Team preview: Colorado State

Originally Published: June 30, 2008

The Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook previews the 2008 Colorado State Rams, exclusively on Insider.

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Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at the Division I-A teams. To order the complete 2008 edition of Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbook.com or call 1-866-805-BALL (2255).

(All information as of June 20, 2008)

COACH AND PROGRAM

For Colorado State fans, the pain of watching campus legend Sonny Lubick nudged into retirement last winter was lessened by the Lubick-endorsed hiring of Steve Fairchild, 50, a former Rams quarterback and assistant coach.

Fairchild knows it won't be easy to follow Lubick, who compiled a 108-74 record over 15 seasons and led the Rams to nine bowl games and at least a share of six conference titles. "There are no shortcuts in this business," Fairchild said. "It's hard work, determination, put your plan in place and don't flinch, and that's what we'll do here."

Colorado State experienced only four losing seasons under Lubick, but that includes three of the last four. Home attendance slipped to its lowest levels since 1992 last season and the squad had no first-team all-conference picks for a second consecutive season. The Rams started out 1-9 in 2007, losing four games by six or fewer points before rallying to finish with back-to-back victories.

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