FORT COLLINS— Jordon Vaden’s athleticism and potential have never been questioned within the Colorado State football program. But his performance at wide receiver left coaches and fans feeling there could be so much more.
He had pushed for a move to defense to play cornerback in the past, and then it happened in the spring.
“I mean, he’d been talking about it for a while, and one day he just popped up (in the meeting room),” senior cornerback Tyree Simmons said.
Welcome aboard.
Vaden played well enough during the spring to put himself firmly in the equation to become a starter. But at the time, even the senior knew he was relying more on his physical gifts than the mental nuances that would make him really good, so he spent his summer honing his new craft.
CSU cornerbacks coach Terry Fair left his group in the spring the message that footwork would be key, and Vaden attacked that — as well as everything else that could make him better.
“Honestly for me, focusing on playing the position as the position should be played,” Vaden said. “Spring, I was kind of just relying on the fact I knew offensive concepts. I kind of knew how to play the ball in the air, those types of things. Now I really want to work on the techniques, hand placement, staying in your backpedal, the right footwork, the right eyes. Those types of things, those are the things I need to take to the next level.”
Read the rest here
