Filling the Void From Top to Bottom

There is a void – actually two from the same mold – and they aren't afraid to talk about it in the Colorado State receiver's room.

Tory Horton is gone to the Seattle Seahawks. Same with his leadership and work-ethic model, the example everyone else followed. Who steps into those roles?

A solid question to ponder, one position coach James Finley says comes with multiple-choice answers for which he hopes to see multiple correct responses. He's not about to anoint anyone. That's on them, but as a whole, he has set a high bar for participation.

"I need a bunch of guys to be Tory, you know? And I firmly believe in us doing it together," Finley said. "Our goal as a staff, and especially in our receiver room, is five receivers with 30 catches plus.

"Now, what you do with those catches is what you do with it. But that's our goal, is for us to have five receivers with 30 catches-plus. We've done it before our second year here, so it's definitely doable."

Truth is, the Rams came close two years ago. Four players had 30 or more, but the fifth had 23. Semantics. The last time the program came close was 2014 when four players had 30, a fifth had 28. It was a season where Garrett Grayson threw for a school-record 4,006 yards, Rashard Higgins was a Biletnikoff Award finalist with 96 catches for 1,750 yards and 17 touchdowns and three other receivers had at least 430 yards.

That's the other layer Finley throws out – that all five with 30 catches produce at least 500 yards. Those figures include what the tight ends will add, and there is an anticipation to what Jaxxon Warren and Rocky Beers will supply the formula.

There may not be a ton of experience in the room, but there is some. Finley says the talent exists to hit those marks, a belief buoyed by a third-year starter in Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi throwing the ball. It is a confidence shared by those who will be asked to produce.

"I feel like we've got weapons. We've got different weapons for everything," sophomore Jordon Ross said. "We've got speed. We've got people who can catch. We got shifty guys, and we got size."

The auditions to step into the role actually started a season ago when Horton was hurt and missed most of the campaign. Armani Winfield led the team with 38 catches, but the next six players behind him all have vacated the premises. Ross had 15. Tommy Maher came on late and had four. Lavon Brown matched that number. Since then, more transfers have been added to the mix.

Tay Lanier has around 30 catches in his career at two previous stops and was on hand for spring camp, a 15-practice stretch where he impressed. Petey Tucker has been added after 30 catches for Georgia State in 2024. Kojo Antwi, who spent three years at Ohio State, is ready to make a push after watching in the spring.

For the coach and those fighting for positions, it makes the room spicy in an effective way.

"I think it's real competitive. We take everything to heart," Lanier said. "If you drop a ball, we get mad. If you mess up on the play, we get mad. So, I think the competition part, we take it hard.

"If we catch a ball and if we get tagged, we still finish to the end zone. It's like the play is not over to us until you hear the whistle. Do everything game-like."

Finley wants them all to push to be part of the solution. While doing so, push to be the guy. Every one of them should want to fill that role, because even if the Rams have five players with 30-plus catches, somebody is going to be the lead dog.

Carrying that mentality onto the field every day in practice will make them better individually and as a group.

"Those guys played last year, so they have a feel for how the game is. Tommy made a big play in one of our biggest games, Wyoming," Finley said. "But that's something we preach in our room, just us doing it together. I'd love one receiver with 1,500 yards. That's great, but I love five receivers with 500-something plus that have different skill sets.

"You should go out there thinking, I'm the guy. You always think team first, and sometimes there's certain routes and stuff we run to get our teammates open, but at the same time, yeah, coach, I want to be the alpha."

Young and old alike, that's the requirement.

No problem there, coach.

"It's just the receiver thing, honestly. That's what all receivers like," Ross said. "Everybody wants to be a guy. Everybody want to be that person who can catch every ball."

Ross knows what he wants. He misses having Horton around but is thankful for the time he did get so spend with him, either watching what he did or getting guidance when Horton was out of the lineup.

He also knows Lanier and everybody else wants the same things. Better yet, they both think they can be the Ram with 1,500 yards receiving, and why not? That's the type of thinking which will lift them and the room as a whole.

"I'm his biggest enemy and I'm his biggest fan," Ross said. "Everything that he does right, I'm going to let him know, and if he does something wrong, I'm going to give him that criticism."

The talking part just comes naturally. Lanier, feeling more and more like he's found his home, says it builds up chemistry. Not that he says much, he claims, just follows the lead of Ross.

Of course, Ross says he never starts anything – but he will finish every bit of banter. They know they can talk all they want as teammates, but as players, the numbers will speak loudest.

Most of all, they like the way their coach thinks, and they have the full intent to clear the bar he's set. If so, the numbers which would be best received would be those in the win-loss column.

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Kojo Antwi

Rocky Beers

Lavon Brown

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi

Tory Horton

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Tommy Maher

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Jaxxon Warren

Armani Winfield

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