Colorado State head coach Jay Norvell moved on from Colorado rival Deion Sanders, he claims, but the Rams’ coach spilled the tea on a new hot-button issue around his program: tampering with quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi and wide receiver Tory Horton.
Norvell said Thursday in Las Vegas during Mountain West Conference media day he has no thoughts about Sanders, the subject of a feud before they played last season.
But he did have thoughts on teams wielding massive Name, Image and Likeness offers to CSU’s standouts. That included Norvell saying Fowler-Nicolosi informed Colorado State that someone connected to Kansas State called with an offer of $600,000 if he would transfer to Manhattan, Kansas.
“If you have enough evidence you can prove it. But you know, smoking gun is a smoking gun,” Norvell said of his conversation with Fowler-Nicolosi. “He said a guy from Kansas State called and offered him $600,000 because they lost their quarterback, offered him $600,000 if he entered the portal. I’m not accusing Kansas State of anything, I’m just telling you what the kid told me.
“If they don’t want their name thrown in it, they should probably get a handle on their people.”
Fowler-Nicolosi threw for 3,460 yards with 22 touchdowns in 2023 as a redshirt sophomore.
“We believe he’s got all of the qualities to be special in this league. He threw for 3,400 yards. I don’t think people really understand what that means,” Norvell said.
Horton is well-established as special and Norvell wasn’t surprised to hear the level of suitors that came calling in the offseason, mentioning Texas A&M and Ole Miss as two programs who made contact.
Horton had 96 receptions for 1,136 yards and eight touchdowns for CSU last season. He began his college career at Nevada — Norvell was an assistant coach for the Wolfpack — and has already graduated, which could’ve made another move easier.
But Horton said he had no plans to go anywhere.
“There was no point in me transferring … I’m happy where I’m at,” he said. “The knowledge that I get from the coaches at Colorado State is what I need to prepare myself for the next level.”
Norvell didn’t want to go back down the road of discussing Sanders, whom he called out last season. Before the “Rocky Mountain Shootout” game between rivals, Norvell said “When I talk to adults, I take my hat and sunglasses off. That’s what my mother taught me,” which was a reference to Sanders holding press conferences in shades and various hats.
“I don’t have any feelings for Deion Sanders, I really don’t,” Norvell said. “I don’t think about Deion Sanders unless you guys ask me a question about him.”
But the discussion is sure to linger when the programs get back together early this season for a primetime game on CBS.
Last season, Colorado rallied from a 28-17 deficit to beat Colorado State, 43-35 in double overtime. The rematch is scheduled for Sept. 14 in Fort Collins.
–Field Level Media
