach,” Moses said. “Not just the four guys taking the carries, (but) Keegan Holles being able to play a big role on special teams. To have all five scholarship guys contribute in a win some way, somehow is a pretty good feeling. Obviously, we’ve shown what type of potential we all have; the challenge is to do that every single week. 

“Reps may divvy out in different directions each and every week, but opportunities aren’t gonna diminish, so take advantage of the reps you get and take advantage of the opportunities within those reps.”

That happened from the first offensive snap of the game.

Starter Jalen Dupree took his first carry for 10 yards and a first down. Two plays later, Justin Marshall was in the game, bouncing off defenders and running past others for a 73-yard touchdown that set the tone for an offensive explosion.

On the next drive, true freshman Javion ‘Chop’ Kinnard caught a pass in the end zone for his first career touchdown. He later added a 41-yard catch on a crucial third-and-5 early in the fourth quarter.

Two plays after, Lloyd Avant ran 12 yards for his team-leading third rushing touchdown of the season.

To cap off the night, Dupree got his touchdown shortly after re-entering the game for an injured Marshall. 

“Anytime you’re a ball player, you want to be able to have some of that glory, so for all four of them to be able to get in the end zone, I think, was special, especially when you’ve only got one back on the field the majority of the game,” Moses said.

The running back room feels there’s no reason that can’t be a regularity, starting Saturday against Hawaii (5 p.m., MW App/Spectrum). Just like last year, that room feels like it can be the focal point of an offense just starting to develop an identity. Maybe that identity becomes getting the ball in the hands of Dupree, Avant, Marshall, and Kinnard as much as possible. 

There’s no bad blood among them, either. Moses vividly remembers a two-play sequence in the San Diego State game a few weeks ago, where Dupree and Avant were on the field at the same time and on back-to-back similar play calls, Avant went from blocking for Dupree to running behind Dupree for a big gain.

“That (wasn’t) by design. They kinda work that out on their own, but it just gives you a small glimpse of how they operate in a team setting,” Moses said. “They love each other, they give each other crap, they give each other a hard time, but they support each other better than any group I’ve ever had. It’s fun to watch. I definitely didn’t see the ceiling that we’re getting right now as far as trust with those guys.”

Even after a game like last week, that ceiling is far from being reached. Take a look at each of their class years next to their names on the roster. Every one of them is a freshman or a sophomore.

But that’s where the one difficult part of Moses’ job comes in. It’s not easy to keep such a talented group together for multiple years in today’s age of college football. 

For now, though, that’s not a concern. He’s just trying to make sure they all get the touches they’ve earned.

“We’re not losing anybody to graduation after this year, so we should keep this same type of character, this same type of camaraderie into the offseason,” Moses said. “Fort Collins is awesome, CSU is a great place to be, so if I can just keep them happy on the field and in meeting rooms, we should be alright.

“It’s a room full of guys that are ready to step in and do the job they’re asked to do.”

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King’s Prediction

Colorado State 31, Hawaii 24

The Rams will have their hands full once again with another explosive offense coming to Fort Collins this Saturday. The Rainbow Warriors have scored 44 points in each of their last two games, including just two weeks ago at Air Force in their previous trip to Colorado. But there’s reason to believe Norvell’s group has turned a corner with last week’s showing against Fresno State and a second-straight win would quickly change the mood after such a disappointing start.

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King’s Players to Watch

Colorado State: RB Javion Kinnard, OLB Paul Tangelo

Norvell has said it for weeks, but the Rams have wanted to get the ball in the hands of Kinnard, a true freshman. He showed why with his pair of explosive plays in the passing game last week. Get him in space and watch him make people miss. Defensively, Tangelo is looking to carry over the momentum after his first career touchdown a week ago. With so many injuries on defense, the Rams are going to need to rely on turnovers and sacks, and Tangelo is going to continue to have opportunities to make big plays.

Hawaii: QB Micah Alejado, DL Jackie Johnson III

As the Rainbow Warriors offense has exploded in recent weeks, so has the numbers for Alejado, the program’s standout quarterback. The lefty has 870 passing yards and six touchdowns in his last two games and presents another big test for the Rams defense. On defense, Hawaii is tied for the Mountain West lead in sacks thanks to Johnson III, who has 4.5 on his own. He’ll be important in not just putting pressure on the quarterback, but also limiting the CSU rushing attack.